Rox Star

Tracey Barnes-Priestley: Hi, I'm Tracey Barnes-Priestley.

This week, on "What's on Your Bucket List?"

it's a party as we gather together all of this season's guests for a fun-filled wrap party.

And the musical debut of our energetic and spirited guest who just happened to ask me to join in the fun.

How could I say No?

♪♪♪ Tracey: Coming up next on "What's on Your Bucket List?"

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ CC by Aberdeen Captioning 1-800-688-6621 www.abercap.com Tracey: Welcome to the final episode of "What's on Your Bucket List?"

and I kind of can't believe we're all here.

I was thinking about the importance of giving you a little bit of background information before I introduce our guest today because this is a unique show for us this time.

When all the applications were coming in last spring and they come in electronically, but I always like to print one out, I'm a hardcopy kind of gal, so I can immediately flip that first page over, so I don't see names.

So I'm reading this application and I'm thinking, "Oh, learn how to throw a pizza.

Well, that'd be fun.

Oh, build a sandcastle," and I thought, "Hm, Game of Thrones."

And then the last one, the last one, I have to admit was kind of on my bucket list.

And what made it even more intriguing was this person wanted to do this with me.

And so, here we are, finally.

I take great pleasure in introducing to you my friend of 60 years, that's right, 60, you heard it here.

Roxanne Krieg, welcome to the program.

Roxanne "Roco" Krieg: Thank you so much.

Unbelievable.

Tracey: Kind of unbelievable.

Roco: It is.

Tracey: Yes, so what are we checking off your bucket list today, Roxanne?

Roco: Well, with your help, we are checking off being a backup singer in a rock band, yes!

Tracey: That's right, that's right.

We have put together an amazing program where you and I get to sing backup and one more.

We have one more.

Roco: Oh, one more.

Tracey: Get to sing backup for one of Humboldt County's best bands with one of maybe my most favorite lead singer.

Roco: Of course.

Tracey: Of course, yes.

Tracey: Meeting in 7th grade choir, Roco and I connected because we were the two tallest girls in the school.

Our friendship and the nickname I gave her have lasted a lifetime.

Tracey: Our paths were pretty dialed in as when we were in high school.

Roco: We were, we were.

You wrote songs for me to sing because I always ran for some office.

Tracey: That's right, we were both very involved and I would write your campaign songs.

Roco: That's right, you did.

Tracey: Yes, I did.

But you did not sing in high school.

I didn't sing in high school.

Eventually, I moved up to Humboldt, and we got you up here.

Roco: That's right.

Tracey: I was the one who introduced Roco to her future husband of 47 years and soon, three busy kids followed.

Eventually, she found her way into community theater, appearing in shows like "West Side Story," "The Crucible," and "Boris Godunov."

After she and her family moved to Olympia, Washington, her community theater experiences continued.

Tracey: But nowhere in this were any rock and roll bands, Roc.

Roco: None, none.

None were rock and roll bands but the music was always great and it really moved me, especially from the '80s, the '70s, '80s, '60s, all that.

Tracey: Well, I mean, I have a confession.

When I was 16, I always wanted to be Diana Ross, 'cause the clothes and the hair, the voice, right?

Roco: Oh, the voice, perfect, yeah.

Tracey: And I would have settled to be a backup singer, because it was just-- Roco: So fun.

It was so fun.

And I just didn't wanna be the main because sometimes I make mistakes.

Tracey: Why did you--you decided to go ahead and apply for the show?

How did that come about?

Roco: Well, you had told me about the first season that you did and so I streamed it up there in Washington, and it just was, like, "Yes, yes, yes."

Well, because I joined KEET, they had sent me that it was time again to apply for--that the "What's on Your Bucket List?"

was picked up for a second year and it's time to apply.

Oh, this'll make her laugh, 'cause we'd do anything to laugh together.

Tracey: Yes, absolutely.

Roco: So I filled out the application and-- Tracey: And we've been laughing ever since.

Roco: Ever since, going, "Oh, my gosh, it's happening."

[laughing] Tracey: And only in Humboldt would Roco be long-time friends and neighbors with our lead singer and her family.

Fortunately, I knew them too.

Tracey: All the pieces came together.

Roco: All the pieces came together, and it's unbelievable, and here I am in sunny Humboldt County, hello?

Tracey: What do you think has got you most nervous about tomorrow night?

Roco: [laughing] Thank God there's only a few moves we've decided to do as backup singers.

I think there's nothing really that's nervous.

I just think it's going to be an absolute hoot.

Tracey: And then Roco shared a quote we have lived by for years.

Roco: "Blessed are those who can laugh at themselves, for they will never cease to be amused."

