Doug Davies Blog

Two weeks ago my wife and I visited Dollywood to see Colt Clark and the Quarantine Kids. I became aware of this family band during the Covid quarantine. Colt and his 3 kids, Cash, Beckett, and Bellamy began recording songs during the pandemic and suddenly became an internet sensation. Initially Bellamy just danced to the music (doing the floss dance, etc.), but soon she began playing the bass and the keyboard. Cash is the guitarist extraordinaire. Beckett is the accomplished drummer. And Colt… well… he is an amazing musician. He can sing any style. And his guitar playing holds everything together. They may have started out rough but they have since become quite proficient on their instruments. And behind the scenes is the kids mother Aubree. She does all the recording, editing, and social media interactions. She does an excellent job.

We’ve always wanted to visit Dollywood and this gave us the excuse to go down there and see the Smoky Mountains and Gatlinburg as well. We stayed at the beautiful Dollywood DreamMore resort. One of the nicest places we’ve ever stayed.

We arrived late on Sunday and so we missed the Clark Family’s first night (2 sets). But the next day we got up and over to Dollywood by 10am. We rode some coasters and just explored the place. It’s way larger than we anticipated. And beautifully decorated and lots of places to just sit down and relax and people watch.

That evening the Clark Family played 2 sets. My wife and I sat 3 rows back behind the Clark Family relatives. We got to talk to a few of them. Really nice people. We also talked to Aubree. She immediately knew who we were (from Facebook interactions) and was so friendly.

The band then performed. Wow! What a show. Seeing them in person was surreal after watching them for 4 years on YouTube. I was impressed with the speed at which they moved onto the next song. Cash blew me away. He’s gotten so good. And Beckett’s drumming was spot on. Both Cash and Beckett have these glances they give each other while playing. There must be some inside joke going on there, but they get the biggest grins on their faces. Bellamy surprised me with the way she grooved on the bass guitar. And she had the nicest red boots too! Colt was full of so much energy and is light-hearted and fun. And wow… what fantastic vocals!

After the concert we got to meet the family. The two boys were so nice. They shook my hand and weren’t dismissive like a lot of teenage boys might be. They were so mature. And Cash is so tall! Bellamy was flitting about, so I never got to speak with her.

I then spoke with Colt one-on-one for a few minutes. He immediately knew who I was and that we had come down from Ohio. I hope that’s a good thing and not a “I’m a stalker” thing. LOL. I told him how much his family meant to me during the last 4 years. I looked forward to their videos every week and would sit on the couch with the biggest smile. They got me through the death of my mother, the death of my 16 year old dog, and my cancer recovery. They’ve brought me so much joy. Colt could see me tearing up when I told him this, and he opened his arms and gave me the biggest hug. Now that’s a man.

I then talked with Aubree and told her I prayed their house would be ok in Tampa. Yes, they were entertaining us at Dollywood while their house was getting hit by Hurricane Milton. I have to say something about Aubree. I imagine she has mixed feelings about her kids being public on the internet and people taking pictures of them at a concert. She handles it all really well. There were a few people that felt entitled and she handled those situations really well. I tried to be respectful of their time and personal space. I thank her for making us feel so welcome and so important.

We went back the 2nd night and caught the first set again. This time I didn’t pull out the camera and I just experienced the entire thing. Again, just so impressed with the professionalism they showed. But most of all, the joy they exhibit. What a wonderful family. I’m so grateful that I discovered them during the pandemic. I hope we have the opportunity to see them again in the future. Aubree and Colt… THANK YOU for sharing your family and your gifts. It was a true pleasure meeting you. We wish the best for you until we see you again.

For those reading this and haven’t seen the Clark Family, you can visit them at https://www.youtube.com/@TheClarkFamilyCreative