After publishing this blog entry on Wednesday about the famous Miss Douglas, Stacy Hedger, I got an e-mail from a Richard Dean of Austin, Texas. Dean, it seems, had done his homework on Miss Douglas. He found an entry for her on classmates.com from Douglas High School in Douglas, Arizona.
So I called the only Hedger in the book in Douglas, Arizona. Turns out it’s her dad. He gave me Stacy’s cell phone number. When I called on Thursday, she hadn’t seen the video or heard that it was making the rounds on the Web. Since then, she googled herself and learned that the video has appeared everywhere from VH1 to Jimmy Kimmel Live.
After her research, we talked by phone. Turns out the video doesn’t have a Kansas City connection. Still, because there are probably a few people out there who are curious about the real Stacy Hedger, I recorded this interview above. I agreed to leave off her married name from this article, mainly because she’s this sweet mother of two from this small border town down in Arizona who doesn’t need any more harassment. Beyond the harassment she’s already gotten from her relatives. – Eric Barton
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I got thinking that perhaps Stacy pulled one over on everyone: playing it awfully on purpose. Does anybody know how difficult *that* is?
You're all so quick to assume it was a mistake. I say she knew exactly what she was doing, like a clown.
Even if I'm off the mark, it's just bad form to criticize someone when you didn't have to be in her shoes.
I know that she admits to making a mistake, but is it possible that someone dubbed over her performance? Just wondering.
She was playing the right melody, it was just a half step or so off the track she was playing off of. Which made for some horrible sounds. Or she was just WAYYYY out of tune, but anyway, it was just one solo, as a trumpet player, I would hate to be made fun of for totally messing up one solo, and I've had my mishaps believe me.
There are some really good trumpet players who did not even take band class in high school.
I personally know some who played the trumpet as an extra-curriculum activity, which takes up less time in one's life than anything (maybe 2-3 years on a one or two afternoons per week), and they sound really good. Although i don't know how band class works (haven't been in one before), i suppose that there are good players somewhere. if there aren't any, i suppose would that the players simply didn't practice, or practised the wrong way. wanna play well? then practice. practice till your cheeks, diaphragm, stomach muscles, throat, tongue and lips feel soft.
To continue playing when you know something is wrong shows how bad you are, but at least it's better than stopping. ESPECIALLY during a performance. Can you expect a soloist to stop when there's mistakes? Hanging on would be better than leaving an audience hanging, not fulfilling what you promised to play. Leave an audience hanging will you.
I agree that Stacy Hedger hasn't exactly played well, but at least she delivered her performance in full. I wouldn't say i wasn't embarrassed by the playing and dancing, but i really liked how she was sporting and confident. it's good to be sporting and confident even though it isn't to be a poor player. Go Stacy!
To anyone who has belittled Ms. Hedger, you clearly do not have enough performing experience to recognize how easily these kinds of mistakes can happen, or how brave she was to continue even after she heard what a trainwreck it was.
Saying "she should have practiced with the recording beforehand" is not enough to dismiss this as a case of laziness - ANYTHING could have gone wrong to produce what we heard. Perhaps there was a staff of audio technitians there whose instruments slowed her recording? That would be something she could not have foreseen or prepared for, no matter how many times she practiced with her own recording, because she didn't know the technitians or the state of their equipment in advance.
To summarize, you should all have sympathy and respect for Ms. Hedger, and anyone who does not is an idiot with too little experience to have an opinion worth counting.
from gearslutz.com
Everyone here who is making fun of her "tuning" flunks Engineering 101 because it is pretty obvious that it is a 44.1K vs. 48K playback sample rate error.
Let's go back to live audio in '93 (the year that she says it took place in here radio interview.)
The chance that a DAT tape was involved is pretty likely.
That is one place that I have seen quite a few ding dong engineers f*ck up.
The rider calls for a DAT deck.... "oh, we have one".... a consumer deck that will only play one sample rate. The wrong sample rate.
It sounds like a 44.1K recording playing at 48K which would make it sharp and since she is tuned normal she sounds horribly flat.
