Welcome again my Excitable friends to another edition of the 311 Fan Spotlight! Let’s meet Daphne Lewis Stewart!
It was around the time that the Blue album came out that Daphne first heard 311 being played on the radio. “I immediately bought the album from BMG Music Service (who remembers that LOL) and became hooked. The heavy guitars drew me and the lyrics kept me coming back for more.”
While Daphne has been a fan since the early 90’s, she wasn’t able to see 311 live until 2007 in West Palm Beach, Florida. “I expected a typical concert where the band only plays their newer songs. I was already a HUGE fan but when they played Gap, which I was dying to hear live, I was blown away. I knew I was an Excitable for life!” Show count for her is somewhere in the 50’s which includes five 311 Day events, two cruises and Pow Wow.
While it’s hard to pick a favorite of those shows, Daphne said 311 Day 2014 probably takes it. “It was my first 311 day and my first event with other Excitables. I had been going to shows for years – even went to Pow Wow – but somehow I never connected with the community. I stayed in a house with about 20 other Excitables and met my best friend Kala Parisi! I still get chills listening to Use of Time with the Unity Orchestra. I can remember how I felt as the strings swelled all around me – such euphoria!”
The song “I’ll Be Here Awhile” has been a very important song in Daphne’s life. “It brought me through many years when I was not where I wanted to be. I held onto that song, thinking that this is only for awhile, not forever – it gave me hope for the future. Then when they closed 311 Day 2020 with an acoustic version, it took on a whole new meaning. As the pandemic started in America and the future was unknown, I was comforted that my favorite band – and my Excitable family – would be with me and help pull me through the uncertainty.”
So for a favorite lyric, Daphne said she almost didn’t want to say it for fear of making people have to pee, so obviously it comes from “Amber:” ““Don’t give up your independence, Unless it feels so right, Nothing good comes easily, Sometimes you’ve got to fight.” “I’ve always been taught to be independent and persistent so that really resonates with me. I also love the poetry of “when I look at you it’s like praying with my eyes.”
Daphne was born in Baltimore but raised in Port St. Lucie, Florida. She moved to Gainesville and then Jacksonville, North Carolina, before moving back to Port St. Lucie. She still lives there with her 3-year-old American bulldog, Lucky. “I’d like to live in other places but for now I want to be close to my family.” For work, Daphne is a finance coordinator for Habitat for Humanity. “I love it! I love working for non-profits because even on your worst day at work, you know that you’re helping somebody.”
When Daphne was young she started acting at a local theater. She even got her associates degree in theater performance! “I had plans to be an actress. But then I met my now ex-husband, and starting a family with him was more important than chasing my acting dream. So I switched my major to business, but I kept performing in local shows. I haven’t been in a play in a long time but I still regularly sing. I even took belly dancing lessons for a while, that was so much fun!”
Fun fact about Daphne is that she has a Masters Degree in Public Administration with a non-profit emphasis. “Also, I attended 4 different colleges for my undergrad (which is in Business Administration). This is because I was married in my early 20’s and my now ex-husband was in the Marine Corps.”
As mentioned above, Daphne still loves to sing and she also plays keyboard in the praise band at her church. “I’ve rocked the stage in a 311 tribute band called Excitables: 311 Tribute. I was also in a virtual 311 tribute band called Soul Craft Generators. I made it into the I’ll Be Here Awhile fan video!” Guilty pleasure for Daphne is the T.V. show Love After Lockup. She also recently has become addicted to the game Royal Match.
When not cranking the tunes of 311, Daphne enjoys a variety of genres. “Some of my favorites are Tropidelic, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Thundercat, Wookiefoot, Nonpoint, Thousand Foot Crutch, and I’m newly into jam bands, especially Phish.”
To 311, Daphne sends this message: “Thank you for being the soundtrack to my life. There is always a 311 lyric that exemplifies how I’m feeling. And over the last 10 years being in the 311 community, I have found some of the most amazing people, including my other bestie Jamie Shelley. My life is so much fuller because of the connections I have made thru the love of this band.”
Now here is her message to all the other fans out there:
“I’m so glad I have found my people. Be kind to one another and stay weird!”
Many thanks to Daphne for sharing her story with us all! As always, my eternal gratitude to everyone who reads these. I wish you all a wonderful week full of happiness and positive vibes!
Much Love – The Runt