Post by Fiona McFly on Mar 30, 2018 1:15:06 GMT
The following is the first of several segments that were taken from the Jack Gaither Memorial Tribute Concert livestream this past Saturday, March 24th, from Maverick Stadium on the campus of UT-Arlington and uploaded onto Fiona McFlyās official YouTube page. More of these segments will be posted as time warrants. An announcement regarding an official Blu-Ray, DVD, and digital release will be coming soon as well.
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SEGMENT #1
Uploaded to YouTube: 29 March 2018
āFiona McFly Takes the Stageā
We see Fiona McFly walking onto the Maverick Stadium stage wearing a moderately-conservative green dress with just enough kick to show her figure along with matching emeraldāyes, emeraldāstiletto heels. Normally seating around 12,500 for football games, the stadium is filled with about 14,000 strong thanks to temporary bleachers and field-level seating, and everyone in the crowd gives her a nice, warm ovation as she walks up to the microphone and looks on. On this partly cloudy, windy, and humid evening with temperatures in the mid-70s, many in the gathering are wearing green to honour the late Jack Gaither, a 2000 graduate of Arlington High School who also was a native son.
Fiona, his widow who graduated with him in the same class, smiles as she gazes her eyes upon the cheering audience, some of whom were Jackās former football teammates who are sporting their respective green jerseys. There were also some folks from Jackās days as a pro wrestler in attendance as wellāthe most notable of whom being Norman Asner, the longtime columnist who chronicled Jack throughout the majority of his nine-year run in the business. The assembly quiets down, with Fiona politely thanking them before speaking.
FIONA MCFLY:
Tonight, we have gathered in this stadium to celebrate the life of the greatest, most loving friend a woman can ever haveā¦me husband, Jack Gaither. Yet we also celebrate the fighting spirit of love and friendship that he passed down onto each and every one of you.
Fiona paused as the fans cheered.
FIONA:
When you look around at your neighbours in the stadium or meet people anywhere else, always rememberā¦to treasure the moments you make with one another whilst you walk on this earth so you can pass them onto your children and future generations. And when life knocks you down, when you or someone else is feeling sadā¦comfort each other with a smile and tell themāyour friends and loved ones--just how truly special and blessed they are to know you. āCos at the end of the day, what you choose to pass down will last forever and ever. So tonightā¦I would like to pay tribute to the spirit of friendship and love that Jack left behind for ALL of us in, perhaps, the most direct way I can...
Fionaās smiled, albeit pained given the circumstances, was as wide as it can get as the crowd applauded. The cheers slowly subsided as she stepped closer to the microphone and began to sing a rendition of the longtime popular standard āSmileāācomposed by Charlie Chaplin in 1936 for his film Modern Times and lyricised by John Turner and Geoffery Parsons in 1954 for legendary jazz vocalist Nat King Cole.
There were no musicians to be had on that stage.
It was just herā¦and her voiceā¦that pumped out the music.
FIONA:
āSmile, though your heart is aching
Smile, even though it's breaking
When there are clouds in the sky
You'll get by...
If you smile
With your fear and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just...ā
Whilst some in the crowd started whooping it up as Fiona took a moment to catch her breath, they would quickly fall back into the silence, realising the grave tone of her vocal registry, and her emotions, were coming to light.
FIONA:
āLight up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear may be ever so near
That's the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what's the use of crying
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just..."
Fiona paused, closing her eyes as we start to see the first telltale signs of her composure slipping away. Her lips began quivering, her body began trembling as she sang the tune a second time.
FIONA:
āSmile, though your heart is aching
Smile, even though it's breaking
When there are clouds in the sky
You'll get by
If you smile
With your fear and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you justā¦
light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear may be ever so nearā¦ā
She stopped, shedding tears after the line āa tear may be ever so near,ā her voice breaking at the phrase in question as chills began to coarse throughout her figure. At that moment in time, it seemed likely that the Northern Irishwoman wasnāt going to be able to continue. The crowd, understanding the situation, began cheeringābut that was premature as Fiona, opening her eyes, suddenly erupts into the last vocal passage in a delivery that could only be best described as bone-chilling, powerful and inspiring, her voice reverberating throughout Maverick Stadium as, fitting, the sun began slowly dipping into the western horizon.
