There was quite a bit of Southern hospitality Monday when the country band “Lady Antebellum” paid a visit to Vivian Gonzalez’s music class at South Miami K-8 Center.
“I’m still kinda freaked out, like honestly, that they came into the classroom and that they were so amazing,” Gonzalez said of the band’s surprise visit. “They just came up and hugged me and were like, ‘It’s so great to see you,’ and I’m like, ‘It’s great to see you too, Lady Antebellum.’”
The visit, which Gonzalez knew nothing about, was the idea of her husband. He signed his wife up to win a surprise visit from her favorite band as part of a nationwide contest.
“Like playing the lottery, like I saw it, and I thought, if she wins, great, and if not, I don’t have to tell her!” Alfred Figueroa said.
But the visit from the country-pop band was more than just a meet-and-greet with the teacher and students. They gave away an autographed guitar and several other instruments to donate to the class and said more are on the way.
“So they’ll have another stockpile of instruments coming their way, so we just wanted to say thank you,” said Dave Haywood of Lady Antebellum. “Music often the first thing to go in schools and Vivian has done an incredible job to keep it at the forefront. She does such a great job with her classroom.”
“There’s something so special about nurturing the arts, and how it works with your brain to help you comprehend and retain other subjects,” said Hillary Scott of Lady Antebellum.
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But the fun isn’t over for Gonzalez and her family. The band is flying them to New York on Tuesday to see them play live.
“It was crazy and I’m so glad they did it and it was so unexpected Gonzalez said. “I’m flying to New York tomorrow. I don’t really know the details. I don’t care what the details are.”
