Tanya Donelly

I went to a reform/emotional growth school in Running Springs, CA called CEDU from April 1994 through June 1996. A few months later I went to Irving Plaza in NYC to see Julianna Hatfield and Tanya Donelly (Belly had broken up recently) with my friend Ross. It was Tanya’s first big show for her new solo record after Belly broke up. I was in front crying like it was my own Beatlemania. During the show, I met a man named Gary. After the show, a guy who just came from backstage gave me his backstage pass. He said “Go meet her.” Gary was standing near Tanya. I ran to her and she was there with open arms for me. She held me like a baby as I cried in her arms. She told me she saw me crying and was so happy I got backstage to meet her. I told her she was my hero. Since this was her first show since Belly broke up, the room was filled with music industry people. A lot of guys in suits. Here I came, a 17 year old girl, bursting with tears, running past them to meet my hero. I told told her I was a songwriter. She asked me if I had any of my music with me. I had a cassette of my songs that I had to give to Gary to write down my name and number on it because I was shaking too much to do it myself. I had a camera with me and Gary took a few pictures of us together. She signed my backstage pass and wrote “You are the sweetest of the humans.” I also exchanged info with Gary. She hugged and kissed me goodbye. I ran downstairs and out of the club to find Ross. We got to Grand Central Station too late and had to wait for the last train to Connecticut for an hour or so. I cried and cried and cried all the way home. About a week later my phone rang. I picked up the phone and it was Tanya Donelly. I had a friend named Tanya from high school and I thought it was her. She said it was wonderful to meet me. In shock I said “Wait…is this Tanya Donelly from Belly?” When she said “yes”, I held my hand over the phone and screamed so loud that she must have heard me. She told me that she listened to my music and she loved my songs and my voice. She told me she was going to play a show in NYC again soon and told me I would be on the guest list and wanted me to come. I thanked her over and over and told her I would come to the show. A few weeks later I came home from school to find a message on my answering machine from her telling me that the venue had changed for the show and that she hoped I could still make it. I got to the show about an hour before it started. I gave my I.D. at the ticket booth. The ticket guy sighed in relief. He told me that Tanya was so worried that I might not have gotten her message. He ran backstage to tell her I was there. The show was amazing. After the show I went backstage. Gary was there as well. We talked for about 20 minutes. She offered me a beer and wanted me to hang out for a while with her. I was completely freaked out that my hero wanted me as a friend. I was blessed. A year or so later, I got a Belly tattoo on my ankle. I went to go see her play a little show in Boston with my friend Jon. I had just made my first record called START. She walked to the stage and saw me in the front. She was so happy to see me! I showed her my tattoo and she jumped up and down. After the show, I gave her my CD and said goodbye. A few years after that, I was living in Philly and went to see her at the TLA. After a few songs, she saw me in the crowd and ran to the front of the stage to give me a kiss. She told me that she had lost my CD and was so sad about it. Luckily I had one with me. Her husband, Dean was playing bass for her. I joked with her and gave the CD to her husband so she wouldn’t loose it again. Everyone in the room stared at me and couldn’t believe she stopped the show to say hello to me. I said goodbye to her after the show and walked down South St. in tears of joy. My hero loves me. I am so lucky!