There are very few days in my life as good as Friday, June 25th.
At noon, I had the pleasure of proudly watching my wife pay tribute to the Queen of Rock and Roll in an hour-long program showcasing Tina Turner’s heaviest rock songs. She had performed this program last year at the Wytheville Moose Lodge, but being invited this year to the Chautauqua Festival marked a new career highlight. The upper shelter of Elizabeth Brown Memorial Park in Wytheville was flooded with a stadium-quality rock show.
Unfortunately, only a few were there to witness it in person. Several who did attend inquired where Emily might be from. When we replied that she lived just down the street, spectators shook their heads.
“You just don’t know what kind of talent you have right here at home,” one man said. “It’s just unbelievable.”
No truer statement was ever spoken.
The handful of people who were smart enough to show up provided Emily with a wonderful energy—an energy she gave back to the audience one hundredfold.
“You wore me out,” said our lifelong friend Teny Underwood, the retired deputy sheriff who plays bluegrass music for various churches and nursing homes.
“I don’t know how you’re still standing,” said another dear friend, Ann Harrison. “I would’ve been passed out!”
Those are the kinds of compliments Emily has waited all her life to hear. She has always wanted to be recognized for the kind of energy her idol exuded. Knowing that Tina Turner made me feel that way when I saw her in concert 28 years ago, Emily knew that’s how she wanted her audiences to feel, too. It was a deeply rewarding experience—but none more so than for the listener. Hearing her enormously powerful voice echo through professional, first-class speakers was like hearing her in the stadium she dreams of filling. It was a full-fledged rock show.
Donned in a gorgeous pink dress—reminiscent of a cross between Cass Elliott and Barbara Eden—and glittery silver shoes that looked like they came straight from the Wizard of Oz book, her moves were fluid, full, and rich. This was especially true during numbers that called for dramatic flair, like the Gypsy Acid Queen from Tommy, the rock opera by The Who. That role, of course, marked Tina Turner’s own breakout into rock—and helped her break through the barrier she had always dreamed of. This performance felt like no less a breakthrough for my wife, who is steadily stepping into those same shoes.
Blessed with perfect pitch and an alto voice, Emily has always wanted to sing rock songs—songs full of positive energy and joy. She got to play another exciting role when she performed the theme from GoldenEye, the 1995 James Bond film starring Pierce Brosnan, which anchored Tina Turner’s Wildest Dreams album the following year. Emily performed a couple more tracks from that record, including “Do What You Do” and “Whatever You Want”—the latter of which she dedicated to me, solidifying for everyone in the audience that the beautiful girl on stage was mine and mine alone. I have never been prouder. Our little girl, 11-year-old Bella, was equally proud of her mama.
“You were so beautiful,” she gushed when Emily came offstage. “You sounded perfect!”
Bella is our biggest encourager in everything we set out to do, and we love her with all our hearts—for the wonderful young woman she’s becoming, and for the light and blessing she brings to the world. Though there were 16 songs in Emily’s repertoire, the hour flew by, and she had to cut the last three or four. She opened with Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love,” famously covered on Tina Turner’s Acid Queen album in 1976, and bantered playfully with the audience.
“If you see Robert,” she said, referring to Led Zeppelin’s lead singer, “tell him I send a whole lotta love.”
She also gave a nod to Phil Collins who played drums on “Girls,” a David Bowie composition from Tina’s 1986 Break Every Rule album, as well as a favorite Beatle before performing “Get Back” in Tina’s raucous style.
“Paul McCartney just turned 83,” she said. “And he’s still out there killing it every night.”
These are the kinds of legends Emily dreams of performing alongside. But unlike most dreamers, she has the talent to make it real. Having her own band would be a dream come true—but until then, she continues to wow audiences, big or small, with an incomparable voice that seems to come from another realm. We had a couple of very special guests in the audience that day to whom we owe tremendous gratitude. Locally renowned photographer and videographer—and my dear friend—Cory Parker was on hand to capture the event with his magic lenses. Another of our dearest friends, Sarah Taylor (who also happens to be our unofficial public relations agent), was there to film and spread a collection of photos and videos across social media. Famed Wytheville photographer Madeline Lenore also attended to see her friend.
“She sounds great and looks terrific,” she told me. “That is the perfect dress for her.”
We are also eternally grateful to Karen Melton, chairman of the Wythe Arts Council, for inviting Emily to be a part of our cherished hometown festival. She’s already invited her back to perform next year—and Emily gladly accepted. I can hardly wait to see the rock and roll extravaganza my wife will present next time. May she receive the recognition and opportunities she deserves to share her tremendous gift with the world. As her husband and biggest fan, I can tell you: there’s no greater blessing to be offered.
