Lydia, 14, Natalie, 16, Valerie, 12, and Jessica, 18 are continuing their musical education in Nashville, Tenn., with the help of the Wolaver family. Along with singing, each girl plays musical instruments. Jessica plays the piano, mandolin and guitar. Natalie plays the violin and mandolin. Lydia plays the viola and plans to learn how to play the mandola. Valerie plays the chelo and plans to learn to play the tenor guitar.
Natalie, 16, Lydia, 14, Valerie, 12, and Jessica, 18, make up the Hall Sisters quartet. They moved from Garner to Nashville, Tenn., in May to continue their musical education with help of the Annie Moses Band. Along with singing, each girl plays musical instruments. Jessica plays the piano, mandolin and guitar. Natalie plays the violin and mandolin. Lydia plays the viola and plans to learn how to play the mandola. Valerie plays the chelo and plans to learn to play the tenor guitar.
The Hall family was in the car when it happened. “Going to the Chapel” came on the radio and Kathryn asked her four daughters to sing.
Jessica, Natalie, Lydia and Valerie each jumped in and found a part, singing in beautiful harmony.
Now, several years later, the quartet is making sweet music with the help of the Annie Moses Band in Nashville, Tenn.
The girls began singing at the fine arts camp put on by the Annie Moses Band in 2005 and had great voice training locally. They spent hours singing to the couch in the family’s living room before branching out.
The four sisters began performing their bluegrass, country tunes along with war-era music like the songs of the Andrews Sisters in public with the Light Up Main event in Garner last December. The Hall sisters even had the opportunity to perform on stage at Carnegie Hall with the Annie Moses Band in March.
“You have to put yourself out there and not worry about it,” Natalie said.
However, they hit a plateau musically and needed a way to grow their voices and instruments together.
“We couldn’t continue,” Jessica said. “We were kind of at a dead end.”
The Wolaver family, who makes up the Annie Moses Band, gave the Halls a list of things to work on, but it was daunting and there wasn’t an opportunity to develop all of their musical skills close to home.
“It was just so many pieces to put together,” Dr. David Hall said.
So, Kathryn and her four daughters packed up and moved to Nashville on May 17, leaving David at home to run his dentistry practice. It has been a walk of faith for the tight-knit family to separate, but David said it’s an amazing opportunity for his daughters.
“We just prayed and prayed and prayed,” Kathryn said.
The girls have been homeschooled for the last seven years, so they didn’t have to change their educational routine. They also were able to find an apartment complex near where they now train that had just had an opening.
“Everything clicked into place,” Jessica said.
And the family has settled into Nashville life pretty well. It doesn’t feel too different from Garner.
“It’s just like an oversized Garner where we are,” Kathryn said.
And the Wolaver family already has worked the girls hard in the three months since their relocation; they don’t accept mediocrity from their pupils.
“(The Wolaver family has) a passion for getting excellence back in the arts,” Kathryn said.
Lydia said the experience has pushed her past what she thought her limits were and showed her that she’s capable of so much more.
One of the best experiences so far has been the opportunity to work in a recording studio, Natalie said.
But it has been a change of pace. Where they would practice about an hour and a half at home, the sisters now practice about four hours each day and have voice and instrument lessons.
“It’s just like an athlete,” Jessica said.
The Hall sisters have committed to a year in Nashville, but it may become two years. Their goal is to be prepared for all types of opportunities, whether they are singing engagements, instrumental events or a combination of both.
While the girls can see one day having their own CD and continuing to sing at community events, they hope more than anything to use this learning experience to glorify God.
“They’re not doing this to get rich,” David said. “They’re not doing this to get known.”
Taking part in the fine arts camp was about self-reflection, but Jessica said there is a calmness that she and her sisters experience when they are singing for God.
“That carries us,” Kathryn said of the opportunity to glorify God.
The Halls remember that through the struggle of separation. Their family thought they were crazy to split up, but a member of the Wolaver family told David that gifts not used are like spoiled fruit.
“God’s given them a gift and it needs to be shown,” David said. “So, we’re developing it.”
Back at home, David doesn’t get to see all of the hard work his daughters put in every day. He sees amazing jumps when the family reunites each two to three weeks.
And in between, neighbors are incredibly supportive of David, bringing him meals and checking in on him.
“Garner is truly such a blessing,” David said. “What a blessing to live in a town like this.”
The sacrifices of David and Kathryn haven’t gone unnoticed by their daughters.
“They’re amazing parents to do what they’ve done,” Natalie said.
Contact Kelly Griffith at kgriffith@heartlandpublications.com or 919-552-5675.
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