Tabloid Headline: “Jonas Brothers Fall Hopelessly In Love With Madi ‘Sharkbite Girl’ Taff!”
And by “fall hopelessly in love” I mean “met her backstage and had this picture taken.”
OK seriously, how cute is that?!
(She absolutely hates this photo by the way, in that illogical, teenage-girl-white-hot-hatred-of-a-thousand-suns-‘because-I-think-I-look-awful’ kind of way. Screw it, she looks darling, I’M POSTING IT!)
So here’s the scoop: We have a old friend from Hot Springs days named Bob Mason. (He’s the father of Christian, Char’s gamer buddy. Remember those pictures I posted one time of the two of them playing video games? No? Well dang, read the archives, people! I’m sure they’re in there somewhere… or was that the Tennessean blog? Whatever.) Anyway, Bobby lives in Dallas and has a gorgeous talented daughter named Daniella who attends Belmont College here in Nashville which is great because now Bobby comes up here to see her and he brings Christian and we all get to visit on a regular basis and isn’t this just the longest run-on sentence EVER?
So here’s the six degrees of separation part: Bobby is a long-time friend of the Jonas family and Kevin, the dad, is a long-time fan of Russ’. So Bobby introduces Kevin to Russ about a year ago, and he mentions that his sons grew up listening to him and that now they have this group and they travel and sing and write their own music and play their own instruments and are really doing pretty well. (Don’t know if he told him the part about being on Broadway **EDITED TO ADD: with Mike Eldred!**, having their own television show and upcoming movie, selling out Madison Square Garden and currently being the hottest media darlings/musical group in the country!) Russ was clueless, bless his sweet, “I don’t watch the Disney Channel or listen to pop radio” heart! He just thought Kevin was a great guy and wished his sons well.
So here’s the part where it all comes together in a perfect storm of Nashville-ness: Russ calls Bobby to wish him Merry Christmas and Bobby tells him oh by the way he might be in town on the 4th to see the Jonas Brothers at the Ryman and Kevin had said he would love to see Russ again and would he like to come and maybe have time to hang out for a while? Russ, again clueless, had not heard anything about it and didn’t know that it was a big hairy deal and the hottest ticket in town. He thought that sounded like fun, told Bobby he’d talk to him later about it and then casually mentioned it to me about a day later. I said, “Um, I bet Madi might want to go!” and filled him in on the teenage monumental-ness of an invitation to hang out backstage at a JoBro concert. Madi played it cool when we told her, and said that she wasn’t actually a huge fan or all that familiar with their music (she’s more a Fleet Foxes/MIA/Patty Griffin/fill-in-name-of-obscure-indie-artist-or-obscure-vintage-group-here kind of gal), BUT she would definitely be interested in going... bragging rights, don’tcha know!
So last night, after carefully choosing her outfit, she and Russ and Bobby headed off for the Ryman, while Charlotte, Christian and I held down the fort. Poor Russ was sick as a dog, he was in about Day 3 of a nasty virus he caught over the holidays and felt just awful– but hey, he’s a dad, whaddya gonna do. I got several text messages from Madi during the evening and a couple of calls where she just wordlessly held the phone up so I could hear loud, jumbled snatches of music interspersed with deafening high-pitched girl screams– not hers of course, remember she’s way too cool for that. I didn’t get the full report until it was all over (poor Russ finally had to bail mid-concert, so Bobby and Daniella brought her home). Her laid-back facade cracked wide open– she had a ball!!! The backstage hang was pretty epic; besides the Jonas Brothers she got to meet Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Michael W. Smith and Steven Curtis Chapman. She got to see Amy Grant and Vince Gill again, and also spotted Martina McBride, Brad Paisley, and Jordin Sparks. Everyone was incredibly gracious and sweet to her, and she was absolutely floored when one of the Jonas Brothers leaned over and told her that it was such a big honor for him to finally meet her dad– it’s hard for her to wrap her head around the fact that hello! I TOLD her we used to be were cool parents to have!
All in all a great night for Sharkbite Girl, and I am eternally grateful to Bobby and the Jonas guys and all of the truly cool people who gave her such a memorable experience.
Here are a few more shots from the evening:
**Russ and Vince
** Amy is laughing because Russ caught her in the act of standing up on a table to get a better photo angle– probably when HER kids were posing with the Jonas Brothers!
**Old Friends (Grizzled Veterans edition): Dan Raines, Steven Curtis Chapman, Michael W. Smith, Russ, John Huie.
**Concert shot of Brad Paisley and Joe Jonas, with somebody’s big ol’ head in the foreground.
**Jordin Sparks was another surprise guest.
**Finale. (OMG, does Martina McBride has seriously skinny legs or what?!!!) The End.
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Awesome! I am totally jealous!
Yeah, well– it’s still not The Boss.
Madi would TOTALLY have stowed away on the tour bus for The Boss!
I was hoping you would have a post about this. I had this text from Madi last night saying “guess where we are going”. She told me they were going to the concert because the JB wanted to meet Russ. That is so neat and I’m glad she had such a great time. Sorry Russ was not feeling better to where he could enjoy it more. Hope he is feeling better! Madi had to be on cloud nine.
Madi looks great in that picture! I bet it was definantely a night to remember. Way to Go Madi!!!!!