Tracey: [laughing] Roco: And here you have two people that can laugh at ourselves.

[both laughing] Tracey: Because one of the things I loved about doing this show is really being with and sharing an experience with people that they're kind of out on a limb.

And to some people, it may seem really benign and, like, "Well, that's not much of a bucket list," you know, but they're doing something that is really curious to them or, yeah, or downright nerve-wracking.

Roco: Right, right.

Tracey: And a lot of older folks lose that.

Why do you think you--what do we think, you haven't lost it.

Roco: I just seem to think that it's one of the blessings I have about growing older, too, is that-- Tracey: You don't wanna lose that.

Roco: I don't wanna lose that, and I'm not too surprised or I don't get--I don't get freaked out or worried about things as they're happening, or what might happen.

That wastes a lot of time.

Tracey: And I think that's one of the secrets to healthy aging, is to quiet all the "what ifs."

What if, what if, you know, it's like, I can't control that.

Can't, you know.

So I'm not doing that about tomorrow night.

Tracey: I think we're about ready to start our rehearsal.

It looks like the band has got pretty set up.

Roco: I see instruments.

Tracey: Instruments, yes.

You ready?

Roco: Sure, let's do it.

Tracey: Let's do this, okay.

Thanks.

[laughing] Tracey: Before our rehearsal began, I sat down with Claire Bent, whose love of music has been a lifelong passion.

She sang in church, throughout school and college, even backed me up at my 40th wedding anniversary.

She's now lead singer with Citizen Funk, a band that has her dad on drums.

Given her years of experience, I wondered what her favorite music was.

Claire Bent: I love jazz, well, then, I get to scat which is so fun, and I'm not very good at singing anything the same way twice.

So jazz is perfect for that.

I can just, like, "Oh, let's make it up as I go along."

Tracey: As your future backup singer, that just strikes terror, right?

Claire: Well, I'll do my best to cue you.

Tracey: Okay, thank you.

Your family lived just right around the corner from Roco's family.

Claire: Yeah, yeah.

Tracey: So, Roco's known you since-- Claire: Since I was, yeah, probably 2 feet tall, so, or before, yeah, yeah.

Roxanne is definitely this, like, living legend of coolness to me.

[laughing] Tracey: Claire's musical career was interrupted with the arrival of her first child.

Claire: Sofia Lillian was born on May 30 of 2021 and it was a long kind of hard pregnancy.

It was fun, it was fun, but there were a lot of moments that were really hard.

And we had four amazing months with her before everything exploded.

Tracey: With a brand-new baby girl and at the height of the COVID pandemic, Claire was diagnosed with cancer and ended up at UCSF.

Claire: They couldn't even properly stage it.

They said it was high 3, if not stage 4, which is, you know, plenty of people do not come back from that.

But, you know, by the grace of God and the support of an insanely loving community, you know, I had hundreds of people praying for me and sending me love and--you know, I had a lot to fight for, so.

Tracey: And here you are, girl.

Claire: Yeah.

Tracey: So, thank you so much for what you're doing for us.

Claire: Yeah.

Tracey: And so we should start rehearsing.

Claire: I think we better.

Tracey: Yeah.

Claire: Yeah, okay, let's get to it.

[both laughing] Tracey: Our third backup singer was Claire's mom and our friend, Melanie.

[tapping] male: Count in.

male: One, two, three, four.

One, two, three, four.

female: You start the rocking.

♪♪♪ ♪ Like a fool I went and stayed too long ♪ ♪ Now I'm wondering if my love's still strong ♪ ♪ Oh, baby, here I am, signed, ♪ ♪ sealed, delivered, ♪ I'm yours Claire: Oh, we're gonna have to turn this way up.

♪ Here I am ♪ Here I am Here I am ♪ ♪ Signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours ♪ Claire: Dang, yeah, I hear you, yeah.

Yeah-ah-ah-ah, whoo!

Claire: Cool, okay.

Tracey: Will that work?

Tracey: All right, you guys.

We just did our first and only rehearsal.

What do you think?

Roco: It was a blast.

I am so excited.

And, you know what, it's just gonna be so much fun.

I mean, Claire is here, the--I mean, all-- Tracey: Without these guys, right?

Roco: Thank you so much, all of you, for making this dream come true, which started off as a joke.

[all laughing] Tracey: All right, until tomorrow.

Roco: Until tomorrow.

Tracey: Right, everybody?

♪♪♪ Tracey: The next day, we met at the Arcata Playhouse.

Tracey: Hello, welcome to the madhouse.

Here we are.

Tracey: The band set up and we snuck in another rehearsal.

