As Gina grew up, she was dedicated to watching the Porter Wagoner show, singing along as strong and dedicated as anyone on TV. Working with Porter Wagoner as a Wagoneer at the Grand Old Opry was epic in her life, her career, and the level of performance she learned to share with her audience. Porter would tell her, "Many of these folks in the audience worked hard for the ability to be here and watch our show ... give them all you got and more to make this an experience they will never regret or forget."
Working with him, learning from him, and traveling with him taught her the depth of human graciousness, the breadth of human thankfulness, and the height of human inspiration empowered by a truly dynamic man - Porter Wagoner.
She is also thankful for meeting and working with Porter and the Wagoneers and the many musicians that lit the stage at the Grand Old Opry such as:
Band Members: Don Warden -Pedal Steel,
Herschel "Speedy" Haworth- Guitar,
George McCormick- Guitar,
Buck Trent- Electric Banjo & Guitar,
Mac Magaha- Fiddle,
Jack Little- Fiddle,
Danny Davis,
Fred Newell ,
Rick "LD" Money,
Marty Stuart & His Superlatives
Pretty Miss Norma Jean,
Pam Gadd,
Dolly Parton, and many, many more!!!
In her first night in Nashville, Gina was welcomed into the country artist hangouts and made instant friends with many. Among the first were Keith Whitley and Ron Gaddis.
The night Gina met Ron Gaddis, she said "Ron was the best bassist and vocalist I had ever heard."
It was at the Palace, during fan fair,and he had just finished The Nashville Now TV Show.
It was love at first sight. They were inseparable. During her first trip there, he and Gina sang together at the Palace. They had to leave after their performance to head to Hazard, Kentucky to attend his grandfathers funeral.
She felt warmly welcomed and very thankful for meeting his family in Kentucky.
Their time together in the past is thought of with love and good memories.
A few words from Gina on Ron Gaddis:
"Ron is now on his own, so listen for his name. If anyone can make it in this business, it will be him. I love ya man, Best of Luck!"
You can hear him singing live on his webpage with Lorrie Morgan, his ex-wife, and Jessie Whitley, legendary Keith Whitley's only son at www.Rongaddiscountry.com.
Keith Whitley became Gina's "Big Brother" watching over her in her youthful innocence always guiding her away from trouble. They were as close as any big brother, little sis combo could be. Her last night shared as friends is deeply cherished. His death came as a shock to all the very next night. It was with a deeply broken heart that she mourned one of the best friends she ever had.
There is a current move to have Keith Whitley added to the Country Hall of fame with a petition initiated by Bonnie "Cherrie " Hill.
It is Gina's intent to perform at one of Keith Whitley Tribute Concerts on October 10, 2009. She is joining many other country artists who still hold very fond memories of Keith as their friend and respected musician.
Just a few of more musicians that Gina loves and had the opportunity to open for on numerous occasions
Gina's voice, deep, raspy and very country has been compared on many occasions with a Tanya Tucker sound and a Tammy Wynette Phrasing. She doesn't mind the comparisons at all because they are two of her hero's whom she listened to growing up in the mountains of North Carolina. Gina has the ability to bring a range of sound from the purr of ballads to the growly "Dog that bites" ... we are certain you will enjoy her performance.
Gina James was born with country in her blood. Her parents told her that she started singing country music when the first sounds came out of her mouth. That could be very factual, as it has been in her soul as far back as any memory can take her.
Gina's roots are from the poor south, struggling to make ends meet and taking steps in life to stay focused on "the Good Book" while having a hunger to reach for her dreams of one day making it in the country music industry of Nashville. It was always a goal to sing on the stage of the Grand Old Opry.
Her first performances were to a school bus audience as her Mom drove the local school children to school. She was dressed in a pink velvet majorette outfit with fur trim. Her Mother made for her because Gina wanted to look like the older pretty girls in 8th grade.
Just before the Porter Wagoner Show would come on TV, her Daddy would clear off the coffee table for a stage and start announcing count down time. Then the performance would take place on the table with Gina singing along with the stars. Her Dad filmed her at the tender age of 6 (Porter Wagoner in the background singing on the Porter Wagoner Show), with a hair brush at her mouth like a mic singing and saying ... "One day, I'm going to marry Porter Wagoner!"
Her dedication to music paid off. Some of her songs made it to Labels that went above top 40. They were "Sunday go to Cheatin Clothes", "In the Georgia Rain" (a song she wrote for her son) and a country western version of "Just Like Jessie James" (RCA Label) which made it to the top 10.
Porter Wagoner came into "The Palace" in Nashville where she was singing. He asked to speak with Gina after her performance. She was awe. From the first moment they met, her life was completely changed. Porter was an absolutely incredible man who became her best friend, mentor, manager, producer and deepest most unforgetable love.
Life was progressing in a dream land and could not seem more promising. She had met an incredible man that loved her; her songs were climbing on the charts; She had performed with other major country artists at the Grand Ole Opry as a Wagoneer and continued progressing with performances for/with major artists. Then suddenly it all crashed.