She had no choice because either someone in her camp screwed up and made a copy and screwed up the sample rate or the engineer screwed up.
Hey Volcher - is this you posting on some *cough* interesting website?
Keep up the GOOD work awsome site
Charles Volcher
Favorite babe: Leeza Gibbons, Deborah Harry
Rialto, CA USA - Saturday, August 15, 1998 at 07:47:32 (EDT)
The problem isn't only the key, it's her. You can tell when you look at the fingerings then listen to what note comes out. I play baritone and I know some of those fingerings sound different when I play them. She was a bad trumpet player playing wrong notes out of tune in the wrong key. Stop making exuses. Not to be mean, it's just the truth.
The problem isn't only the key, it's her. You can tell when you look at the fingerings then listen to what note comes out. I play baritone and I know some of those fingerings sound different when I play them. She was a bad trumpet player playing wrong notes out of tune in the wrong key. Stop making exuses. Not to be mean, it's just the truth.
The problem isn't only the key, it's her. You can tell when you look at the fingerings then listen to what note comes out. I play baritone and I know some of those fingerings sound different when I play them. She was a bad trumpet player playing wrong notes out of tune in the wrong key. Stop making exuses. Not to be mean, it's just the truth.
The problem isn't only the key, it's her. You can tell when you look at the fingerings then listen to what note comes out. I play baritone and I know some of those fingerings sound different when I play them. She was a bad trumpet player playing wrong notes out of tune in the wrong key. Stop making exuses. Not to be mean, it's just the truth.
I also gotta question the professional musicianship of anyone who's claiming she's in tune with herself and dealing with a transposition error. First off, the accompaniment is in C, which in addition to being a logical choice is also the original key of the theme song. We're already pushing it to think that this pops version was done in B or D flat just for kicks and a bad tape speed is just happening to bring it back to the original. (I'm assuming this performance is NOT with a live band.) Second off, she's SHARP. Forget about being consistently a whole step off; she's NOT in B flat. On the G that makes the second note of the theme: she's honking toward A flat. Yet the high C is closer to being in tune. She's NOT IN TUNE WITH HERSELF. (And yes, B flat is not a step and a half from C. Egad.) Why are people out there trying to bull***t a bunch of strangers out in the cyberworld?
OK, everyone on here is retarded. Obviously she was given the music in C and the accompaniment was playing in B flat. She played fine, she just wasn't in the same key as the band. Unfortunate, but certainly nothing for her to be ashamed of.
Totally agree with Stuart on this one. Glad it's not accurate, Volcher, you're an ass for trying to do what you did.
Hey TRACKFLOP are you kidding me dude? You've been playing for 9 yrs. huh? I wouldn't want you playing for us either if you think transposing from C to Bb is 1 1/2 steps down because your version would sound worse than hers.lol
to the previous commenter: her name isn't Stacy Hedger, since she's married. But more to the point, why would you want to be a douchebag and intentionally post her address and phone number?
Hey I found a Ms. Stacey Hedger living at 2293 Silverbell Oasis Way
Tucson,Arizona 85716
(520)322-5116
Is this her?????
I thought she might have learned from the flute version. It sounds to me like she's a step off and that's what the flute part would do. But then a flute part is usually too high for trumpet, so maybe the wrong background track makes more sense.
The trumpet players at http://www.trumpetmaster.com/v... thank you for getting to the bottom of this one!
This is where we first learned of the star wars trumpet player
http://www.trumpetmaster.com/v...
That was the disco version of Star Wars by a group called "Mecco" It came out around 77 or 78. Like others have mentioned it sounds like they played the wrong backing track which was played in a different key, which would not make it her fault. A good trumpet play would transpose in their head as soon as they realized it, but few people can play change keys on the fly like that because the fingering would be different. As far as her actual trumpet playing, she was hitting the correct notes, it's just the background thats the wrong key.
Yeah, it was pretty painful, especially for those who are musicians. It's too easy to say she sucked.
But after looking into this, I'm seeing the young Stacy Hedger in a whole new light.
