Happy 2024 my friends out there in 311 nation! Hope you all have had a nice start to the new year. Let’s meet the first fan spotlight of 2024 – Rachelle Calhoun!
It was at the young age of 15 that Rachelle started listening to 311. She grew up with their music always playing in her home. “I am very much a 90’s alternative girl when it comes to music. Their music was unique and not like everything else on the radio, and when you listened to an entire album every song was so good, I didn’t want to skip any songs and then hearing the lyrics… it was deeper and had a real positive message. I love how the albums have grown with the band, because it has grown with me getting older as well.”
For total shows Rachelle has seen, she said she’s never been one to count, but she knows it’s a lot. She has been to four 311 Day events, two cruises, and one year she and her ex picked a show in the north, south, east & west to attend. They went to shows in Connecticut, Texas, California, and Michigan. “My first show I was 15 and I don’t remember if it was in Tulsa or Oklahoma city since I did them both that same year. I remember being blown away by the OKC show so I think it was my first. I thought wow they are incredible, the live show changed everything for me. Seeing 311 live gave me all the feels and I have loved them ever since.”
There are a few really memorable shows for Rachelle, like the one in Cincinnati where she and Parker were on the rail. Or the 311 Day show she was able to be on the rail. Her most favorite though was in Omaha, Nebraska. “Watching the show from the balcony, the songs were perfect, but afterwards going to to the Hive to see the secret show was the most incredible experience. Seeing them in such a small place, I could reach out my arm to touch Nick and the entire place jumping and singing every word. That show was everything.”
While there are many songs that mean a lot to Rachelle, the one that takes her top spot is “Simple True” and she has yet to hear it live. “I was at the 311 day they played it and I was with my boys and Josh Perry we had flown in that day from the snow in Tulsa and the boys were falling asleep so we left the show just a little early so we could get to the hotel and get the boys in bed, but leaving that little bit early made me miss my song and it has plagued me ever since. I feel like it was my only chance to see it and that just kills me.”
As for lyrics, there are also a lot that Rachelle really loves. However there are two that really stand out to her: “I’m looking out for a simple kind of true, don’t know what I am waiting for I’m holding out for a simple kind of true, at least some kind of a metaphor,” and “Do as you will, do as you wish, follow your bliss.”
Tulsa, Oklahoma, is where Rachelle grew up and has pretty much lived her whole life, with the exception of the few years she was in Norman, Oklahoma. She has a very normal family – parents are still together and she has a younger sister Katy, who she said is her complete opposite. “We are all very close and live pretty much all across the street from each other today. I was married for 12 years and had my 2 beautiful boys Jace and Canon. I am divorced for about 10 years and happy as ever.”
Rachelle decided to attend college and will be graduating from the University of Oklahoma this May, then she is going to pursue her masters degree. Her goal so far is to be a high school counselor. She loves dogs and said if she had a house she would have rescued about 5 more by now. “I have 2 Remy and Rufus, they are my babies and 10 years old.They are the most bonded pair you have ever seen.”
As for funding her 311 habit, she said it’s putting it on a credit card and letting future Rachelle figure it out! She also said that the biggest thing 311 has brought her is people. “311 day 2014 changed my life and led me into this group of people that I found to be my soul mates. I met my best friend Parker Buehler. She changed my life and even though our time together was too short, I will cherish the 6 hour phone calls and the shows we saw together. I have so many beautiful souls I have met and will always root for! If it wasn’t for 311 I wouldn’t have Josh Perry, we were just friends on Facebook and starting talking since we were both going through terrible break ups. After clicking immediately and some time he ended up picking up his life in St. Louis to come be with me in Tulsa and has been here for 2 years now. Our love for 311 started our relationship and its crazy to think we wouldn’t have met without 311. I love that when we get in get in the car our Playlist is all 311 and we sing every song together, it’s the best to be with someone who gets it, and some who is “6 foot 3 and like Mohamed Ali, floats like a butterfly and sting like poison ivy” 😉 He is definitely my very sexy brodel.”
Fun facts about Rachelle, she loves hippos and the color blue. “I have a tattoo of the Fantasia hippo on my back and would love to add more and have a whole hippo magical scene. I love that the 311 community knows I love hippos, I get tagged, have gotten gifts, and most recently shout out to Corey Coussens who made sure I had all the bioworkz hippo pins. I don’t think most people know I used to be a dancer and started dancing at the age of 2, I danced all up until I had my boys and didn’t go back to it. I still would love to and hope its not too late!”
Some talents for Rachelle, she is an amazing cook and cooks almost every night for her family. She is also really good with hair and makeup and is a master cosmetology instructor. Another fun fact – she is double jointed in her arms. “My arms always look broken, I can turn them 360 degrees its very creepy.”
Guilty pleasure? Rachelle loves watching murder documentaries with Josh or watching alien documentaries. “I am obsessed with the paranormal as well and will watch anything with that. I just got done with the white princess, the white queen, and the Spanish princess so I really enjoy period shows too. My most guilty pleasure is scrolling through instagram for vintage jewelry. I just bought a Victorian ring, that I call my ghost girl ring.”
As mentioned before, Rachelle is a 90’s alternative girl when it comes to music, but there are other artists she loves too including Dirty Heads, Foo Fighters, Tribal Seeds, Iya Terra, Slightly Stoopid, and Muse. She also said she will forever be a Michael Jackson and Paula Abdul fan “because I gotta have some 80’s in there.”
Message to 311 from Rachelle is this: “Thank you for bringing the most incredible group of people into my life with your music, please keep making new music!”
Now here are her words to all the other 311 fans out there:
“I will leave one of my favorite quotes from Gandalf (Lord of the Rings): “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.” time is fleeting and make the best of your time on this earth. I believe there is always time to have your dreams come true.”
Many thanks to Rachelle for sharing her story with all of us! As always, my eternal gratitude to each of you who continue to read these and support this little blog. Hope you all have an amazing week, sending you all positive vibes.
Much Love – The Runt