Kathy's Story
Photo taken from our first year, during covid shut down
My husband Mark and I run a production company, called Band Source Productions. We perform in eight different theme bands. I've worked as a singer and performer since my first year out of High School. My "Holiday Show on Wheels" story begins in October 2020, during the Covid shut down. There was no work to be had, as events were being cancelled because of Covid. My husband, Mark saw how sad I was during this time. Being inside, unable to perform because of the shutdown, he tried to cheer me up. I've always dreamed of owning a classic car, and Mark thought buying me one, something affordable to restore would make the time go by faster, and cheer me up. I wanted a off white vintage car to restore, but Mark looked online and found a red car. I wasn't interested, it seemed "too loud" but Mark insisted, and before you knew it, the old red car was sitting in our garage. It was a mess with faded red paint and old upholstery.
The car stayed there for a few weeks, as I was still depressed over not being able to sing, to bring joy to people though music. I didn't even feel like doing anything. But that was about to change.
One afternoon, I went out to the garage to do some laundry. I looked at the car from the doorway, and I said to Mark, "Mark - would you come here?"
He came over and I said "Mark, do you know what? This car actually looks like a Christmas car. It's got white piping, it's red." Then the wheels began to turn. "I wonder - could we decorate it, and put a sound system on it, and do some sort of Christmas Caroling on Wheels?" Mark replied, "You bet we can, that's a great idea." So we got to work, refinishing her paint, cleaning her up, and then came the decor, the lights, and of course the carols. Mark and I practiced and put together Christmas Carols and holiday songs. I was happy again with a purpose. Everything was coming together. Everything was coming up roses. I named her "Rosebud" after the movie, "Citizen Kane". Rosebud was to me, what "Rosebud" meant to Citizen Kane.
She was ready to go, and I just couldn't wait to see what my agent would say about our show.
Thud.
"I can't book this. It's to unusual. I wouldn't even know where to start" she said "Besides, it's too late in the season."
My heart was broken. I couldn't believe it. My sadness returned. I really thought I had something. But the agent was completely disinterested. (That agent, by the way, is no longer in business.)
A week went by, and out of nowhere, I decided to try to market the "Holiday Show on Wheels" myself. I took out a Facebook ad, and also advertised on the internet.
I got a call. Someone wanted to hire our Holiday Show on Wheels! The woman said she was with a condo association, and wondered if we could come to Gulfport to do our show in front of the condos. Then she said something I'll never forget. "You don't understand. WE NEED THIS. Everyone has been sitting in their apartments, many of us seniors can't go out because of Covid shut down. It's nearing Christmas time, and we can't get together for our annual Christmas party. But we can stand on our balconies and watch from afar."
A phrase from the Bible came into my head: 1 Corinthians 16:14 - Do everything in love.
Suddenly, I realized my purpose with Rosebud. People, especially seniors needed a little Christmas during the Covid 2020 shut down.
They were sad; were shut in and couldn't see family at Christmas. So, we booked our first show, and more bookings came in. In retirement communities, planned communities, assisted living facilities, nursing homes. People needed Rosebud and our "Holiday Show on Wheels."
I needed to help those in need. And my husband Mark and I took each and every booking we could, because people needed cheering up. They needed a little Christmas, which was our first song we performed as we pulled up outside of the buildings. "We Need A Little Christmas" was so fitting for the time and we performed it as we drove through communities, or stopped by window after window at assisted living communities.
At some nursing homes, we we did shows outside in front of the building. Here are some pictures of that first year that changed our lives forever. That was a Christmas miracle for me, for my husband, and for people needing cheering up during the shut down.
Giving is receiving.
The car stayed there for a few weeks, as I was still depressed over not being able to sing, to bring joy to people though music. I didn't even feel like doing anything. But that was about to change.
One afternoon, I went out to the garage to do some laundry. I looked at the car from the doorway, and I said to Mark, "Mark - would you come here?"
He came over and I said "Mark, do you know what? This car actually looks like a Christmas car. It's got white piping, it's red." Then the wheels began to turn. "I wonder - could we decorate it, and put a sound system on it, and do some sort of Christmas Caroling on Wheels?" Mark replied, "You bet we can, that's a great idea." So we got to work, refinishing her paint, cleaning her up, and then came the decor, the lights, and of course the carols. Mark and I practiced and put together Christmas Carols and holiday songs. I was happy again with a purpose. Everything was coming together. Everything was coming up roses. I named her "Rosebud" after the movie, "Citizen Kane". Rosebud was to me, what "Rosebud" meant to Citizen Kane.
She was ready to go, and I just couldn't wait to see what my agent would say about our show.
Thud.
"I can't book this. It's to unusual. I wouldn't even know where to start" she said "Besides, it's too late in the season."
My heart was broken. I couldn't believe it. My sadness returned. I really thought I had something. But the agent was completely disinterested. (That agent, by the way, is no longer in business.)
A week went by, and out of nowhere, I decided to try to market the "Holiday Show on Wheels" myself. I took out a Facebook ad, and also advertised on the internet.
I got a call. Someone wanted to hire our Holiday Show on Wheels! The woman said she was with a condo association, and wondered if we could come to Gulfport to do our show in front of the condos. Then she said something I'll never forget. "You don't understand. WE NEED THIS. Everyone has been sitting in their apartments, many of us seniors can't go out because of Covid shut down. It's nearing Christmas time, and we can't get together for our annual Christmas party. But we can stand on our balconies and watch from afar."
A phrase from the Bible came into my head: 1 Corinthians 16:14 - Do everything in love.
Suddenly, I realized my purpose with Rosebud. People, especially seniors needed a little Christmas during the Covid 2020 shut down.
They were sad; were shut in and couldn't see family at Christmas. So, we booked our first show, and more bookings came in. In retirement communities, planned communities, assisted living facilities, nursing homes. People needed Rosebud and our "Holiday Show on Wheels."
I needed to help those in need. And my husband Mark and I took each and every booking we could, because people needed cheering up. They needed a little Christmas, which was our first song we performed as we pulled up outside of the buildings. "We Need A Little Christmas" was so fitting for the time and we performed it as we drove through communities, or stopped by window after window at assisted living communities.
At some nursing homes, we we did shows outside in front of the building. Here are some pictures of that first year that changed our lives forever. That was a Christmas miracle for me, for my husband, and for people needing cheering up during the shut down.
Giving is receiving.