Memphis Flyer asks Marcella....
..about her worst gig ever.
The worst gig ever? The worst gig ever is the gig I didn’t play or a gig I didn't have...
The fact of the matter is that I have a career in music, and with all of it's ups and downs, it's still one of the most rewarding ways to make a living in the world. Even in moments of doubt, I realize that I could not find a job anywhere else that gives me the satisfaction and freedom that performing and recording does. Although I’m still early in my career, I’ve experienced quite a few unusual things on and off stage. I just mentioned one here for the Memphis Flyer piece....
We were playing this outdoor festival, and I was handed a note in the middle of a song asking me to announce that a 6-year-old boy was missing and had been for over an hour. They made it sound like this kid just took off — a little renegade. I smiled to myself at first, thinking "Okay, the kid is probably off doing things 6-year-olds do." Then it started to sink in.
I've gotten notes on stage with song requests, marriage proposals, birthday requests. But a missing persons report? This was a first, real "Stop the presses!" kind of stuff. So I made the announcement, and the stage manager motioned for us to continue, to keep playing. So we did. But the whole time there was this feeling, this undertone of ... missing kid ... impossible to ignore. I mean, how can you not be concerned?
Several songs later the kid still hadn't shown up, and no one was any the wiser as to where he might have been. Someone from the sheriff's department got onstage and made another announcement as the band and I helplessly looked at each other, eyes all big. This person makes the announcement sounding like the conductor of a train and then hands the mic back to me. Somehow we finished the set, packed up, and headed out. But not before leaving behind a suitcase full of our merchandise. Thankfully we got word on the drive home that the child had been found. He pedaled his Big Wheel back on up to the house like nothing had happened.