What does Cinco de Mayo mean to me? 13 years ago, I bought some tickets so my family and I could go see some band from Atlanta that was playing in North Phoenix. I had

recently discovered this southern sounding rock band that was fronted by this voice that just blew me away. So in my discovery of the music, I found out that Third Day was playing on the 5th of May in Phoenix and it just so happened to be a Friday night so i bought tickets and away the girls I went. We stopped and ate and just took our time before arriving at the Valley Cathedral thinking well can’t be that many people there. Wow were we ever shocked. The doors were not open and the line stretched around the church and through the parking lot. I was thinking there must be at least 500 to 1000 in front of us and we were going to get stuck in the back. Now my daughters Caitlin and Jordyn were quite young with Caitlin being 11 and Jordyn was all of 5 years old.

Carolyn immediately sensed that I would be disappointed and states to me, why don’t you find out if they have any handicapped seating available. Most people know that my Jordyn is hearing impaired and has worn hearing aids most of her life so Carolyn just figured that could fit for special seating. So I took Jordyn all the way to the front of the line and talked to this gentleman that was working for the door and I explained that Jordyn was hearing impaired and asked if he knew of any special seating available. He looks me and simply tells me that you can go on in and pick out your seats. Needless to say I go get Carolyn and Caitlin and we go back and he lets us in the door. Shameful? I don’t know but in we were. Now all the workers had clearly reserved the front row for themselves and we decided that the second row would work on the left side of the stage. The doors open and the place completely fills up, but the Fruths are in their chairs ready to see Third Day for the very first time.

Lights go down and Jennifer Knapp comes out and we really enjoyed her music. We had become acquainted with her music and loved her first album. What a great start to an evening. The stage is cleared and on comes Third Day. Incredible. It literally changed my life.  They were touring on an album called Time which I loved.

Their set was just filled with a passion that I had not seen out of other groups.

I mean they tore the place up with songs that were amazing. They started out with “Took My Place” and I mean it was out unbelievable. That singer, Mac Powell, was just filled up and his voice was nothing like I had ever heard. I would become a fan for life.

So our seats were a stroke of good luck as who could have guessed that Mac liked his stage right which was our left as we looked at the band.

I had brought a camera and tried to take some photos and Mac loved playing to the camera. First concert and what an experience.

So I snag the set list after the show and as we return to our car to go back to Payson, I get this brilliant idea to drive to the back side of the church and tell the girls that hey lets see if we can meet these guys. Mark Lee, Brad Avery, David Carr, and Tai Anderson were sitting it this beat up old van that looked like it was on its last legs and Mac was standing outside talking to somebody. Well he gets done and I chat him up and ask him if I can get a picture of him with Caitlin and Jordyn. He agrees and here are my girls with our first Third Day photo.

Cinco de Mayo will always have a special meaning to me thanks to Third Day. What a ride it has been.