Hello again my Excitable friends! Welcome to the latest edition of the 311 Fan Spotlight. Let’s get the story from the lovely Kelly Riddle!
For Kelly, she first found 311 thanks to the song “Beautiful Disaster.” It was late 1994, she was in 7th grade, and was with her brother. “I got into Music and Grassroots after that and bought the Blue album in July of ’95 when it was released. I loved that their music was on the hard side with what I call a sing-songy vibe. It helped that I thought Nick was hot and they had the skater boy thing going for them which I was VERY into! I saw them a couple times live before I met my late husband in May of 1998. Having someone else with as much love for music and 311 as I did, was paradise.”
Show count for Kelly is in the 60’s range after this recent cruise. First show for her was in 1997 in Kansas City at the Sandstone. Favorite show? There’s multiple for various reasons. “The first was in 2014 right after I had finished all of my breast cancer treatments. I splurged and bought Andrew and I VIP Meet and Greet Tickets to celebrate. I wore a shirt my friend had made for me and forgot to have them sign it. After, the show Mahoney made eye contact with me and I asked if he could sign it. He said yes and pointed to the side gate. Someone came and got me (Rosco maybe) and took me through the gate and back by the tour busses. He asked if I had a shirt on underneath, I said no but I don’t have nipples and took my shirt off. He laughed and took his sweaty, button-down shirt off and put it on me. I didn’t care. He handed my shirt to someone and they took it in the RV while I stayed out with Rosco and another woman and they were asking me questions about cancer. My shirt was brought back out and the guy said they would had me come in but they guys were in their “skivvies.” I said that’s ok and talked more as we walked out.”
Second and third faves are as follows: “My second favorite is the year after Andrew passed away. A couple weeks after my first 311 show without him, I went to 2 of the Colorado shows, the Ogden and the Stanley, with people in a facebook group. I had never met a nicer group of people. That stay changed my life and gave me hope when I had just been through the hardest thing I have ever experienced. These people have become my family. I am forever thankful to Devin Larm, Brook Savoy, and Ashley and Eddie Bratke for being there for me. I can’t tell you how much you mean to me. My third favorite, as a whole, are the big events. It was always our dream to attend 311 Day or Red Rocks. We were young parents and prioritized our family vacations instead. When he passed, I vowed to never miss a 311 Day and I haven’t yet. The cruises are everything I dreamed of and more. I saw my 50th show at Red Rocks in 2023 and during Sunsets in July, I could feel Andrew with me. Watching me dancing and having the time of my life. I bawled like a baby. He was always so happy and full of life and love. I think he would be so proud of me for taking all of the big steps I’ve taken and finding my people.”
As mentioned, Kelly lost her husband Andrew. He passed away because he did some cocaine from someone he knew well, and it ended up having Fentanyl in it. “He died 15 minutes later while driving on a 4 lane highway during rush hour. Thankfully he didn’t hit anyone and instead hit a concrete post. It’s still surreal that it happened and can happen to anyone.”
Favorite song for Kelly is “Tranquility.” “Voyager was the last Album we listened to together. I played Tranquility at Andrew’s funeral and my brother surprised me with a cameo from Nick for my first Valentine’s alone. He played Tranquility. When he sang, “You can’t walk around it, you have to walk right through it….,” it repeats over and over in my head when I try to ignore my sadness and grief. It is my reminder, that things will get better if I go through the hard stuff. After the last cruise, I told my friend that every time it plays I wonder what song it is for about 10 seconds before it hits me. It then makes me laugh and say, “Really Kelly?”
Some quotes Kelly loves, one is obviously from “Tranquility:” ” You can’t walk around it, you have to walk right through it.” Another fave is “fuck the naysayers ’cause they don’t mean a thing.”
The Kansas City area is where Kelly has lived since she was born. She met her husband when she was just 16 and they got married 3 years later. They bought a house and had 3 daughters – identical twins who are now 22 and then their 16 year old. At the age of 31, Kelly had to undergo a double mastectomy, chemo, and radiation, and other reconstructive surgeries. “Somehow, with all my gracefulness, I popped an implant ice skating and said to heck with boobs and had them taken out. I am now proudly concave and ready to educate. To add to that education, I lost my older brother suddenly to melanoma right after my treatments were done. I have now saved many lives and prolonged others with my advice on moles, follow-up for past diagnosis, and easing the fear of what a full body check entails. It isn’t as scary as it sounds. I am now educated about MS due to being diagnosed in 2024. Luckily, I am healthy and with a simple infusion every 6 months, I would never know I had it. All this has inspired me to go to nursing school to get a BSN and I am beginning my 3rd year. I am excited to help the people I see to stay positive and love their lives.”
Fun fact about Kelly, she may wear a custom 311 cheer uniform, but she has never cheered in her life! “I have coached for many years though. I am very uncoordinated. We need to make a squad.” Something that makes her unique, her brain works in song lyrics. “I can usually sing a song immediately using a word someone says.” Guilty pleasure? It’s a unique one. “Cleaning pools. I have an above ground pool I use a few times a year just so I can clean it and keep a sparkling clear, beautiful view to look at.”
For other music Kelly is into, she said Tropidelic holds a special place in her heart. “I had a very small private party in 2021 at my house to celebrate my 40th birthday and what would’ve been my 20th anniversary. Tropidelic’s song, Highs and Lows, got me through many gut wrenching moments. It reminded me that better days were going to come if I could get through that second.” Some other bands she loves include Ballyhoo, Bumpin Uglies, Callisto, Mad Season, Alice in Chains, Pacific Dub, Hours Eastly, Weezer, Taking Back Sunday, The Used, Tom Petty, Operation Ivy, Mihali, Little Stranger, and The Movement.
Kelly also wanted to give a big shout out to Brook Savoy, for being her ultimate travel buddy. She loves her very much and their adventures together!
For a message to 311, Kelly has these words: “Thank you for everything you have created and sacrificed in your lives so that I have been able to experience adventures and make so many amazing memories throughout my life.”
Now here are her words to all the other fans out there:
“When I suddenly lost Andrew, in November 2020, I didn’t think I would make it through. Because I faced my fears and continued doing what we loved, I was brought to all of you. Thank you for welcoming me into your tightknit community and helping me see beyond the grey sky.”
Super big thanks to Kelly for sharing her amazing & personal story with us! As always, many thanks to all those who follow this little blog. Hope you all are well and have the best week possible!
Much Love, The Runt