I just knew from that first encounter that this was going to be indeed, a fantastic trip spending time with my idol. I could have died a happy person right then and there!
Jon played a few songs as the other artists did as we all lovingly watched standing on a chilly damp lawn, and pretty much in the dark. He sang his beautiful "Whiskey Lullaby," which he co-wrote with Bill Anderson and which pretty much gave Jon the renewed respect as a songwriter he so justly deserves. You could tell the crowd certainly enjoyed hearing him sing that song that everyone could relate to after it brought him so much acclaim as a songwriter. He did a fantastic job on it as he did with the few other songs he also sang.
The next day, Jon's show was first to be showcased. He was sitting fairly close to my dining table before the show, trying to eat dinner and I could see he wasn't feeling well. When I asked if he was alright, he told me that he was seasick. I was so afraid that he wouldn't be able to go on stage. Honestly, when I saw him up there, I was so relieved. I will never know how anyone as sick as Jon was could have delivered such an incredible show, but that is the true showman in him. By then, he was armed with the pressure point bracelets for seasickness, a patch behind his ear that one of his record label people lovingly put behind his ear, and he told me he tried the ginger I had supplied to someone at his table that was supposed to help as well.
He sang superbly, looked terrific and no one would have ever imagined that he wasn't feeling his best as he sang some of the greatest songs off of his latest CD Walking Among The Living. He sang "My Life," "Baby Won't You Come Home," "In The Country," (LOVE that song!), "Walking Among The Living," "North Carolina Moon" that he co-wrote with his dad and another gorgeous ballad, "Austin," and a great up-tempo song, "Coming Back For More," which has a great beat, and an old song from one of his albums, called "What You Don't Know." He even came back onstage to do an encore and showcased one of his band members Vinny Santoro ( I hope I spelled his name correctly) to sing one song, "I Hear You Knockin," and then Jon sang "That's Alright Mama" for the last song. Jon couldn't have made this loving fan any happier with the incredible show he put on despite feeling so sick. He was letting everyone take pictures with him and when I think of it now, that had to be terribly hard on him feeling as he did, but he just stood there graciously allowing us to keep snapping away with our flash cameras.
The following days of seeing Jon throughout the cruise ship wandering with all the other fans just made my heart sing. He treated everyone so beautifully and you could tell he truly enjoyed meeting each and every one who approached him. He had no airs about him and what you see with Jon is exactly what you get. A true, down to earth, extremely talented, fun loving man who deserves all the kudos Nashville or anyone else can ever bestow on him.
I kept thinking of how much pleasure he seemed to be getting from his Meet and Greet. He had gained so many fans with his incredible show and although so many had gone to support their own favorite artist, they all were driven to attend Jon's Meet and Greet to tell him how wonderful he is! He so patiently stood there signing so many autographs and posed for so many pictures, but he just kept smiling like each one truly meant something to him knowing how much it meant to those meeting him who would have the incredible memory in pictures.
There were numerous times he truly made me feel so special and I will never be able to thank him enough for that. To know that I haven't wasted my money on someone who could care less about me as a fan was just an amazing feeling.
He was on the same bus as me going to the airport. It was like a gift just being able to be in that same time and space with him once again for the last time until who knows when? As we got off the bus and looking for our luggage, I told him: "Jon, I adored you from the very beginning before I ever even knew who you were personally, but now that I truly know how wonderful you are, I truly appreciate and respect you even more." He smiled that beautiful smile and kissed me on my head and told me "Thank you." It was heartfelt. It came from deep inside a man who honestly does care about his loving fans, a man with a voice like an angel, a man who deserves only wonderful things in his career.
Jon, please always remember me with that Jon Randall #1 Fan t-shirt on. In my heart, I do know that you have many other fans who would fight me for that #1 position, but I was truly one of the blessed ones to be able to go on that cruise with you and to be like the only one you ever had, so thank you from the bottom of my heart for treating me just like one! I love you! Thanks for everything!