FIONA:
āThat's the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what's the use of crying
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just...smileā¦ā
Fiona took another deep, relaxed breath before taking two steps backā¦and as she did, the assembled spectators erupted, leaping to their feet as one. The standing ovation lasted for a solid five-and-a-half minutes as she took a bow and saluted them.
---------
SEGMENT #1
Uploaded to YouTube: 29 March 2018
āFiona McFly Takes the Stageā
We see Fiona McFly walking onto the Maverick Stadium stage wearing a moderately-conservative green dress with just enough kick to show her figure along with matching emeraldāyes, emeraldāstiletto heels. Normally seating around 12,500 for football games, the stadium is filled with about 14,000 strong thanks to temporary bleachers and field-level seating, and everyone in the crowd gives her a nice, warm ovation as she walks up to the microphone and looks on. On this partly cloudy, windy, and humid evening with temperatures in the mid-70s, many in the gathering are wearing green to honour the late Jack Gaither, a 2000 graduate of Arlington High School who also was a native son.
Fiona, his widow who graduated with him in the same class, smiles as she gazes her eyes upon the cheering audience, some of whom were Jackās former football teammates who are sporting their respective green jerseys. There were also some folks from Jackās days as a pro wrestler in attendance as wellāthe most notable of whom being Norman Asner, the longtime columnist who chronicled Jack throughout the majority of his nine-year run in the business. The assembly quiets down, with Fiona politely thanking them before speaking.
FIONA MCFLY:
Tonight, we have gathered in this stadium to celebrate the life of the greatest, most loving friend a woman can ever haveā¦me husband, Jack Gaither. Yet we also celebrate the fighting spirit of love and friendship that he passed down onto each and every one of you.
Fiona paused as the fans cheered.
FIONA:
When you look around at your neighbours in the stadium or meet people anywhere else, always rememberā¦to treasure the moments you make with one another whilst you walk on this earth so you can pass them onto your children and future generations. And when life knocks you down, when you or someone else is feeling sadā¦comfort each other with a smile and tell themāyour friends and loved ones--just how truly special and blessed they are to know you. āCos at the end of the day, what you choose to pass down will last forever and ever. So tonightā¦I would like to pay tribute to the spirit of friendship and love that Jack left behind for ALL of us in, perhaps, the most direct way I can...
Fionaās smiled, albeit pained given the circumstances, was as wide as it can get as the crowd applauded. The cheers slowly subsided as she stepped closer to the microphone and began to sing a rendition of the longtime popular standard āSmileāācomposed by Charlie Chaplin in 1936 for his film Modern Times and lyricised by John Turner and Geoffery Parsons in 1954 for legendary jazz vocalist Nat King Cole.
There were no musicians to be had on that stage.
It was just herā¦and her voiceā¦that pumped out the music.
FIONA:
āSmile, though your heart is aching
Smile, even though it's breaking
When there are clouds in the sky
You'll get by...
If you smile
With your fear and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just...ā
Whilst some in the crowd started whooping it up as Fiona took a moment to catch her breath, they would quickly fall back into the silence, realising the grave tone of her vocal registry, and her emotions, were coming to light.
FIONA:
āLight up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear may be ever so near
That's the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what's the use of crying
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just..."
Fiona paused, closing her eyes as we start to see the first telltale signs of her composure slipping away. Her lips began quivering, her body began trembling as she sang the tune a second time.
FIONA:
āSmile, though your heart is aching
Smile, even though it's breaking
When there are clouds in the sky
You'll get by
If you smile
With your fear and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you justā¦
light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear may be ever so nearā¦ā
She stopped, shedding tears after the line āa tear may be ever so near,ā her voice breaking at the phrase in question as chills began to coarse throughout her figure. At that moment in time, it seemed likely that the Northern Irishwoman wasnāt going to be able to continue. The crowd, understanding the situation, began cheeringābut that was premature as Fiona, opening her eyes, suddenly erupts into the last vocal passage in a delivery that could only be best described as bone-chilling, powerful and inspiring, her voice reverberating throughout Maverick Stadium as, fitting, the sun began slowly dipping into the western horizon.
FIONA:
āThat's the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what's the use of crying
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just...smileā¦ā
Fiona took another deep, relaxed breath before taking two steps backā¦and as she did, the assembled spectators erupted, leaping to their feet as one. The standing ovation lasted for a solid five-and-a-half minutes as she took a bow and saluted them.
Well howdy there pardner.