2008.07.27
The McBrooms: A FloydFest family
Earlier this week, I ran into John McBroom, bassist for Blue Mule. Turns out, he's a production honcho here at the fest, and has been volunteering here for several years.
As we spoke, a young woman drove up in one of the fest's many golf carts. McBroom introduced me to his daughter, Melissa, 18.
"She's going to be the youngest production manager at FloydFest," he said.
Since about year two, Melissa and her mom, Chastity McBroom, have been volunteers at the merchandise tent, where Melissa worked for Chastity, or Chaz. The next year, Melissa McBroom was assistant manager at merch. She was 13.
"She absolutely just rocks it, and takes care of it in a beautiful way," mother said of daughter.
This year, Chaz McBroom is taking a break. She's at the fest, but with her and John's 7-month-old, and a toddler, too, she's spending time with them. For the first time, Melissa McBroom is working with her dad.
She's already on top of things.
After the everybodyfields show, singer Jill Andrews discovered she had misplaced her laminated access card, so a stagehand came to John McBroom to ask what to do. McBroom told the man to go out front and have someone print out another one.
At exactly the same time, Melissa had walked up and heard the conversation. "I already took care of that," she told her dad. "I've printed out a bunch of them."
She said later that she's using what her dad has taught her.
"He's been in a band my entire life, and I've always helped him," she said.
