Playin’ on the Tracks-Musical Memoir to Benefit Nikki Mitchell

Nikki Mitchell Foundation

It’s a labor of love that put together an upcoming benefit happening at the Franklin Theatre on June 14th.

It’s a benefit for the Nikki Mitchell Foundation. The story of Rhonda Miles who began the foundation and Nikki Mitchell for whom the foundation was named could be summarized like a Thelma and Louise story.

One that began with a chance meeting in an airplane hangar when Nikki asked Brenda to become her flight instructor. “She fired her instructor right in front of him,” says Rhonda. When Rhonda became Nikki’s flight instructor they knew they had a special bond.

“It was in those moments during those flying lessons  that I knew we would be good friends because we both had the same sense of adventure,” said Rhonda.

Actually, it was that sense of adventure that took them around the world. Literally around the world. The two re-created the 1938 history-making flight by three Russian women combat pilots from Moscow to Siberia. Miles told us that finding sponsors for the trip was difficult but the two never gave up on their adventure so they sold things, used credit cards and made it happen because that’s just the way both of them worked. They were determined. After they landed in Russia,they flew the flight with two female Russian pilots. “The Russian government was very supportive of this flight, giving the [Russian] women funding for the flight, Nikki and I would laugh as we couldn’t get anyone to give us money.”

Nikki Mitchell was a trailblazer not only in life adventures but in her career. For 22 years, Mitchell managed Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter’s music. Anyone who wanted to use Jennings music or his likeness had to go through Mitchell. Surprisingly Mitchell did all of this from atop her cafe in Normandy, Tennessee.

Miles told us,”Nikki was always wanting to buy a building, it was her dream to own a business like her cafe and live above it. As we ventured around the world, she would say, should I buy that building in Moscow..Norway…or Montana? To which I would always have to ask her, do you really want to live in those places?”

Miles and Mitchell, partners in adventure seeking, remained friends until Nikki’s death to pancreatic cancer. Miles became Mitchell’s wingman throughout her treatments, caring for her until the moment she had to say goodbye but not without one more adventure to Mexico. After Mitchell’s death, Miles created the Nikki Mitchell Foundation to assist other families who are in the fight with pancreatic cancer. Currently they hold  five events throughout the year.

One of those events is an intimate night that will take place on June 14th at the Franklin Theatre. A night of more stories from one for Jennings band members,Carter Robertson. As the only female member of Jennings’  band, Robertson will give the audience a backstage pass into the life on the road.  Also Jennings’ wife, Jessi Colter will make an appearance during the evening as well.

Tickets are on sale now. Prices start at $25-$500. Purchase your ticket online at the Franklin Theatre. All proceeds from the event will go to the Nikki Mitchell Foundation. Learn more about the Nikki Mitchell Foundation and how they are helping others in our community.

Our featured image on this story is one from the 1938 flight that they recreated. Rhonda Miles admits-yes they realize they misspelled North seen here as Nort but hey they were flying around the world in a very small airplane.

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