Claire: Guitar solo.

♪♪♪ Tracey: Afterwards, we went backstage to put on our makeup and polish our moves.

By now, the doors had opened to the wrap party we were hosting for all of the wonderful people who had shared season 2 with us.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ Tracey: Finally, it was time for Citizen Funk to rock the playhouse.

Claire: Whoo, yeah, they know how to--these two girls.

C'mon now, give it up, yeah.

♪ Uptown funk you up Uptown funk you up ♪ Claire: Sing it with me.

♪ Uptown funk you up Uptown funk you up ♪ Claire: C'mon, louder.

♪ Uptown funk you up Uptown funk you up ♪ Claire: Yeah.

♪ Uptown funk you up Uptown funk you up ♪ ♪ C'mon, dance, jump on it If you're sexy then flaunt it ♪ ♪ If you're freaky then own it ♪ ♪ Don't brag about it, come show me ♪ ♪ C'mon, dance, jump on it If ♪ ♪ you're sexy than flaunt it ♪ ♪ Well, it's Saturday night, ♪ ♪ and we in the spot ♪ Don't believe me, just watch ♪ Tracey: We are moments from your debut.

[laughing] Roco: I am so excited.

Tracey: Are you?

Roco: I am.

I really am.

I can't believe this is coming to pass.

Tracey: Yeah, well, I think between your hard work and your willingness to check this off your bucket list.

Roco: Yeah.

Tracey: Yeah, we've had--we've had a rehearsal yesterday.

We got to run through our songs a little bit here before.

What do you think?

Roco: I think it's gonna be wonderful.

I think all those people love us out there.

Tracey: Yeah.

Roco: So, you know, whoever they are and whatever connections they have, they came because they wanted to see us, so.

Tracey: Well, and that--the spirit of the show.

Roco: The spirit of the show is so wonderful.

Tracey: Yeah, and I'm so glad we meet to be part of it, pal.

Roco: I am thrilled to be part of it.

Thank you.

Tracey: All right.

Roco: Okay.

[laughing] ♪ Uptown funk you up Uptown funk you up ♪ ♪ Uptown funk you up Uptown funk you up ♪ ♪ Uptown funk you up Uptown funk you up ♪ ♪ Uptown funk you up ♪ ♪♪♪ Claire: You guys ready?

♪♪♪ Claire: C'mon, put those hands together.

Claire: Oh, my lady Roco.

Thank you for joining me on the stage, yes.

Miss Roco, one of the Buckettes.

All right, how about the other Buckets?

Ooh, Melanie Bent, Lady Buckette.

And Tracey Barnes-Priestley, the last Buckette, whoo.

♪♪♪ Claire: Oh, you guys look fabulous.

I don't think I've ever had backup dancers that looked this good before.

I've never had backup dancers, but that's okay.

Claire: Ready?

Roco: Ready, ready.

Claire: One, two, three.

All right, give one more hand for the Buckettes.

[audience applauding] All right, ladies, are you nervous?

all: No.

Claire: No, they're not nervous at all.

Neither am I. Tracey: Are you ready?

Roco: I'm ready.

Tracey: All right, we're gonna do this.

Claire: Let's do it, boys.

♪♪♪ ♪ Oh yeah baby, ♪ like a fool I went and stayed too long ♪ ♪ Now I'm wondering if our love's still strong ♪ ♪ Oh baby, here I am, signed, ♪ ♪ sealed, delivered, I'm yours ♪ Claire: All right, now you guys really have to get up and dance, c'mon.

♪ Then that time I went and said goodbye ♪ Claire: That's right, get up.

♪ Now I'm back and not ashamed to cry ♪ ♪ Oh baby, here I am, signed, ♪ ♪ sealed, delivered, I'm yours ♪ Claire: C'mon now.

♪ Here I am baby Here I am, signed, ♪ ♪ sealed, delivered, I'm yours ♪ ♪ Here I am baby ♪ Here I am, signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours ♪ ♪ Ooh, yeah I've done a lot of foolish things ♪ ♪ now I've done a foolish thing, baby, yeah ♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ Claire: C'mon, do the moves with us, everybody.

♪♪♪ Claire: We're swimming.

♪♪♪ Claire: C'mon, let's do cat eyes.

♪♪♪ ♪ Here I am baby Here I am, signed, ♪ ♪ sealed, delivered, I'm yours ♪ ♪ Here I am baby ♪ Here I am, signed, sealed, ♪ ♪ delivered, I'm yours ♪ ♪ Here I am baby ♪ Signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪ Here I am baby ♪ Yeah, signed, sealed, ♪ delivered, I'm yours ♪ Oh, ho ♪ Here I am baby, yeah ♪ Signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours ♪ Claire: One more time.

