City Faces in Different Places
By Michelle Duez on February 19, 2017 from City Faces
Please take a moment to meet this week’s City Face Annie Neeley Kirkpatrick, sponsored by Higinbotham & Higinbotham, PLLC:
How long have you lived in Bridgeport? Annie was born and raised in Bridgeport. She has moved away on and off several times but most recently came home in 2015. She is a 1987 BHS graduate.
Are you married? Yes, to David Kirkpatrick. David is from Grafton and is a 1986 Grafton High School graduate.
Children? Ray, 7, is in first grade at Simpson. He enjoys learning about science, especially the solar system. He takes piano lessons and tumbling.
What is your favorite color? Green
Where do you work? Annie is a musician. She is also training to be a substitute French teacher in Harrison Country. She is fluent in French.
Favorite Bridgeport spot? Oral Lake Fishing Club holds fond memories of good times with friends and family. Annie spent her summers there just as did her father and her grandfather did in the past.
Favorite WV spot outside of Bridgeport? She recently has played a few gigs and visited friends in Fayetteville. She appreciates their arts focus and great food.
Favorite place outside of WV? Nashville – loves the music scene, it’s THE place to be if you are a musician. There is so much more happening than country music, many layers… She lived there for several years and really is happy to have had that experience.
Favorite restaurant? In Nashville Annie prefers Mitchell’s Deli, in Bridgeport Cody’s and Provence Market and in Paris Le Grande Vefour. She claims it's the best meal she has ever had for lunch. It’s one of the oldest restaurants in France, Napoleon even at there too.
Best childhood memory? Singing a solo when she was around ten years old in the Harrison, Marion and Monongalia Counties Children’s Choir and appreciating the director Olga Hardman as a great teacher. She remembers singing with the choir at WIHS for a county-wide event.
Favorite musical group? It changes frequently… but she currently listens to The Band, Mavis Staples, The Grateful Dead, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings and many more…
Pets? Two 11 ½ year old sibling dogs, Calvin and Katie May, they rescued from the streets of Nashville when they were puppies.
Hobbies? Music, walking, hiking, travel, learning how to camp and music festivals
Interesting fact about you? Annie was an exchange student in Belgium. Classes were tri-lingual so she had to learn Dutch as well as French. She was in a Catholic children’s choir during her stay. Pope John Paul II invited the choir to the Mass of Peace at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome on New Year’s Day in 1988 to sing. Ten-thousand children from all over the world sang, ages 8-18. She was 18 and found it to be an amazing experience.
She is a volunteer on the Bridgeport Arts Council. She is helping with events like Sound Waves and IPAs and the summer concert series. She also plays at the Bridgeport Farmer's Market and other regional venues.
Photo provided by Annie Neeley Kirkpatrick
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