| I met Linda Davis' Super fan Clayton Heisler while at another event. Have you ever heard someone preach for so long and so devotedly that you think "well maybe there's something to all this"?
It's not that I didn't like Linda to begin with, but her show with Kenny Rogers was on a day that was going to be very tough to fit into my schedule. With some very hard work, some incredible breaks, and the very kind heart of Linda Davis this interview and the concert review came to be. It was Clayton's Quest and he is after all Linda's biggest fan, so I deputized him for the day and we conducted the interview he had written together.
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Linda: Gosh, When I first moved to Nashville in 1982, Lang (Scott)and I had some mutual friends and I worked in a little studio, and that's when I first met him. He was coming in to do some recording. I was answering the phone and taking messages and recording there as well. It's been a long time. We had our seventeenth wedding anniversary yesterday.
C.C.C.: Happy Anniversary.
Linda: Thank you.
C.C.C.: You have two children?
Linda: Yes, Hillary is 15 ( H-I-L-L-A-R-Y) and Rylee Jean just turned one today. (R-Y-L-E-E J-E-A-N)
C.C.C. How does it feel to be a mom for the second time fourteen years later?
Linda: It's almost like the first time again. Not to take anything away from HiIIary's little years and her infancy and her toddler years because she has been the model child. But Rylee has just brought a new life to our household all over again. And now Hillary can enjoy it because she's so close to being a grown up herself. It's interesting, dynamic, but I'm just loving it. And I have patience I don't think I probably had when I was young. Not the stamina, but I have the patience.
C.C.C.: I guess "Some Things Are Meant To Be" has a whole new meaning for you now doesn't it?
Linda: (Laughs a little) Yeah, it does, surprise! surprise!
C.C.C.: When did you first know that you wanted to be a singer?
Linda: My memory as far back as I can go. I remember getting up in front of people and singing. Never did it dawn on me that I could make a living doing it until I got a little bit older. But I never dreamed of being a nurse or a teacher. I always dreamed of being a country music singer. So that's way back.
C.C.C.:Could you tell us alittle bit about your first public performance? Like you do in your show?
Linda: My first public performance?
C.C.C.: The Loretta Lynn song.
Linda: The first one was in church so I didn't do You Aint Woman Enough there(laughs. But, when I got in front of people as far as a country music setting, "You Ain't Woman Enough" was my first song and I'm talking 5 or 6 years old, so I just thought they liked me. I didn't know what a novelty it must be seeing a little kid singing that kind of a strong powerful lyric. But I do remember the first performance in church. It was "Jesus Love Me". My Dad held me up because I couldn't be seen over the pulpit, so he held me in his arms and he might have prompted me a little bit singing a few lines with me. That was actually the first song.
C.C.C.: Who were some of your early influences musically?
Linda: My sister was my first influence because she used to sing. She doesn't anymore. She's nine years older than me so I looked up to her and thought everything she did was pretty cool She sang and taught herself to play piano. From the radio I remember Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, Porter Wagoner, Buck Owens. On Saturday nights the shows from Nashville would come on our television and Hee Haw. We'd be right there watching them. Those are vivid memories.
C.C.C.: Is it true that early in your career you sang in a TV commercial?
Linda: I had a chance to do some jingles and I wasn't visible. You could just hear me. I did a Kentucky Fried Chicken jingle. I did a Pepsi thing. It might have only gotten into a regional area. I did Mug Root Beer and a Hardee's. It was when I was really poor and the checks really helped.
C.C.C.: What's your favorite color?
Linda: My color kinda changes depending on what I see. Right now it's kind of a sagely green and I love eggplant purple.
C.C.C.: I read that one of your favorite movies is "The Land Before Time". Do you have a favorite cartoon character from your childhood?
Linda: The Road Runner would have been.
C.C.C.: I always liked Scooby-Doo.
Linda: Oh, I love Scooby-Doo. I forgot about him. We like Tigger at our house too.
C.C.C.: You always do pretty good in the (City of Hope) celebrity softball game.
Linda: That's because they don't use me very much (laughs). I give it my best shot.
C.C.C.: And you're usually about half cheerleader too it seems?
Linda: That's what I'm better at. I'm trying to create a diversion so you won't know how bad I am in the athletic department.
C.C.C.: Were you a cheerleader?
Linda: Yeah, I was. And I was a bat girl. You know it's not a good thing when you go after the wrong persons bat. And I was put in my place early on in my bat girl career not to do that.
C.C.C.: How old were you when you came to Nashville?
Linda: Nineteen.
C.C.C.: So you came right out of school?
Linda: Oh yeah. I went one year to junior college and headed to Nashville. So I was very young, very green.
C.C.C.: What kind of car do you drive?
Linda: I drive a Ford Taurus. I'm a big Ford fan. Till the wheels fall off.
C.C.C.: How would you say the time you spent touring with Reba McEntire benefited your career?
Linda: When you're linked and associated with somebody that is so acclaimed and good at what they do, and such a professional as Reba it can only help. The company you keep definitely helps your career. And having that duet was just a big shot in the arm. and it has been a fun ride and I think I can always use that song for the rest of my career and it'll be something that I'll never be ashamed of or tired of because it's been such a blessing.
C.C.C. Have you got any plans for new music?
Linda: I'm writing new music weekly and that's what I'm really excited about because the next effort on record or CD or whatever that I make I want some of those songs to be mine. I think that through the years I've recorded so many songs that other people wrote, which I do not want to limit myself to not looking outside of myself by any means, because there are some wonderful writers and material and I will listen to everything. I just want some of the songs to be mine. I think I'll make the album more personal.
C.C.C.: What advice would you give someone starting out in country music today?
Linda: My advice is if it's in your heart, if it's in your veins that you desire to be in the entertainment business you have got to do everything there is locally and I'm talking churches, rotary club meeting, talent shows, karaoke, whatever you've got in your local area and get the support from your local community and your family. Get those people excited about you. And then venture out to regional and state, then cross over into the next state and try to just gain a little foundation and fan base because those are the people who will be there when things aren't going as fast as you want them too. When you see those people they're going to encourage you and not to get so anxious that you don't appreciate the little things, especially the people that are your friends and fans.
C.C.C.: From the time that I've known you I've noticed that family and friends are the most important thing to you.
Linda: It is. Because that's what's there when all this other stuff fades and you can't control it. And God. God is there every step of the way, and there's where your peace comes from. And all this other career and fame and whatever limelight there is. That's great and it's fun. I want to take care of it while I'm enjoying it. But it's not going to last forever. So I don't want to lose the other stuff, and it not be there when this is over.
C.C.C.: And you know we'll be there.
Linda: I know that. And you're part of what I'm describing for these new artists and people who want to be in the music business. People like you, people like my sister, people like my friends on Music Row that have been there for years. When you see those faces and maybe things aren't going as fast as I want them to. It's like a friend. It's like, it's OK. We're not going anywhere. We believe. It's a very encouraging, supportive feeling. You don't feel like you're out there alone.
C.C.C.: What is your greatest accomplishment so far, and what gives you the most satisfaction?
Linda: If that's a broad open statement my greatest accomplishments are Hillary and Rylee, and my marriage. That is first. If you want to get into the business side of things, every time I get on stage and the people. And the people respond, and they seem to enjoy my show, that is an accomplishment. Because they don't have to sit there, they could get up and go do something else.
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