♪ Here I am baby Signed, sealed, ♪ ♪ delivered, I'm yours Claire: One more time, nice and loud, ladies.

♪ Here I am baby Signed, sealed, ♪ ♪ delivered, I'm yours ♪♪♪ ♪ Whoa-ho, ♪ yeah, yeah, ohh ♪ Claire: Give it up for the Buckettes.

[applauding] Take a bow, ladies, take a bow.

Yeah?

What do you think?

Louder, say it louder.

What do you think?

What do you think, ladies?

Do you think you could do another one?

Roco: Maybe one more.

Claire: Maybe one more?

Roco: Yeah.

Claire: Okay, all right, let's do one more.

♪♪♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪ That's a sound of a worried man ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, ♪ that's the sound of pain ♪ ♪ Chain, chain, chain chain, ♪ ♪ chain, chain, chain, chain, chain ♪ ♪ Chain of fools ♪ For five long years I thought that ♪ ♪ you were my man ♪ But I found out ♪ Ooh, I'm just a link in your chain ♪ ♪ You got me where you want me ♪ ♪ I ain't nothin' but your fool You treated me mean ♪ ♪ Oh, then you treated me cruel, yeah Chain, ♪ ♪ chain, chain, chain, chain, chain, chain, ♪ ♪ chain, chain, chain, chain, chain, chain, ♪ ♪ chain, chain, chain, chain, chain, chain of fools ♪ ♪ Well, every chain Has got a weak link ♪ ♪ Well, I might be weak, child ♪ ♪ Oh, and I'll give you strength, yeah ♪ Claire: Ready to break it down, ladies?

Here we go.

♪ Ooh, ooh Claire: Keep it going.

♪ Ooh, ooh You told me to leave you alone ♪ ♪ Well, my father said, ♪ "Come on home," yeah My doctor said, ♪ ♪ "Take it easy" ♪ But your lovin' is much too strong ♪ ♪ I'm added to your Chain, chain, chain ♪ ♪ Chain, chain, chain ♪ Chain, chain, chain Chain, chain, chain ♪ ♪ Chain, chain, chain Chain of fools ♪ Claire: All right, take it away, Tom.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ Claire: Here we go.

♪ One of these mornings ♪ You know that chain is gonna break ♪ ♪ But up until that day, yeah ♪ ♪ I'm gonna take all I can take ♪ Claire: Break it down one more time.

Here we go, ladies.

♪ Ooh, ooh Ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ You told me to leave you alone ♪ ♪ Well, my father said, "Come on home," yeah ♪ ♪ My doctor said, "Take it easy" ♪ ♪ But your lovin' is much too strong ♪ ♪ I'm added to your Chain, chain, chain ♪ ♪ Chain, chain, chain ♪ Chain, chain, chain Chain, chain, chain ♪ ♪ Chain, chain, chain Chain of fools ♪ ♪ Chain, chain, chain Chain of fools ♪ Claire: Two more.

♪ Chain, chain, chain Chain of fools, ♪ ♪ yeah Chain, chain, chain ♪ ♪ Chain, chain, ♪ chain of fools ♪ ♪♪♪ Claire: Give it up for the Buckettes.

[audience applauding] Tracey: So, thanks for coming and I hope that when--I'm gonna say this, Roc, so watch out.

Seventy-two and seventy-one, don't be afraid of aging.

It's not as bad as you think.

Tracey: We had checked this off your bucket list.

Roco: Yes.

Tracey: And what do you think?

Roco: Can I write in next year too?

I think it was a wonderful gift to me.

Thank you.

Tracey: A gift.

Roco: It was such a gift.

Roco: It was such a gift to bring joy in my life and to share it with you and to do it with you was so special.

Tracey: It made being older-- Roco: I'll take my glasses off.

Tracey: --so much more fun.

Roco: It did, didn't it?

Tracey: Yeah, it really did.

Roco: And nothing hurt while we were doing it.

Tracey: No, tomorrow.

Tomorrow.

I wanna thank you for your hard work, for your spirit, for your willingness to do something so stupid.

Roco: Stupid.

[both laughing] Tracey: Being stupid together is what we do best.

Roco: Being stupid is what we do best.

both: Now, what's on your bucket list?

Tracey: To watch this and other episodes, go to keet.org.

♪ You smiled Whoo, and a spell was cast ♪ ♪ And here we are in heaven ♪ ♪ For you are mine ♪ At last ♪ Whoo-ooh-ooh ♪ Tracey: That's a wrap.

Roco: That's a wrap.