NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A Tennessee treasure and true icon has released collaborations with many greats of music. A new release Friday is an especially memorable duet. For the duet partner, it's nothing short of life-changing.
She just goes by Demaree, just Demaree.
"There aren't many Demarees, so I just want that to be my artist name," she smiled. "It was my grandmother's maiden name.
She took the stage for a gig at The Underdog. Demaree said no venue name could fit her better. Her story's about having someone believe in you, and trust me on this, Demaree has a pretty good someone who believes in her. We'll get back to that.
"Les Miserables on Broadway, I was 8-years-old," Demaree began, reflecting back on her history of stage performances. "I was cast in that. I was young Cosette. Someone said, 'Hey, there's a musical of The Secret Garden,' and I got cast in that. Traveled the country with that for two-and-a-half years. I did Big: The Musical after the movie with Tom Hanks. I got to play Nessarose in 'Wicked: The Musical.'"
Music was just always a big part of Demaree's life, especially this one song. It's from the show "Carousel." It's called "You'll Never Walk Alone."
"When my mom was 17, her mom was killed as a pedestrian walking to work," Demaree said. "When that happened, my mom's school was doing Carousel: The Musical. That song brought a lot of hope and comfort to my mom in that difficult time."
I visited Demaree's family in October while she and her children worked to build a gingerbread haunted house.
"I have a full-time office job, and I'm a single mom to two kids," she explained. "It's been a challenge to fit music into that. It has been a very long journey for me. I am older. I am unsigned. I'm an independent artist. Fitting it in when I can, I can barely get into different writes around town, cause I'm nobody! There were people in my life who told me, 'You need to give this up. You're too old.' I said, 'Maybe I am being foolish. I'm way past my prime.'"
Demaree hasn't given up. She takes gigs whenever she can like that one at The Underdog. It's just a lot of balancing, an effort to be a lesson in persistence for her children. A door has just opened.
Through work, Demaree's mom met a woman named Judy Ogle. Judy is best friends with a certain musician, someone so famous and beloved, her picture is on murals all over the city.
One day, Demaree was at Judy's house when that musician stopped by.
"I heard an iconic giggle at the front door, and Dolly Parton walked in!" Demaree said. "It was so bizarre cause I felt I was meeting someone I'd known my whole life. My mom said, 'Y'know, Dolly, Demaree's always had a dream and vision of singing a duet with you.' My jaw was just about to hit the floor. I can't believe my mom just said that! Dolly's response was priceless. She said, 'Really? Tell me all about it.'"
Demaree and Dolly have released a duet on all platforms, that special song, "You'll Never Walk Alone."
"What do you think of Dolly Parton?" I asked Demaree.
"What do I think?" she laughed. "She's who I aspire to be. I look up to her on every level, from her faith to her help for people. She does it from her heart, and she speaks her mind. To make, by the world's estimation, a nobody feel so important and valued, if I can be like that when I grow up, that's what I want! I just think she's an incredible person. It's the most life changing experience probably other than becoming a mom. It's all the validation I needed in this world, somebody telling me to keep going, that person being Dolly Parton."
Do you have a positive, good news story? You can email me at forrest.sanders@newschannel5.com.
In this time of NIL deals and transfer portals, this is a refreshing story about the best of college athletics. A must watch for all young athletes with big dreams. I already showed my boys, and I can tell you Jack has some new fans!
-Carrie Sharp