Remember, her intent was NOT to become a professional trumpet player (the next Maurice Andre, or Wynton Marsalis). She simply wanted to win a scholarship to continue with her college education (presumably she was NOT a music major, right?). I'm imagining she picked up the trumpet primarily because she KNEW she'd have to compete in the talent competition, and knew she wasn't what most people would consider 'talented'. Had to do SOMETHING, so no doubt borrowed her kid brother's horn.
That's a pretty admirable trait for a young person, IMO, attempting something that you know you're not good at, IN SPITE of knowing it! She probably saw the talent portion of the competition as an event to hurdle (and survive), and gave it her best effort anyway, doing it with a smile.
Think about it: just how 'hungry' were you to finish college? Were you willing to compete for scholarships and beauty pageants? Were you willing to take on extra jobs, or to miss meals because you didn't have the money, etc?
Most people don't know what it means to go hungry, let alone to go hungry for the sake of a dream of a better life. College is much easier for those who have tuition handed to them on a silver platter, with the parents giving allowances for rent, living expenses, paying for shelter, booze, trips on Spring Breaks, etc.
Would YOU be willing to stand in front of an audience to deliver what you know is a rather mediocre performance, in the hopes of winning a scholarship? I don't think many appreciate what "pulling your own way" truly means, and I'd imagine that's what Stacy is doing here.
So while on the surface it seems like a rather non-talented performance, sometimes you need to look at motivations. Remember, this WAS a scholarship pageant, and NOT a try-out for American Idol (where presumably the intent is to find talented MUSICAL performers).
while there are clearly large pitch problems (which may or may not be result of playing in different "keys") or while the tape may possibly be running at a different speed, or while she maybe playing the wrong trumpet as some have suggested (all quite possible), fact is,--- the playing is bad, regardless. I think technically, she stinks and she is likely almost deaf, not only due to her pitch, but also the vomitous squeaky tone. I question the "pro's" here who think that it is simply a key difference that makes her playing sound so horrible! I wouldnt want some of you playing my wedding! lol !
Listen to it carefully,even adjusting for ostensible key problem...she is a terrible trumpet player! Unless you consider a "good" trumpet player someone who took band class in high school. ouch
This clip saves my sanity every day..When I feel kind of lousy during an afternoon, I don't overeat,or drink, or gamblew or do anything else...I watch Sacey being funnier than Lucille Ball ever hoped to be...She is a really fine person, and a terrific soul saver...JP
If the recording is on a cassette tape, the player at the competition may have had a different speed than her player at home. It may have sounded fine at home, but a faster playback speed would raise the key, making it sound off-key. I've seen this kind of mistake happen in costume contests.
As for the penguin dance: it looked to me like she was trying to do a Charlie Chaplin thing, and certainly that part of the music always reminded me of Chaplin's little tramp character.
Oh, what the heck, it's the start of the Christmas season, so let's be kind. Yes, Stacy is a good sport even though I laughed at her performance and Bush is an idiot and couldn't do half as good as she. (How'd I do, Mark?)
Let's see: Star Wars deals with the Dark Side, blind allegiance, empire, power, mass destruction...I see the connection. Come to think of it, the Death Star does look an awful lot like Air Force One, and Stacy is kind of like...Luke?
Good for Stacy. She has more class in her little toe than, say, people who use ANY forum as a gratuitous opportunity to slam Bush.
I mean, really, Paul, what the hell does Bush have to do with this comment thread?? Don't be such a shande far di goyim...
I also am a trumpet player, but to to play it in the wrong key??, not being mean or anything but wouldnt she have practiced with the recording before going on stage????, then she would have known...but at least she had the guts, it is very scarey infront of a large crowed
Shawn is right about the key mistakes. One time in College band, a few of us got the opportunity to write our own arrangements for football pep band. I did an arrangement of the theme to Peter Gunn and another guy did the theme to 2001. We had a chance to try it out once in the band room before doing it in public. Mime sounded ok, but the guy who did 2001 got one of the transpositions wrong and it sounded bad. He said he'd fix it before the game. When the game came around, he tried it again with the new transpositions and it sounded even worse because he had transposed something else wrong. He looked all embarrassed and just said to the band "Something is very very wrong". I'll never forget that.
