Nancy and Carl met in mid-1977 while Carl was playing guitar in an un-named band along with his cousin Jesse Chambers and former Nation Rocking Shadows members, Don Chambliss and Larry Hunt. The group was playing week-ends at the Crest Restaurant and Lounge in Clermont, Florida. Chambliss and Hunt were from that general area in Lake County and had offered the Chambers cousins some work during an otherwise slow period.

Nancy came in with a date who had suggested coming to the restaurant because of the good band that was reported to be there. Although they didn't actually meet that first night Carl and Nancy had definately been attracted to each other and the following night Nancy returned with a girl friend. The two met and that was the beginning of a dating relationship that would last about a year.

This map was on the back of the invitations - See the Front

The couple only saw each other about once a week because of the distance of the drive. Carl lived in Auburndale and Nancy lived in Astatula. The two small towns were about an hour-and-a-half drive from each other. Needless to say the phone bills got pretty out of hand. Those in-state calls were expensive.

One night in the late fall of 1978, while attending a Willie Nelson and Emmylou Harris concert at the Sports Stadium in Orlando, the couple decided to do the thing they had both sworn to never do again. They decided to get married.

Jesse took on the responsibility of arranging the wedding and the happy couple was wed on a piece of land owned by James Chambers, Jesse's brother on June 3rd, 1978. The land was on the edge of a pine forest just outside of Auburndale, just off the Old Dixie Highway. The ceremony was performed by Len Walls, one of the owners of Central Sound Studio and a minister. After the vows, the groom made music for about four hours with various area musicians. Nancy had not yet taken up the bass at that time. There were approximately 500 people who showed up for the festivities even though both alcohol and drugs were forbidden. A lot of people spent a lot of time out in the parking area.

Mickey Merritt and Dannie Jones prepare to do some pickin' after the ceremony.

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