Well yesterday June 21^st marked the first official day of Summer. For me that means the start of about 2 months filled with nothing but spending time with Family, Friends, (which also includes making new ones) and singing every time the opportunity presents itself. As most of you can tell from our schedule we have been super busy getting to travel and play some new areas and venues. We returned about 3 weeks ago from a trip up North to Preston, Connecticut and I must say it was a very successful and fun trip. God kept us safe there and back as we made the tiring 18 hour drive. On the way to Connecticut we stopped in Massachusetts at a lovely church called Dwight’s Chapel. The warmth and love that everyone showed there was well worth the trip and they even sent us on off to Connecticut with a shoebox full of sweet treats. Needless to say I stretched out in my seat all the way in the back of the van by myself while the guys tried to stay awake for moral support on up to Connecticut where we arrived around 1:00am. I didn’t gain too much sleep though because I heard the guys laughing and carrying on as Perry told jokes and funny stories to keep everyone awake until we reached our destination for the night. Our good friends Ted and Irene Lehmann as well as Dr. Tom Bibey met us when we arrived at Strawberry Park to make sure we got settled in for the night at the correct camper. It’s always a blessing to know that no matter where we get to travel God has someone there to look out for us and make sure everything goes as smoothly as it always does.

If you get a chance to check out this months Bluegrass Unlimited magazine you will find a very awesome write up written by Dr. Tom Bibey about our music and lives together. We also wanted to thank you each of you for letting the radio stations know your requests to hear our music. In doing so you all have allowed two of our songs from our recent CD “Darin and Brooke Aldridge” to climb the bluegrass charts. I Thought I’d Seen It All has reached number 21 and The Sweetest Waste of Time is at number 27. Currently the entire album is at number 14 Nation Wide and we hope that continues to inch its way up weekly. Just like I said though God surrounds us with friends everywhere we go and we wanted to personally say THANK YOU and we appreciate each and everyone of you for your support in our music and ministry!!!

Mike Lane Photo

Friday June 12^th, we played over close to my hometown at the Towns Center in Burnsville, NC. Saturday we made our way to my hometown for a benefit concert to help Relay for Life in the fight for Cancer. Sunday morning we played over in Jonas Ridge, NC at Pittman Gap Baptist church where we always feel very welcomed by the small congregation of people just like my own home church where I was raised. And speaking of my home church we were honored to be with them in their service at Henson Creek Baptist on Sunday night June, 14^th. Just in case you may have forgotten, that is where I first began to sing in front of people and develop my love and relationship with the Lord. Every Sunday morning and Sunday night as well as Wednesday nights, my sisters and I would be asked by our preacher to come up and sing a song. We never passed up the opportunity to sing for the Lord and I know that is why I still love singing and playing music like I do today. Being back at the church where I was brought up in always makes me miss my church family there as well as just being home in the mountains and right at the door of my Mom, Dad and Sister. I guess the saying is true that you can take the girl out of the mountains but you can’t take the mountains out of the girl. Sure you all can relate to that by thinking back on where you grew up or just past memories of something.J

This past Friday June 18^th we were invited by Milton Harkey to perform at the Cherokee Bluegrass Festival. That festival is always really fun and personable. The crowd really took great interest in what we had to offer in our songs and musicianship. They were so generous they cheered for an encore and that really makes ya feel good as musicians when you know you have touched that part of their hearts and minds that makes them want to hear moreJ The rest of the weekend was left open so each of us could spend time with our Father’s and families on Father’s Day. Speaking of which, we hope that each father and father figure had a blessed day and received all the love and attention they deserve for being the best father’s in the world! The coming weekend brings but another fun filled schedule of events in our music and one that I’m proud to tell you all about for us and Darin. Paul Williams had an accident over this past Father’s Day weekend and broke his hand, so be praying for him and a quick recovery. Darin called to check on Paul and tell him we were thinking of him and praying for him. In the process Paul learned we would be playing in Bristol, TN on Saturday and mentioned to Darin he had a gig himself on Friday evening in Kingsport, TN. Darin offered to help him out if he needed him to play mandolin for him on Friday evening and Paul mentioned to Darin he would be honored to have him play. So Darin gets to play with the amazing Paul Williams and Victory Trio on Friday in Kingsport, TN and I get to be the proud wife in the crowd watching!!! Paul is a legend and such a Godly figure and someone Darin and I admire, and just as God always does he will and can open new doors of new opportunities if we allow him to do so. Saturday June 26^th we will be playing at Kingsway Baptist Church, so if your in the Bristol, TN area we hope to see you there.

Let us know what Summer plans you may have and any other comments you wanna leave regarding the blog. Just to remind you of some other upcoming events that may be in your area…..We will be playing Monday June, 28^th in Valle Crusis North Carolina at the Mast Farm Inn. It is a beautiful area and great venue to be playing. It will be a night of acoustic music with Darin and myself in a very personal setting to allow us to share stories about out lives and marriage as we journey in this music and ministry together. Thanks to Henri Deschamps for inviting us to play there and we hope to see you if it’s close to your area. Sunday July, 4^th if you don’t already have Fourth of July plans make your way to Morganton North Carolina for the Red, White and Bluegrass Festival. Once again thanks for the love and support of our music and we hope to see you lots this Summer!

God Bless,

Darin and Brooke Aldridge