She was diagnosed with MS. The RCA label dropped her in 24 hours.
Gina saw a future of pain and a major disability which would most likely leave her deformed and nothing resembling the woman that Porter had fallen in love with when they first met. Gina did not want Porter to see her go downhill.
Gina also had been having a lot of negative energy from fans and others because of their age difference. She believed she had two major reasons to walk away. It was the most painful decision she ever made.
Even though she attempted a "normal" life out of the limelight, Porter never left her. He continued to be her friend and mentor to the end of his life. They lived separate lives, and though she attempted other relationships, he was always the one in her heart. His devotion was pure and honorable and she felt deeply blessed having shared an undying love with him no matter how the age difference made it "forbidden".
Gina has been blessed knowing many incredible individuals in both celebrity and private lifestyle. She becames friend with her Neurologist who worked to help arrest the damage of MS and find a path to living without its control. The new drug developed through years of research presented new hope to be able to reach for her dream once again. She felt blessed with new chances and incredible men influencing my choices.
Two of the most remarkable were her Father and Porter Wagoner. They both loved and respected each other as well. Her Father died in her arms Christmas 2005. Porter was there for her through the following months of her Father's death and the additional death of her beloved paternal MeMaw. Then, in 2007, Porter succumbed to the same Cancer that took her Father.
It seemed her life was over.
She wanted to give up. Her friends suggested that she focus on writing a memoir in honor of those she lost to help her through the stages of mourning. She needed something, so she decided to reach for new steps in life.
Some days have been difficult, while others were deeply blessed as the walk through the memories and the things that made the relationships so valuable. There was a lot of crying, growing, healing crying, and more growing.
Gina feels deeply blessed having found friends dedicated to helping her walk through this with compassion and love. They all have learned to grow with each other as they walked the memories of the past up to the present and build hope for the future.
She had not realized how deeply her life had disappeared through her personal efforts because of the disability and running from love. A home fire destroyed many links to her past. Not one but two. Gina's Father had lost his home in a fire 5 years before she also lost so much in a home fire.
She was faced with the task of finding old photos, copies of her songs, anything to connect her with the life she had thought once buried. It has been difficult but not impossible. As friends and fans discovered her search, old photos and memories are being brought forward in an incredible effort of sentiment and love for Gina and Porter.
Her journey will continue with moments of heroic strength regaining her beloved career and moments of challenge as her body continues to torment her dreams. There are moments she feels she cannot take another breath without her beloved Porter and her Dad, yet, she stands tall focusing stronger on faith and purpose. Gina is a diverse performer, with the singing in her heart beat, and an eye focused on the God her Daddy taught her to love and respect. The years have made her tough, yet, the challenges have ignited a passionate, compassionate heart and anyone who has the chance to spend time with her, cannot help but be inspired by the beauty from within.
Gina's latest recordings of the "MySpace Cowboy", "This Dog Bites", and "What's left of my mind" are just a tip of the songs that have emerged from her goal to return to her career as a songwriter, singer and performer. The "Myspace Cowboy" emerged from experiences she and her friends had with the deceptions behind the avatars that so often stalk the internet. "This Dog Bites" takes Gina's raspy deep voice into the "growly" attitude of a woman who caught her man claiming she was as "puppy" dog feigning after him... both tell the males in the songs, you don't mess with this woman ... empowering others who wanted the same voice to get their share of the action. What is even more interesting is that the men love it ... must mean they like the growling more than the easy to control puppies.
Gina has always been a "country outlaw", the rebel for the cause with a heart of gold. Join her and share her music with others ... there is enough of her inspiration to go around.
Words from Gina:
"There has a time of peacefulness and strength emerging through the tears for my purpose has is always a challenge, yet my faith grows stronger in each step.
It has been a healing journey of my soul.
My deepest desire is that through reading my story, you may find strength to face trials; recognition of friends that are there for you in your struggles and good times; and, know that regardless how the story reads out, true deep love is worth reaching for even if it is just a few stolen moments of time.
I look back on my life and know I have hurt some very good men without meaning to and pray they found their healing, peace and forgiveness. My heart belonged to Porter from the beginning of my time, and in trying to run from this "forbidden love", I found I never got away.
If I could do it all over again, I would have hung on tight and loved through it all ... right at his side, and met his deepest wish at becoming his bride. He was, is now and always will be my beloved.
One may never know where or how the day will pass. I am thankful for God's presence and the love he has shared with me in each step.
My Daddy was a man of great devotion to his faith and he passed it on to me. The most important thing he shared was the depth of love that we can share with each other. That love can help us all reach beyond the impossible. Be sure to share with those in your life."
I HOPE YOU AND YOUR MOM AND SISTER IS HAVING A GOOD DAY TODAY.AND I HOPE SHE IS GETTING BETTER EVERY DAY .GOD BLESS AND STILL PRAYING FOR GINA...GINA HALL
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