July 5, 2009 | No Comments |
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Michaela Davis
By JENNIFER BHARGAVA
The Kansas City Star
Michaela Davis is no longer a struggling musician.
The 12-year-old Shawnee girl recently had her dreams come true when Briarcliff Village — a shopping and dining center in Kansas City, North — stepped up to fund the gig of a lifetime.
As part of its “Adopt a Rocker” program, the shopping center has adopted Michaela and will send her to play on the ShipRocked Cruise, where she will perform with renowned rock bands such as Queensryche, Tesla, and Skid Row in November.
While Michaela and her band were thrilled to be selected for the gig, they have to pay their own way through diligent fundraising.
Michaela, who will start the eighth grade at Monticello Trails Middle School this fall, is a bass player in the Paul Green School of Rock “House Band,” which is composed of 10 young musicians at the performance-based, classic rock music school in Kansas City.
Briarcliff Village chose Michaela for the honor because of her personal story.
Both of her parents, who serve in the U.S. Army, were called to active duty at the same time last fall. Her father, Maj. Mike Davis, is serving in Iraq. Her mother, Capt. ReGina Davis, is serving at Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo., in the Army Nurse Corps. They have both served in the Army for more than 20 years.
While they serve their country, Michaela lives with her grandmother in Shawnee.
“I’m definitely proud of my parents and I respect that they want to serve,” Michaela said. “I’m not sure if I would have the courage to do what they do.”
While they are away, she finds comfort in practicing the bass and enjoys spending time with her fellow band members.
Her parents are glad she has found a hobby that keeps her busy.
“It was very hard leaving Michaela because I had never been without her before,” her mother said. “Music has given her an outlet to keep her mind off being away from us. And those friends in her band are like another family, which I think is very special.”
The busy mom admits she was a tad skeptical of her daughter’s new interest when Michaela announced she wanted to play bass two years ago.
But after watching Michaela practice constantly and quickly fall in love with the instrument, Davis couldn’t be more proud of her little girl.
“Michaela has blossomed since she has been in the band,” she said. “She used to be very shy and now she has come out of her shell. I can tell music brings her a lot of joy and that makes me happy.”
Michaela’s parents try to attend as many of their daughter’s performances as they can. While her dad was in Iraq, Michaela frequently sent him DVDs of her concerts, but now that he is back home for a two-week leave, he can’t wait to see her play live again.
After all, her mom and dad are her biggest fans.
“Michaela is a perfectionist and she loves to give everything 100 percent,” Davis said. “She doesn’t give up until she’s learned. I’m impressed that she can spend so much time doing something she loves and still be a straight-A student.”
Davis is also relieved that she no longer has to worry about raising money for Michaela to attend her cruise gig. Nowadays she helps Michaela and the band come up with new fundraising events and money-making ideas. The kids have held garage sales, jewelry sales and car washes.
They are even raffling off two Les Paul guitars signed by Kansas City native and American Idol David Cook.
But with cruise tickets costing $2,000 each, Davis is afraid they need to take it one step further.
She hopes more people head out to the band’s concerts — not just to help out financially, but because the group is very talented.
“These kids are so amazing because they sound professional when they play,” she said. “It’s phenomenal.”
Plus, they are playing classic rock unfamiliar to a lot of other kids their age.
“These kids are being exposed to music they wouldn’t normally buy in the store,” Davis said. “Besides, when parents recommend stuff, kids never listen. This way, the kids feel like they have discovered it on their own, which makes it seem cool.”
Michaela agrees. Before she joined the School of Rock, she listened only to current music.
Now, she loves everything from the Beatles to Def Leppard. She even rocks out to glam metal and cheesy 80s hair bands, she admitted with a laugh.
While she’s not sure if she wants to be a professional musician someday, she does know one thing for sure: music will always be a part of her life.
And she would love to learn other instruments as she gets older.
“Music is everything to me, Michaela said. “You can’t find me without my iPod. My parents might be gone but music is always there for me. I feel lucky to have a passion like that.”
Concert on Sunday
Michaela and her parents will be making a special appearance at the performance by the U.S. Air Force “Shades of Blue Jazz Ensemble” at 7 p.m. on Sunday at Briarcliff Village, 4151 North Mulberry Drive in Kansas City, North.
To make a donation or learn more about the School of Rock call 816-842-ROCK (842-7625).
