Best. Day. Ever.
So today was my field trip to NYC. There's only one thing I want to talk about.
The Apollo Theater in Harlem.
The Apollo has a shit ton of history to it, but it's just really amazing because it's the place where people like the Jackson 5, Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown, and tons of others first got started.
Our tour guide was Mr. Apollo.
Look him up, because he's fucking awesome. And he told us his story and stuff, and apparently Adam Sandler owes him $8.75 from 1987. He got report card money from James Brown, was friends with Denzel Washington, saw Michael Jackson perform when he was 9 years old...he's pretty cool.
So at the end of his speech thing, he said "I need three acts to come up on stage. You can do whatever you want, so long as you do something."
I had my hand in the air in two seconds.
"Alright, sister, come on up!"
After that, two boys, both named Brendan, came up too, along with a kid named Ben and a kid named Neel.
I was the only girl, which was kind of awkward.
So the Brendans sang a song they sang together in the school play, Ben sang a song from Singing in the Rain, and then it was my turn.
Mr. Apollo introduced me like this "Now, the five-time Grammy award winner, with her new album coming out next Thursday- is it Thursday or Friday?"
I told him it was Friday, then started giggling because of nerves.
"With her album coming out next Friday, Catherine!"
Everyone started clapping as I rubbed the Tree of Hope (long story, again, look it up). Then I went to center stage and sang "Summertime" by Ella Fitzgerald.
Before I even finished the first word (which is "summertime"), the guide was just like "sing it, sister!"
Most amazing experience of my life.
So then Neel did a little chant thing (it's complicated) and we got applauded together and then we got to see the wall of names, where tons of celebrities signed their names of the wall and it was super cool. We also got to see the dressing rooms where performers waited before going onstage.
Then we got to take our pictures in front of the "Apollo" written on the wall. My iPod was taking forever to turn on, so everyone was almost gone by the time I could take the picture. My friend, Alexa, decided she wanted to be in it too, so she posed with me.
Just as the person was about to take our picture, Mr. Apollo comes over and says "You did great up there, do you mind if I take a picture with you?"
That's the picture on the side/top.
I was mini-fangirling.
My music teacher recorded me singing and said I was amazing and I'm just so happy with myself oh my god.
So that was my day :)
-Cat