That is one of the funniest blog posts ever. I’m jealous, not because Madi got to meet the Jonas Brothers (although that would be cool) but because your such a gifted writer. Love your articles in HomeComing too!
Blessings on 2009!
My girls are jealous b/c Madi got to meet the JoBros. But I am with gmiller. I believe God has gifted you with the ability to write. Hope to hear more in 2009.
How stinkin kewl is that?!?!?!?!? Those boys are cuties. I am happy she was able to get some “braggin rights”. Never hurts to have a few of those in your pocket. hehehehe The pictures are kewlness and the one of Madi is adorable. You are right, y’all are kewl parents.
Too funny! Aren’t kids a scream? Way too cool to be tooooo excited but lovin’ every minute of it! I hope Dad’s coolness went way up after this one (I was impressed with the Keith Urban meet-cute!).
Are you sure Amy G. wasn’t just dancing on the table? Great photos. Thanks for sharing. I have some great fall foliage and winter snow pictures? Wanna see? Pittsburgh is soooo not Nashville…Maybe the Steelers and Titans will meet up soon!
Hey!! Are you keeping count…this is #3 reponse for me – just this year alone!
Kool Parents’ Rating just went up in points. And, Kool Parents sure have Kool kids! Madi looks adorable and fits right in. Sorry Russ couldn’t enjoy it more because it had to be one to remember. But, hey, the RT Solo Concert is the very Koolest!
Russ sounds so much like my husband–he never knows who is currently
‘cool’,either. And when we tell him who he is supposed to be impressed with he says dubiously, ‘Well,if you say so!’.
While I like ALL the artists you mentioned-especially Amy, Vince, and Martina–I am transported back to my Soph. year in college every time I see Amy Grant’s face. I had a roommate who played her albums (yes, vinyl LP’s,I’m that old) ALL.THE.TIME. Every day. All day. Loudly.
There were days (and nights) I thought I would stick an ice pick in my ear if I heard that ‘Grape,Grape’ song one… more…time.
I wish I had aged as well as she has. Still gorgeous.
I know–all that has nothing to do with Madi’s fun night. You go, Madi. Someday you’ll be telling your kids how cool you used to be and you can use these pictures as proof.
Okay, that was a cool night for Madi……..etc, etc, etc. However……..DID YOU SAY TIM MCGRAW???? THE Tim McGraw??? The one who sings “Suspicions” and makes me wish really really hard that I was 20-something again?
Does Russ KNOW him? If so, please tell him I’d love to go backstage to meet Tim McGraw! I’ll pay him! I’m sure he was also a big fan of Russ Taff, huh? And I won’t tell anyone that I know Russ……or you.
Oh, wait a minute. I’m NOT 20-something. Forget it.
Actually, everything makes me wish I was 20-something. Walking makes me wish………..oh, you know.
Glad that Madi was able to have a great time. She definitely has very cool parents!
The photo of her is GREAT! I don’t care what she thinks – I’m glad you posted it. And you can tell her I said so. LOL And that was so sweet of Russ to go, especially since he is sick. I’ll be praying hard for him because I know how it is. I sure hope he is feeling better.
Tell Amy to send me some of that energy she has….mine is in the negative right now. LOL
Ok. I’ve been doing real good at being cool with having Tori Taff’s Blog on my favs list. I’ve done ok with the whole “she’s a wife & mom just like me, even if she IS married to The Gospel Singer and her kids think Bill Gaither is a nice older friend who teases them about growing up & having boyfriends, she still puts her knickers on one leg at a time just like me, etc, etc, etc.†I’m cool. No celebrity envy here. And then this. I just can’t get my head around this.
I have TORI TAFFS BLOG on my favs!!!!
No, really, THE Tori Taff – MADI’S MOM!!!!!!!
If you ask me, the Jonas brothers are some seriously lucky guys. They should put this picture in their scrapbooks because one day they’re gonna want to be able to haul it out and say, “Really, we met her, and here’s the picture to prove it.â€
If one of them didn’t get her phone number they’re nuts.
Tori, I think that is such a beautiful and special situation… You and Russ are historically famous in the music industry to all genres of music/out of respect for your writings and Russ’ awesome voice. Then, you birth two beautiful children and through their young lives they just know that mom and dad are mom and dad. Now that they are teens they are awakening to a new day and seeing their parents in a different light. That must be enjoyable to you and Russ, watching them now realize who you both are to all of us out here… That’s got to be big!! Now comes the rewards of parenting!
I remember when I was a teen or perhaps even older (maybe it took me longer) when I sat back and realized who my parents are and wow! this person or that neighbor really thinks my mom is special or that guy that works with my dad really has great respect for him. As a child of that parent, it makes you have real love and respect for them and that’s what the bible asks of you.
Truly awesome and special time for Madi. Kewl!
[…] 6, 2009 by burkesbrainwork According to this post on Tori Taff’s blog, apparently the Jonas Brothers (and more accurately their father) are […]
That is just the coolest story!! My 13 y/o Daughter will just go nuts when I show this to her!! What I want to know, is how could Russ be clueless about these guys with a teen daughters in the house?? LOL What to or not, my husband is QUITE aware of this trio .
I first heard of this encounter on Russ’s myspace and wondered how they all got together — Thanks for sharing the story !