OS5 and Rachael Chatoor, just for Peggy!

Life is really funny sometimes. The way one thing leads to another, how unexpected twists and turns can bring you to places that lead you to people who eventually come together for one perfect moment.

I think I captured one of Peggy's perfect moments a couple weeks ago, and maybe a few other people's come to think of it. Dave certainly had a great day because he pulled off a wonderful surprise 50th Birthday party for the woman he loves.

It was a long time in the making too.

Dave contacted me early in the year through my website, he introduced himself and told me that he and his wife had followed my contest win on Jack FM the year before. He said he was planning a surprise 50th party for his wife and he thought it would be so great if I would be willing to play for the party.

I was touched by his sincerity and obvious desire to make an incredible day for his love, I wanted to help him make it a special day. The first thing I did was tell Dave to bring Peggy out to see me play live, suggesting that if she went home having enjoyed the music that evening, then he would know for sure he had the right act for his party.

So he brought his wife out to see me play and I wound up sitting at their table chatting with them, getting an idea of the kind of songs Peggy liked so I could plan the event accordingly. I so liked her warm energy, right away I noticed it, some people just have that warmth. I sat with the group for my entire break, so comfortable and fun was the conversation, and having now met Dave and Peggy and their engaging friends (all of them in on 'the secret' by the way), I was really looking forward to the gig myself.

Suddenly this was looking like it was going to be much more significant than just a night at work, it was going to be an event.

Dave contacted me the next day and confirmed he wanted me to play his wife's party and we started to plan how to make it happen. Though Peggy loved the duo she saw me play in, Dave wanted something bigger and more exciting for the party, he wanted a band. So I started thinking about the band I would use.

There was this one group whom I met indirectly through Jack FM, they are called OS5, and I first noticed them on facebook through the postings of their super promoter Shauna, who herself had found me through the Jack Contest and added me as a FB friend after I won it.

So on my facebook feed and in my mail messages was a regular stream of posts raving about her favorite band. One day I decided I had better check it out and am I ever glad I did because I really dug their stuff and became a fan quite straight away. In looking at their website, I finally understood what OS5 stood for. The Other Side of Five. They call themselves that because they all have day jobs and they practise, well, on the other side of five.

LOL, I liked that, and I wrote them an email saying so. Good for you, family guys. That was cool to me. And so began an online friendship and sharing of links and show info. One night when I was not working I came across an invite to a venue that OS5 was playing, which was not too far from me so I organized with the band to go see them play and sit in for a tune or two. I got up for my songs but wound up staying up on stage for rest of the night backing them up with vocals because we were all having some fun with the collaboration.

Shortly after that, we collaborated further as I was asked to sing background vocals on one of the songs OS5 was in studio recording for their CD. It right was around this time that Dave contacted me so the timing being what it was, I thought OS5 was the natural choice. I suggested Dave check out the bands website. Coincidentally, there was even a connection between the band and Dave and Peggy somehow. All the ingredients were looking ideal to make the day perfect.

After months of planning, a couple of rehearsals and a gig where I came to sit in with the band again, the big day arrived and it was so fantastically perfect in every way that I decided to take all the photos and footage from the event and use the song I sang on the OS5 CD to make a keepsake video of Peggy's party. It's a lovely memory of the collaboration between myself and the band. I think it turned out quite nicely and I want to share it with you.

Without further adieu, I say thanks to Dave and Peggy, and cheers to the awesome folks at the party who made it so much fun that night.

Special thanks to OS5 for asking me to be on their album, and for collaborating with me on this wonderful event. I love your music and I do want to invite everyone reading to check out the fabulous new CD here.