To Donny, With Love
"From Donny, With Love" is one of the cds I brought to have Donny sign this evening at our meet and greet before he gave me his new album and autographed it (swoon). I felt like a schoolgirl when he asked if I wanted them made out to my name and I squeaked out "Sure!" I swear, I was well behaved the rest of the time (well except for when I gasped when I first saw him). Star struck, you guys. Tonight was magical, much like Donny's voice. I spent 20 minutes with my sister and Donny Osmond chatting in his dressing room. It's still a very surreal feeling. I have swooned over his voice for years now (I swear to you, one of the best voices I have ever heard. MAGICAL. The voice of an archangel.) Tonight my dream came true (Leo, you're next), thanks to an Instagram contest my sister won. What a great sister, am I right? He told stories, we laughed and he was truly one of the most lovely and down to earth people I've ever met. I was so nervous and there was nothing to be nervous about because he was so calm and collected and just a joyful human loving life. The best story he told us was about Portland (he slapped my knee with a sharpie marker and got all excited to tell me about it). He was there in 1988 when Soldier of Love first came out and there were three Hells Angels in the audience making fun of him and saying, "Sing puppy love!" He stops the show. You can hear a pin drop. And Donny says, "You want Puppy Love? You got Puppy Love." And he proceeded to do a heavy metal version, and they were with him the rest of the show. Adaptability, you guys. What an entertainer. And this show was too - a true performer. We chatted about all kinds of things in life, marriage, kids, what songs he likes to sing live, my favorite songs he sings. And I made it a point to make sure he knew how big of a deal this was and how much I love his music. He was taken aback and really grateful - apparently not many millennials in this generation like his music. Then he brought in his wife Debbie (whose father grew up in Oregon, small world right?) because he really wanted us to meet her. And she is just as lovely as her photos, incredibly sweet and they look so amazing together. Such a family man and life-liver - taking Debbie out with him on tour, learning Italian with his son Josh, who is serving a mission in Italy, and planning to take all his kids on a European trip for a month stopping in each country the boys did their missions in as they bring Josh home. They were so gracious and so kind and it was amazing. I go to Utah twice a year for work, and someday I'm still hoping to run into him again so we can catch up. Donny says it's God's country. I joked that God has long arms and Oregon is part of it. I'm thinking he needs to do a just Donny tour and stop anywhere in Oregon, I'll be there. I really still can't believe tonight was a reality, and I'm so incredibly grateful for the experience of a lifetime. Donny, you are every bit of wonderful I thought you'd be - thank you for taking the time with us, the album and continuing to share your talent and love with the world. And to my wonderful sister, thank you for entering his contest and making this a night and experience I will never forget.
