Morrison to sing for soldiers
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Nashville may one day be her destination, but Morrison’s career will first take a detour through Europe. Morrison and her Dollywood group, Naomi and the Wood Brothers, have agreed to a USO tour that will take them to eight countries including Spain, Italy, Greece, France and Portugal.
“I’ve never been out of the United States so I’m pretty excited,” said Morrison.
The USO, or United Services Organization, is chartered by Congress as a nonprofit corporation. Its mission is to provide morale, welfare and recreation-type services to uniform military personnel. Naomi and the Wood Brothers will be performing for troops to bring a touch of home to their military bases overseas.
Before traveling around the globe, Naomi and the Wood Brothers will remain at Dollywood until the beginning of October. The first USO tour is scheduled for November, and the group already has a second tour lined up for February when they will visit three military bases in the Caribbean.
As for her Dollywood experience and performing full-time with a band for the first time, Morrison, 19, said it’s had its good times and challenges.
“You’re never going to have a perfect band where everyone gets along all the time,” said Morrison. “But you need to get on stage and have a good time. If you have a good time, the audience will too.”
Naomi and the Wood Brothers offer their brand of bluegrass on Dollywood’s Backporch Theatre. And they do take requests.
“We get asked to play ‘Rocky Top’ every day,” said Morrison. “I’m trying to invent new ways to sing it. I’ve thought about trying to rap to ‘Rocky Top.'”
Asked whether she’s gotten to meet Dolly Parton, Morrison said that’s a popular question.
“Everyone who comes to Dollywood expects to see her around the corner waving,” said Morrison. “She really doesn’t come to the park that much. I have gotten to see her twice but haven’t been able to meet her. There are so many security people around, you can’t get near her.”
Morrison says some of the Dollywood thrills have been signing autographs and seeing people from Warren County. As for one major job perk, Morrison said she gets in free to almost all Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg area tourist attractions. And she frequently hops on a ride at Dollywood between shows, with the new Thunderhead wooden roller coaster her favorite.
“The guys in the band call me Queen of the Thunderhead,” said Morrison. “But I’m the only one in the band who has had the courage to bungee jump.”
In addition to her vocals on several songs each set, Morrison also plays rhythm mandolin. Ricky Wood, the only band member who is actually a Wood, sings and plays lead mandolin. Jeff Davis plays guitar and Tucker McCandles plays banjo.
The group normally performs at Dollywood six days a week and takes off Mondays. For a show schedule, visit www.dollywood.com.