Rachel Adkins, Monitor Engineer

WHERE DO YOU LIVE WHEN NOT ON THE ROAD?
Albuquerque, New Mexico

WHAT IS YOUR JOB AS PART OF THE TOUR?
Monitor Engineer

WHAT WAS THE FIRST TOUR THAT YOU WORKED ON AS A CREW MEMBER?
My first real bus and truck tour was an international production of West Side Story in 1997.

WHAT JOB DID YOU PERFORM ON THAT FIRST TOUR?
Front of House Sound Engineer.

WHAT YEAR WAS YOUR FIRST JAMES TAYLOR TOUR?
2003 October Road.

WHEN DID YOU MEET JAMES FOR THE FIRST TIME?
I first met James in Dallas Texas during production rehearsals for the October Road tour. We talked mostly about tattoos.

WHAT PART OF THE TOUR DAY DO YOU ENJOY THE MOST AND WHY?
I enjoy the laughter. Life is too short to not like your gig. We spend so much time away from home and our families that we create our own road family and for me the best part of having a family is being able to laugh together and have each others backs.

DO YOU ENJOY TRAVELING BY BUS AND SLEEPING IN A BUNK NEXT TO YOUR CREWMATES?
I do. I have spent more of my life now on a bus than off.

WHEN JAMES AND THE BAND ARE ONSTAGE AT CONCERT TIME WHERE ARE YOU POSTED AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
During the show I am stage left mixing monitors for James and the band.

WHAT IS ONE ITEM YOU NEVER LEAVE FOR TOUR WITHOUT?
Patches

IS THERE ANYTHING ABOUT TOURING LIFE ON THE ROAD THAT YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE?
There are so many stories to tell but so many confidentiality agreements that I have signed. Sorry.

YOUR FAVORITE PASTTIMES?
Being a professional tourist.

ONE ITEM YOU ALWAYS TAKE WITH YOU ON TOUR?
The Saint Christopher medallion given to me by a long lost friend. It has been with me everywhere in the world since 1992.

_{Photo: Robert Riddle}