Radio Host Alabama Says Thank You To Meemaw With An Original Song
Morning show host at Chicago’s New Country radio station Big955Chicago, Amber “Alabama” Cole recently surprised her grandmother Meemaw with an original song as a unique Valentine’s Day gift, allowing her to say thank you for raising her into the woman she is today in a way that words alone could never express.
“My grandmother raised me since I was about five years old. My mom had struggled with addiction her whole life, so my grandmother kind of took over that mother role for me and took care of me. I’m 31-years-old and I still call her every day as soon as I leave work. She’s my best friend. We have a very unique relationship and she’s a very special person in my life. She has shaped who I am and I hope to be as powerful of a woman in my own family as soon as I decide to have my own.”
According to Alabama, Meemaw is a true southern woman, which means she’s a true football-watching, homemade-meals-cooking, never-leave-the-house-without-makeup-wearing, makes-a-fresh-pitcher-of-ice-tea-every-single-day-with-dessert kind of lady. She is the matriarch of their whole family, Alabama says, and was always there for her growing up.
“It’s funny, I was just such a little bratty kid. She was a strict parent, but for a good reason. When I graduated high school and moved into my own apartment two weeks later, I remember calling Meemaw crying and thanking her so much for being so strict on me and for teaching me so many morals. I wouldn’t be able to take care of myself the way I do now if it weren’t for her. I think she’s definitely one of those people who was more appreciated after the storm was over instead of in the middle of it.”
A strong southern woman herself, Alabama eventually left her home state for California when she was 21-years-old and has since moved all across the country. Nevertheless, she and her Meemaw remain extremely close, so much so that the matronly grandmother has become a beloved staple of Alabama’s radio show.
“We call her all the time. Our listeners love Meemaw and always ask me about her when we are at station events. She has a huge crush on my cohost Remy and has a photo of him in daisy dukes on the family china cabinet. She even stays more up to date on celebrity news than I do.”
Alabama included all these details and more as she told us the story of her relationship with Meemaw, which culminated into the funny, yet heartfelt country song by Dan Patrick Fulton.
“It’s great because the song for Meemaw is exactly like our relationship. We have such an emotional relationship, but it’s also so lighthearted and funny, that somehow he captured both emotions in one song. One second you were listening to it and laughing, the next moment you get emotional, then you go back to laughing again a minute later into the song. So it’s great that he captured all those emotions, and it came out much better than I expected. It’s funny, all of the family has listened to the song by now and they all want their own song now too.”
“She keeps telling me, ‘I keep walking around singing that damn song.’ Her sister said the same thing. She really appreciated that. She said, ‘I’ve never had a song written for me before.’ So that’s really cool. It took her by so much surprise, that it took her a couple days to process how to react to it, which is good, it’s exactly how I wanted her to react to it. Rather than just like, ‘Here are some flowers.’ I always send her chocolate-covered strawberries and this was way better.”
Thanks to Alabama and Meemaw for allowing us to share their very special story! Give the unique gift of an original song to your loved one this Valentine’s Day, or on any day, and bring your own story to life with music.
