Opry musician many nights. Mama and Elsie were jazz singer and pianist three evenings a week at Jethro's The Shack. On this evening, Jethro's staff was holding the reins for the two hour celebration of Daddy's birthday. By 7:00 p.m., the family would be back on duty at The Shack. Sonata would be with Daddy on the Opry stage in the band. this was the annual way Daddy's birthday was celebrated.
Joshua worked as the executive chef at The Shack. Late in the evening, he sometimes joined Mama and Elsie with his guitar. Jethro played the cash register as the owner of The Shack. While Jethro majored in business at Tennessee State University, his business plan was to establish a five star restaurant. His marketing plan was combining smoked meats and grilled vegetables with jazz music. Even though the land of jazz was in Memphis and country music was the Nashville sound, Jethro decided to combine the two since the cuisines were similar. The Shack was catchy and memorable. Once inside the place, the facade in the former warehouse district was a transformation made by the meat and the music.
The Shack was a family enterprise in which Jethro was the CEO owning fifty-one per cent and the other family members combined owned forty-nine per cent of the company. In addition, Joshua was a full time employee; Mama and Elsie were part-time employees; Daddy and Sonata were fill-in employees as well as the spouses of Jethro and Joshua.
Sonata enjoyed Friday nights at The Shack. It was time to try out new compositions or arrangements of familiar music. She was the solo act of singer and pianist. Sometimes a celebrity colleague in the music world would join her for a song or set. The Friday customers were frequently surprised by a special duet performance which allowed positive audience responses and special promotional attention for the guest artist. As the word spread through the community and among the tourist trade, Fridays at The Shack had a line waiting for tables.
The Friday after Daddy's birthday party, Sonata was at the piano with a jazz performance that was pleasing the customers, including responses for requests. Around 8:30 p.m., Chuck Green walked through the door with his guitar. He said to Jethro, "I understand this is amateur night."
"Are you any good?" teased Jethro.
"I've passed a few auditions," laughed Chuck.
"Good to see you Man," replied Jethro with a hand shake. "Go on up and introduce yourself."
Sonata was surprised to see Chuck but graciously introduced him as if he was expected. Chuck started the set by singing his best known song which received a round of applause after the first bar was heard. At the completion, he played a bridge to the second selection of another well known Chuck Greene favorite. Sonata easily accompanied him on her keyboard.
As he ended the second selection, Chuck said, "I would like to introduce the latest song I've written that was recorded last night. It should be released next month. May I present my collaborator for this single, Sonata Franklin." Chuck began playing and singing knowing that Sonata would follow. He had slipped the score on her music rack as he was introducing his song. The duet of love, misunderstanding, betrayal, regret, remorse, and forgiveness left the audience in a moment of silence as it ended followed by thunderous applause.
While Chuck responded to the audience with appreciation as a star entertainer would do, Sonata left the keyboard and disappeared from the stage. Chuck turned to recognize her but found the stage empty.
Ten minutes later, Chuck found Sonata in her van. He tapped on her window three times before she responded and rolled down the window. "Why did you leave? That isn't your style to be unprofessional," said Chuck.
"Don't expect me to ever sing that song with you again!" was Sonata's reply. She rolled up the window and did not respond to Chuck's window taps She closed her eyes. Chuck stood and looked at her for a few minutes before he turned and walked away.
Chapter 2: Leger Lines
Sonata was waiting on the curb when her parents picked her up to drive to the East Avenue Baptist Church for the funeral service of Miss Salona Mitchell. Even though Sonata and Curtis Mitchell had been divorced for six years, Salona Mitchell was family with the Franklin clan for three generations. She was Sonata's godmother and Naomi's singing coach. She was the best friend forever of Sonata's grandmother Elsie Mae. Miss Salona was a legend in the Nashville jazz world and among Gospel singers.
The Franklin family members all met in the parking lot prior to the arrival of the Mitchell family. By tradition, the Franklin family would have been seated with the Mitchell family but Daddy guided his family to a pew on the opposite side of the aisle from where the Mitchell family had reserved seating. There was no plan for the Franklin family to be present at the church dinner for the family after the internment.
Sonata held onto her father's arm the entire time of the service. There were times that Sonata found comfort because she could feel the warmth, strength, and protection in Daddy's arm. She needed this. Her surprise encounter with Curtis on Thursday was an experience in which she knew that he was not out of her system. The duet composed by Chuck Greene was the story of her marriage except forgiveness did not result in reconciliation. The situation did not allow for reconciliation.
For the hour and a half, Sonata's mind was split between the celebration of Salona Mitchell's life and her transition to be with the Lord, while her own memories of a relationship gone wrong with transition to be in a career that had lost its joy and excitement. As the service ended, she stood with the congregation for giving honor to Miss Salona as the casket was being wheeled up the center aisle.
Curtis was one of the pall bearers who assumed a military posture while following the casket with five other men. His only non attention to duty was the brief eye contact he had with Sonata as he walked near the pew occupied by the Franklin family.
Sonata lowered her gaze as the procession passed. When she divorced Curtis, it was necessary to divorce many members of the Mitchell family. Only his cousin Tina Mitchell Thomas sent her a message declaring that Sonata could have custody of her support versus her cousin Curtis. When Sonata recognized Tina and her husband Greg Thomas, she was able to look up and receive a smile from Tina.
Sonata also visited Miss Salona as often as possible after Curtis left Nashville to take a TV marketing position in Atlanta. Both Miss Salona and Tina would mention information about Curtis as news came back to the family but for the most part, the two women respected Sonata's need to heal and spoke in the present while planning future ventures.
The congregation slowly moved from the church. Daddy guided his family away from the Mitchell family and to their cars parked in the lot on the opposite area from where the funeral home vehicles were parked. Sonata took the arms of both parents as they guided her to their automobile. It was not possible to drive away until the funeral procession was read to drive to the cemetery. The police escort cars had arrived.
Sonata was alone in the back seat. Her parents were mute in the front seat. Her brothers, sisters-in-law, sister, and brother-in-law were in the adjacent cars also waiting to return to The Shack.
The Franklin family had lunch at The Shack. Jethro's wife Gloria dropped Sonata at her house mid afternoon. Saturday was the only day that Sonata usually spent at home. She never scheduled studio work or back-ground performance work. Sunday, she was the church musician. Monday through Thursday she made periodic scheduled appearances at venues like the Opry, the small jazz clubs, or the piano bars.
As Sonata opened her front door, she heard the telephone ringing. She had two shopping bags in her hand so she did not hurry to answer. Depending on who was on the caller I.D. , she might return the call. She took the bags into the kitchen and placed their contents into the required places.
While kicking off her shoes and sitting down, the phone rang
