“Thicker than Water”-The Tankards is a reality show on Bravo TV(You can watch Seasons 1, 2, & 3 on itunes and Amazon) that follows the lives of my brother, Ben Tankard and his family in Tennessee. In Season 2, Ben’s wife, Jewel Tankard, invites family, friends and recording artists in the music industry to honor Ben for 25 years of music ministry. Jewel invites me from Florida to surprise Ben and share in his celebration. At this time, my daughter Kirsten, is in Tennessee attending Middle Tennessee State University and visits her Uncle often. I’m elated to see my daughter and to enjoy my family at this Music award event. While filming with Bravo TV, I learned a lot about television production, lighting, make-up, wardrobe and much more. But most of all I got a chance to visit, spend time and work with my family in Tennessee. This was a working vacation that was totally enjoyable. Below are a few of the scenes from the Tankard Palace and the historic Jazz coliseum in downtown Nashville, Tennessee where the Music Award Celebration was hosted. You can find Seasons 1, 2 and 3 on Amazon and other streamlining media . I am also including a few backstage production notes.
Enjoy!
Patrice Tankard
Lights, camera, action!
It was great to see my brother again and my daughter again. My daughter, Kirsten is also living in Tennessee attending Middle Tennessee State University. Initially, this scene was not planned. I was flown to Tennessee to present Ben with an award from the American Museum Society. However, the next morning, one of the producers knocked on my room door at the palace and asked that I do another scene. I was so honored. The scene at the celebration was cut along with many other celebration scenes but this scene made it to production.
Being in front of the camera is no problem for the Tankards. We know how to enjoy each other on and off of television production. There were five cameras surrounding us and we were reminded to ignore them.
I’m almost as tall as Ben. He’s 6′ 6″ I’m about 6′ 3″.
Kirsten is talented as a musician, songwriter, model and theater actress. Instead of being a “soccer mom”, I was a ‘theater mom” and I spent a lot of time attending her productions for school.
This was an amazing experience and opportunity. It’s not everyday that one can be exposed millions of viewers.
Ben brought up childhood memories that honored mom and dad.
However, he welled up with tears with regret that mom and dad are not alive to see him be honored at his 25th Music celebration. I have to admit, when he starting crying on the set, I didn’t know what I should do. I took the initiative to get up and go to him to comfort him.
This is the first time that I’ve ever seen my brother cry as a grown man.
I tried to cheer him up and remind him that we have a celebration. Mom and dad would certainly be proud. They are with us in our hearts.
Taking a break and a selfie between filming sessions on the set to catalog this fantastic moment and memory in time.
Kirsten and I are arriving at the Music Award event at the historic Jazz coliseum in downtown Nashville, Tennessee . I will never forget that as we entered, the lady standing at the door with the clipboard said, “You can’t come in through this entrance. This is for the guests of honor and the Tankard family only. I looked at her and calmly said, ‘I can’t imagine being more of a guest of honor than being Patrice Tankard, the guest of honor’s sister!” She was so embarrassed and sheepishly said, “Oh, please come in, I didn’t recognize you.” In my head I said, “How can you recognize someone you have never met or seen?”
I was so happy to meet recording artists Earnest Pugh and Shirley Murdock. After the award celebration, we all headed back to the Tankard’s Palace for the after party. Jewel, me, Shirley Murdock and many other producers and artists all had fun doing the electric slide, dancing, eating and hanging out. It was so late and we should have been tired but we weren’t. Bravo TV later told us that if they had known there would be an after party they would have filmed it. We had loads of fun!
This is a view from the balcony during the Music Award celebration. Before the celebration started we attended a mixer in this same building. This was where we mingled, sipped on drinks, nibbled on hors D’oeuvres and connected with producers and artists. The night was elegant and magical!
These chandeliers illuminated the star-studded event and set the atmosphere with a sense of royalty and romance.
The “palace-feel” of this environment was spectacular. The Tankards’ head table to the left seated our family in a magnificent ambiance.
Another view of the Tankards’ head table at the Music Award Celebration.
The program for the evening
The Tankard family’s head table at the Music Award Celebration
Our salads were served in martini glasses. We were served dinner in royal style as we all had great conversations. Only a few of us were “miked” for this scene. It made it so much easy to converse knowing that all of our conversations were not recorded. 😉
Ben and I
Ben is in the green room.
Shirley Murdock and Earnest Pugh made excellent hosts. They both also sang individually at the celebration and did an amazing job in their performances.
Recording artist Wess Morgan was totally amazing.
The night was incredible!
Me and some of the Tankard family at the head table. There are a lot of us!
Spending time with family is priceless!
I connected with amazing people tonight. The most touching moment for me was when someone pulled me aside to tell me something important. A very distinguished, tall, older gentlemen with white hair and blue eyes pulled me aside and said, “I log on to your website everyday and I am truly inspired. I never thought I would ever meet you in real life and here you are! Thank you for being such an inspiration to the world!” He embraced me with such love and appreciation. He had tears in his eyes and I couldn’t help but be so grateful that others appreciate our work here at Notes of Inspiration. We have been providing global inspiration since 2009 and it is very rare to meet our readers. There’s nothing like being appreciated for what you have been blessed to share with the world. Thank you again, Sir!
In this scene I am walking through the palace so that Bravo TV can get scenes in the production prior to our major scenes. It was about 11:00 P.M. at night when I did this scene. All I had to do was walk through the palace, go to the kitchen and clear away dishes. Kirsten also did the same thing in this scene. We were both in the kitchen together but dialogue was not needed. While we were doing this scene at the palace, the other Tankard family members were on two tour buses with other Bravo TV cameramen headed to Texas. Ben, Kirsten and I were the only ones in the palace. It was extremely quiet in the palace and that’s rare.
The Tankard family knows how to celebrate and have fun. In this scene, Kirsten and her cousin, Britany, are dancing at the celebration and “shaking what their mommas gave them!”
This is the stairway that led to the mixer that we attended earlier in the evening. Totally fabulous!
I love my nieces and nephews.
I will never forget this amazing experience. The producers were professional and gave us tips to help us during production. I enjoyed the production part of it even more because it was exciting to watch these amazing professionals. Participation in these productions can work one for up to 16 hours a day. It was the most intense work that I’ve ever done, but it was very rewarding. I understand why so many people want to get into television production. It is all about relationships on and off of the set. I didn’t have a lot to say in the scene that I was in, But I said just enough. However, in another production at another time, people will have the opportunity to see my real personality and I’m sure they will not be disappointed. One of the producers said that he would like to work with me in the future on more production projects. I am definitely ready. The world is my oyster. The world is your oyster too! Get out there and live great and happy! Thanks for reading!
Patrice Tankard
