Grassroots 2006

We're taking a look back at the first ever Kenny Loggins Fans Grassroots Reunion* with Martita & Emma

Martita wrote:
It occurred to me long ago that there were no fan following groups celebrating Kenny and his music, though there has always been such a loyal fan base. I'm thinking on the scale of The Parrot Heads (Jimmy Buffet) and The Dead Heads (The Grateful Dead). I have always been a dreamer, and have always dreamed BIG.

So about early 2003, I started to think how cool it would be to put together something that could possibly be done year after year. A Party to Celebrate the music, the man and of course each other. I'm all about having a good time. Learned long ago life is too short, and to live each moment as if it were the only one you get.

Graumann's Chinese Theatre

Move forward to October 2004 and the benefit concert in Solvang. There was nothing that was going to keep me from getting to that show. That was the best concert of my life. Meanwhile, I always knew that time would not allow me to single handedly get done what needed to be done. In the meantime, I had met Emma through the KL site, and really got to know her on fellow fan Tim's site. I knew almost immediately, that she was the person to share in this dream. She was the one that could see the possibilities and she had faith, blind faith as it were; and she had the heart -- the ability to know and believe unconditionally. It is when I met her that I knew this dream would happen.

That was the beginning of Our Journey. This journey to create an ongoing fanfare. A happening to celebrate Kenny and us, his wonderful fans. Then the Loggins & Messina tour happened in 2005, and our Party idea was put on hold.

Emma wrote:
The funny thing is that it began, became a plan, so far in advance of our consciousness.  Martita and I got close on the BBS and even closer during the chats held on or through Tim's Kenny Loggins hang out site. As we chatted we shared some of our dreams. We wanted more. We wanted Kenny Loggins fans to have the chance to get together like other fans of other artists.

Martita calls it blind faith. I don't know.  I am a "toe-dipper" by nature.  I don't dive into things; I test the waters and slowly get in.

But you know, we love what Kenny Loggins has done to make our lives richer.  We love the people we have met through his music and writing.  We don't feel so out of step when we are talking to fellow Kenny Loggins fans. We wanted to spend time having fun with people who "get it" -- who get the fact that Kenny Loggins' music can be life changing at it's most brilliant and a heck of a lot of fun at it's most simplistic.

We weren't saying all of that at one time, "it" just kept evolving to the point that by 2005 the vision became the beginnings of a plan.  A simple plan.  We would have a small party in Santa Barbara around a Kenny Concert.  We would then do events that more people could attend.  We would volunteer at the Unity Shoppe and work on donations!  We would also have a beach party. Simple yes?  Infinitely doable.

Group shot with Kenny at Hollywood Bowl sound check

Our planning was all done a step at a time.  We didn't doubt that we could do it. Possibly because we didn't have a clear view of what seeing things into fruition would involve; we learned new things and dealt with them as they came along. We were looking at nails and boards--we had to build the house with a strong foundation. We held the vision of it all and felt that we all--all of us fans needed this.  As we finally began to share our overall plan for the first get together, our chat and BBS friends were so very encouraging. Some of our chat mates knew they couldn't do a Southern California event so we said yes the next year on the East Coast.  Before heading back to the West Coast the following year! Naive?  Well probably!

Group with Crosby!

Kenny Loggins' management was supportive.  Crosby Loggins and Crosby Loggins' management was supportive.  We had our date and location. Then in February of 2006 came the news that the Fan Site and fan-club was changing and the delay of the announcement.  Kenny Loggins management offered us the wonderful Sound Check event and invited us to work with Janet and Alyssa on this exclusive members only portion of our weekend.  We continued on planning the Crosby Loggins, Santa Barbara events  and the party.

Santa Barbara Party

Did disappointments and hard places spring-up? Of course!  But for every one of the sad things an unbelievably beautiful garden of good will came our way. Our beach area needed to be made available for an annual event.  We got the logistics worked out for the new area and then Barbara offered us through, Martita, not only an Estate but a catered party!  So the monies set aside for beach rental could add to the money we would donate to the Unity Shoppe -- Martita even donated her non-refundable beach deposit!  Peggy so believed in the Unity idea that she offered items from her collection.  YES!! We KNOW more people would have donated but we also knew/know that we need future donations.  It is a great way for people to share their crafts and exchange Kenny memorabilia with others who will appreciate it and cherish it And to Support Unity Shoppe (our plug for the future!).

People who attended these events came with good humor and that cup half-full wisdom.  How can we not feel humbled and full of wonder with fellow Kenny Loggins fans like that!

*The KL Fans Grassroots Reunion events are independently and exclusively organized by individual fans, acting as event coordinators and volunteers.