Teenagers can be so cute, even when they flub up. And hilarious. Trust me, my wife and I raised three of them. They're sort of like if Larry David from Curb Your Enthusiasm was a teenager and a lot younger, but the reaction is the same, "No, don't do that, don't say that, stop her before...oh no, she it did anyway."
At least adult Stacy has the grace to admit a flub from years ago, unlike a certain occupant of Pennsylvania Avenue. And she lives in one of the most beautiful states in the country, is married with children and has family that love her. We should be so lucky.
On the other hand, this could become the inspiration for a very good short story. Sort of another Brokeback Mountain, but not about gay cowboys.
Hello. I am also a pro musician. I was also a trumpet player for 11 years. Those kind of "key" mistakes happen more than you think in the classical music world. Sometimes, quite embarrassingly when you don't check which score your Organist has and gives you (as happened to me one day when playing at a concert where I was using an orchestral "C" trumpet and the music had been transposed for a B-flat trumpet. The music was not mine and not marked as transposed. We were playing cold, no rehearsal as I was a replacement hire). And yes, after 3 horrid-sounding notes I mentally transposed. I have never had this problem playing Jazz, obviously (transposing myself on a B-flat).
I think the backing track for Stacy's performance is John Williams and the Boston Pops Orchestra from the album "Pops in Space." Great orchestra with which I have shared the stage at symphony hall, Boston many times.
For unrelated reasons,I no longer play trumpet.
As bad as the trumpet playing was, the worst part of the performance was the dippy dancing!
Chris, I suspect that was supposed to be some kind of Ewok impersonation.
I kind of liked the "trumpet as ray gun" portion of the performance. I didn't watch the whole thing, but I'm really hoping it was also a lightsaber late in the performance.
Let's face it - there's something truly special about a situation where someone has absolutely no intention of being funny, yet they manage to be so much funnier by accident than they ever could have been had they actually tried to be humorous.
God bless Stacey Hedger!
However, I am still trying to figure out which character(s) in Star Wars ever did the penguin dance ...
It takes a lot of balls to able to go on stage and do something like that in the first place. And to look back 15 years later and have a chuckle about it is pretty cool too. You should be proud Stacy
thank you trackflop... I too am a trumpet player. Honestly her performance wasn't HORRIBLE. It was just totally in the wrong key. The tape was probably at the wrong speed. Her tone isn't amazing, but she really plays all of the notes. (just all in the wrong key) I think she actually only cracks one note right when she starts, she starts a bit too high. Having spend more time playing trumpet than anything else in my life, I respect how she help it down even though things weren't right. Playing trumpet is NOT easy
ok so i have played trumpet for 9 years and been a musician for 20. for all you prfessional players out there, the only thing that was wrong besides her mediocre playing was that the track and the trumpet were not in the same key. Most non-professional trumpets are in the key of B flat not the Key of C which might have been the problem, for example if the music on the page is in the key of C on a B flat trumpet it comes out in the Key of B flat or rather 1 1/2 steps down from the note on the page. so if she gave the orchestra a copy of her music in C and they played it in C and then she played along in B flat thats where you get the bad sound. hope all that makes sense, some one should have told her oh well she is a good sport though.
I like it how you say you wont reveal her personal info, yet you illustrate the exact steps you took to get it in the first place. It wouldn't be hard for someone to follow those same steps, right? lol.
I'm a professional player, too. While I can agree about it being a mediocre performance in terms of trumpet playing (because it was) I think she did something that a lot of us musicians would -never- do: keep playing on even when you know something is horribly wrong. I'm not sure if it's something that she noticed right away, or something that she didn't notice until after she played her first note - or heck, maybe something she didn't notice at all. It takes a hell of a lot of courage to keep playing even when you know something's not right. Regardless, I'm pretty sure that she was panicking in her mind when she noticed it and if it was something she could do over, I'm sure she would.
If her husband ever leaves her because of that video, I will be the first in line to ask her out and knock her up.
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