Hey there 311 nation! A new week and new fan spotlight are upon us. Let’s meet the fabulous Pollie DeGrandchamp!
While Pollie has always liked 311 since the release of the blue album, it wasn’t until 2011 that she heavily got into them. “I just changed jobs and went from a fast past job in a lab to a very boring desk job in a cube farm. So, I looked up 311 and found a live recording of 311 at Red Rocks and I loved it. So, I downloaded pretty much everything else I could find from them and was blown away at how much I had never heard and how much I enjoyed them. I went through their whole discography and was hooked.”
Show count for Pollie, she isn’t really sure of the number. First show for her was in November 2011 at the Hard Rock Cafe in Orlando. “They opened with Jackpot. It was an amazing show. I didn’t know anyone but had an amazing time. Shortly after that I had heard about the pow wow and the cruise. I signed up for the pre-sale for the Jamaican cruise and me and my boyfriend have been on the last 3 cruises. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it to the pow wow. But man, I wish I could have.”
As for favorite show, Pollie said they are all her favorite! “They are all fun and exciting in their own way. I always have the best time at 311 shows and events. I have made so many great lifelong friends through the 311 community.”
Narrowing down one song that means the most to her wasn’t possible, for Pollie they all mean something. “There are so many different songs that resonate in different ways for different reasons.” As for lyrics that resonate with her, she of course loves the mantra “Stay positive and love your life.” “It’s a really good way to look at things. I always try to find the positive in any situation. If you look it is there. My favorite lyric is “Nothing in life is above being honest.”
Michigan is where Pollie was raised but she lives in Florida now. She was raised by an incredible single mom and has a brother & sister. “I am the middle child. We didn’t have much money, we were pretty poor but it didn’t matter. My mom was awesome and strong and taught me so much about life. How to treat people how I want to be treated and to not be judgmental. That everyone is different and that is ok.“
Pollie went to Florida on a 2 week vacation to visit her dad and ended up staying there. She’s now been there for almost 30 years! Pollie was a single mom to her 2 kids until she met an amazing man Joshua when her kids were in their late teens. “We’ve been together for 9 almost 10 years. And now we are grandparents to 2 beautiful little granddaughters and they call us memaw and J-pa.”
Pollie loves live music of any kind, camping, traveling, crafting and spending time with friends & family. She is also a huge fan of Jim Henson, Dr. Seuss, and Tim Burton. “I actually have a whole sleeve tattoo that incorporates my love of music, Jim Henson and camping. My tattoo is Kermit and The Electric Mayhem sitting on mushrooms in the forest. It’s my festival sleeve. 😊”
Talent for Pollie is that she is very crafty and loves making things. “I am willing to learn any type of craft and I love having craft days with friends and family. Things like tie dye, ceramics, jewelry making, sewing or crocheting. Recently I have gotten into glass fusing. It’s an expensive hobby but I have really enjoyed it and have been pretty proud of the pieces I have made. I’m always crafting something and have a huge room of crafts supplies lol.”
Guilty pleasure for Pollie would be trash T.V. “Things like Jersey Shore and Temptation Island. I can’t believe how these people act. Even if it is not real, I don’t get how someone would agree to be portrayed that way on TV in front of millions of people. It’s like a train wreck and I can’t stop watching lol.”
Pollie loves many different types of music and a hodge podge of artists from the 50’s to the present. Some of them are Violent Femmes, Dirty Heads, Prince, Panic at the Disco, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Oliver Tree, Zac Deputy, and Sinead O’Connor. She also loves electronic music. “I pretty much listen to anything, country and all. I used to sit in my room as teen and listen to my moms old 45’s from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. I was a teen in the 80’s, early 90’s and then my kids were teenagers in the 2000’s so I’ve listened and liked stuff from all of those years. I go to a lot of shows and have gone to few festivals and just enjoy music all around. I have gone to many shows not knowing the bands and ended up having a great time and becoming a fan and adding new music to my ever growing list of favorites.”
To 311, Pollie has these words: “Thank you so much for all of the great music, events and connections that you’ve helped me make.”
Now here is her message to all the fellow 311 fans out there:
“Stay Positive, Love your life, Be safe, Have fun and Be kind to one another. 😊”
Thanks Pollie for sharing your story! Many, many thanks as always to the supporters out there. Thank you so much for being awesome people. Hope you all have an amazing week!
Much Love – The Runt