April: Huntsville, Alabama

We drove a few hundred miles in the rain past many beautiful trees and mountains and parts of Tennessee - from Morrow, Georgia to Hunstville, Alabama- to appear for the Huntsville Chamber Guild at the Trinity United Methodist Church. This engagement has become a regular love-fest - for us, and apparently for them too. Talk about southern hospitality! Basically, though, this time we were 11 guys accompanying Gregory Peebles back home. He comes from Hartselle, down the road, much of whose population was there. His appearance had been heralded in the paper a few days before.
http://blog.al.com/thebus/2009/04/worldrenowned_singing_group_ch.html

The rain didn't let up. By the time we arrived at warm up a pretty impressive electrical storm was in the making. The primary effect of that on us was that a very large performing troupe which was occupying our whole hotel refused to leave their rooms because the weather was affecting their travel plans. Which meant no rooms for us. We went to another hotel after the concert.
These are the things that happen on the road -fortunately not too often, and fortunately we take just about anything in stride.

We prepare to sing Wondrous Free not so much a cappella, but accompanied throughout by rolling thunder and lightning.
As it turns out, a tornado warning arrived during the performance. We didn't hear it, nor were we particularly aware that this church had been completely destroyed by a tornado 15 years ago.

We carry on, however. Gabe gave his usual greeting with location-appropriate references. Often they involve sporting or meteorological events and/or flora and fauna. This one involved fishing. For some reason.

This is one very warm audience, AND they had come through the pouring rain to fill every seat! There was a lovely reception with afterwards at the beautiful 1902 home of David and Margie Williams. He's President of the University of Alabama at Huntsville.

Gregory and family.