Chance of a lifetime for TF woman

It isn't often a local gets face time with country stardom, but that is exactly what happened to Sharon Sorlie of Thompson Falls. Sorlie was more than excited to see the "Livin' Like Hippies" tour stop in Spokane for contemporary country artist, Miranda Lambert.

"Those that know me are aware she has been my favorite for years," added Sorlie. "The idea of seeing her perform and sharing the night with family and friends was going to be the highlight of the year."

But the deal sweetened when she was notified she had been randomly selected for a "meet and greet" backstage with the artist.

"My husband, Rick, signed me up to be a fan of hers a few months back when we heard she was coming," Sorlie said. She explained that her fan status allowed her to get presales on tickets before regular sales begin. Fans had to login at a certain date and time to scramble for good seats. While she wasn't able to get all six in her party in the same section, they were only a row apart.

And the perks of the "fan status" should have ended there. When she entered the drawing for the meet and greet she was notified she was not chosen, but her name would go in another drawing with results emailed about a week before the show.

Sorlie put her hopes aside, feeling like there were just too many other people going for the same prize. Until she received an email notifying Sorlie she had won the second chance drawing.

"I was in a Coeur d'Alene grocery store, and I'm sure I looked like an idiot as I kept jumping up and down, grabbing Rick's arm saying, 'I can't believe it! I'm so excited!'"

The meet and greet itself was short and sweet, according to Sorlie.

"I got to say hello as she held my guitar to sign it, and then we had our picture taken. I told her I love her music and that it was great to meet her." Sorlie wanted to ask Lambert to make her dream come true by singing one of her songs just for her, but realized it was wishful thinking despite the surreal moment happening around her. "She was super nice and beautiful," Sorlie recalled.

The biggest obstacle of the night wasn't finding their seats, parking or exiting the venue, but trying to get the guitar in, hold it through the show and wrangle the awkward instrument backstage.

"Aside from that, the evening was a great shot of happiness I had been needing," Sorlie shared.

She recalls listening to her father and "the guys" play at jam sessions at their home almost every weekend as a child.

"I could never get enough, music is so good for the soul," Sorlie remembered. "Even though my dad was out of town too often to teach me any songs on the guitar, I was able to learn a few just from watching and listening to them."

One of those songs became her performance piece that helped her win the Miss Thompson Falls Pageant in 1988. She has found new interest in adding to her guitar repertoire, especially now that her heroine has signed the instrument.