Pegram

   We celebrated Fourth of July with several hundred others in Pegram, Tennessee.

Compared to downtown Nashville, which drew over 200,000 folks that night, it was a small affair.

But there was plenty of festive fun, food, patriotic spirit, and music on the lawn, so we enjoyed it.

It was a beautiful sunny day, and we were under a roof to keep us from getting too hot and sweaty. And as we arrived, we were presented with special creative gifts.

A local woodworker named David Watson took the time to make four full scale reproductions of "the white album" out of painted boards, with "THE WANNABEATLES" written in the spot where "THE BEATLES" was written on the original album cover.

David Watson presents his artwork, with David and Dennis

           Here's a closeup of the wooden album cover

In addition to this, we received from our friend Sheryl How four identical Wells Fargo pins to put on our shirts. Sheryl is one of the most committed and creative Beatles fans in the world,  having decorated her car, her walls and her body with images of and tributes to the Fab Four. 

The Wells Fargo pins she gave to us were packaged in a small white round box, decorated to look like a miniature bass drum, with "Ludwig" and "The Beatles" painstakingly rendered in authentic font in black ink. Inside each box was a small ticket commemorating the Beatles at Shea Stadium. 

                Sheryl displays her creative package

Sheryl added to our knowledge of Beatles lore as she explained that the badges that the Beatles wore on their coats during the Shea Stadium concert were given to them on their way to the stage, as they were driven by Wells Fargo security officers.

The badges were given as souvenirs of their time spent in a Wells Fargo vehicle, and partially in gratitude for the security provided by the famous company, the Beatles pinned the badges to their coats and wore them during the concert.

Since we had recently added "Shea Stadium" shirts to our wardrobe, it was appropriate that we add "Shea Stadium" badges. Thanks to Sheryl for her special creative contribution to our look.

                       Onstage with our new badges

                 WannaBeatle David with his new pin

        We had our friend Allan Waugh doing sound for us.

                Allan surveys the ramp leading to the stage

He brought his son to help out, to learn the family trade.

                Allan & his son David in the engineer's tent

Setting up - 

Allan sets up a monitor under an American flag

     Nathan with Jana, Dr. Sally's assistant, and his daughter Eliza

                      Dennis & Nate setting up

                Nathan, David, Dennis & hardware

                          Dennis in afternoon

          Nathan with the yellow submarine, for which 

we never found an appropriate location, so it went back into the van

Rockin' in Pegram...

        The boys on stage, the flag, & part of the merch table 

                   The view from onstage, with the flag

                               Rockin' onstage

                      Dennis and Nate share the mic

                                      BC onstage

                                   Dennis rockin'

The WannaBeatle bow

                                Guitar heroes

            The stage with its red, silver-white and blue trim

        BC wanders into audience at end of "Come Together"

And our audience got excited...

                           Dr. Sally dancing...

Our good friend Lucy with the limbo pole and cooperative kids

              Young dancing volunteers join us onstage

                         The crowd had a good time

                  Dennis contemplates the park regulations

We had a great time, and then...what better way to end a Fourth of July evening but...

                       Fireworks. Happy Birthday USA!

Thanks to Sheryl for the badges, Allan for great sound, and to Lucy for helping out and taking pictures.

Thanks to Pegram for having a great Fourth. See you next next year!

Bloggin Bryan 31July2014