OR: When you were recording Something In The Air, I hear Vince Gill was one of your visitors in the studio.

LM: Yeah .. Vince Gill is probably one of the nicest people I've ever met. He's just so laid back, ya know. He's one of the people you do shows with, and he's just hangin' out the whole .. watching the sound check, ya know. He's a really neat person.

 OR: Who else dropped by?

LM: Brian White .. Steve Wariner are also some of the neatest people I've ever got to work with. They're so talented. They're such cool people. Incredible.

 OR: It's great to have friends backstage, but you're also building some longlasting friendships with fans, too.

LM: Oh yea. The fans have been so nice to me. They know my songs and they're so nice to ask for autographs and stuff. This year, the crowds have probably tripled in size.

 OR: So at the end of your summer tour, were you late getting back to school?

LM: I actually got home right after school had started, I only missed about two days. We started in the middle of the week, and I got home in time to start the next week.

 OR: So do you do shows on weekends only now?

LM: No. We have a few special shows left over from summer, but they're almost done now.

 OR: During the school year, does your band travel with you or do you meet them on the road?

LM: I either fly to Nashville and meet them at the bus, or they just meet me at the city of the show. It just depends on where the show is, how long the ride is, ya know.

 OR: What do you do to pass the time while you travel?

LM: There's 13 people on our bus, so it's hard to write. It's not really a quiet place, except for your bunk .. and when I'm there .. I'm sleepin'! I like to sleep on the bus, then when I get to where we're goin' I'm ready to party.

 OR: So does your Mom travel with you?

LM: Yep, my Mom's always there. She comes along and hangs out with me, she's tons of fun.
 
 

OR: How's your family handling your fame?

LM: OH, they're great. My parents are really, really supportive .. of everything I do. I'm really lucky, they're always backing me up. And whatever I decide to do, they're cool.

 OR: And what about your older brothers.. Shane and Chad ..and ..

LM: My brothers are such good guys. They're trying to help me think of nasty, ... oh, I wouldn't say "nasty," but interesting tricks I can pull on Kenny Chesney .. 'cuz we've been on tour together and it's almost over. In a few weeks it will be our last weekend, so I'm tryin' to think of something "real good" to do to him.

 OR: While we're talking about the men in your life, what's with the rumors about you and David Kersh?

LM: Not much. We're just good friends. David's like another one of my brothers.

 OR: What did you think about his Playgirl pictorial?

LM: (Shyly) Um, it was okay. I didn't get to look at it .. for too long.

 OR: So where you going to be these last few weeks of 1999?

LM: I have no clue (laughs). Once I'm back at school, I don't know what's going on with my career. Usually, I don't even know where we're goin' 'til the day we're leaving.

 OR: Lila, are you hatin' the comparisons between you and some other girl singers?

LM: Not really. There aren't a lot of comparisons going on anymore. I think people are realizing all of us are really different, ya know, in our own ways. And I think, let's face it, there are just as many performers in their mid-20's or their 30's or whatever as there are younger people. So, I don't think it's a big deal anymore.

 OR: Before you head for school, let me ask about your next record.

LM: We're probably gonna start recording in July or August of next year. And we'll start looking for songs in January. I'm sure the new album will be out by Christmas, next year.

 OR: You stay busy, don't you.

LM: OH, YEAH. Right now, we've got lots of cheerleading competitions. And in December I'm going to London with my coach. I'm really excited about that. There's a lot of different cheerleaders going from all over the United States. We're in the "Millennium Parade" over there. Really, we're just going over there to be tourists and march in the parade. But I'm excited, I think it will be a lot of fun.

 OR: So what's the future for Lila McCann? Will you be moving to Nashville after you graduate?

LM: Actually, I'm gonna stay home for a while, just because so much of my time will be "on the road." It wouldn't be very easy for me to find a place and move and be on a bus at the same time. But I'm really lookin' forward to getting back out. Ya know, my band is like my extended family.

 OR: Finally, I was curious about the song on Something In The Air called "I Will Be." It says to me that faith plays an important part in your life.

LM: Oh, definitely. And I'm so glad you mentioned that, 'cuz it's gonna be the next single. I'm glad you like it. Thank you.

An Early Morning Call from Lila McCann "I was the little sister to everybody on the tour." One of the "freshman" class of country teen idols, Lila McCann seems to have it all in perspective. Since coming onto the scene in 1997, Time magazine has written about her, she's been featured on 48 Hours as well as the CBS drama series Walker, Texas Ranger and she was featured on soundtrack to the motion picture, Hope Floats. With two albums to her credit, the near-platinum Lila and last spring's Something In The Air, the 17-year old has established a firm foundation for future success. Her efforts already include the #1 smash "I Wanna Fall In Love" the powerful "Almost Over You, " and "Crush." Lila, the entertainer, is maturing rapidly. Her voice and delivery are sensitive but powerful, her songwriting skills are top-notch, she has a keen song sense and an obvious country sensibility. All this, and she's just finishing high school. When she isn't busy making music, you can find her doing the things teenaged girls do; studying, shopping, driving around her hometown near Tacoma, Washington in her GMC Jimmy, and going to cheerleading practice. On an early morning in November, Lila called to catch us up on her life as an up 'n coming country singer and a teenager with clear ideas of who she is and who she wants to be.     Lila's on the right track .. personally and professionally OR: Good morning, Lila. What are you doing up so early in the day (7 a.m.)? LM: Oh, I just woke up. Getting ready for school and returning some phone calls. I usually try to do interviews before school, so it doesn't interrupt the rest of my day.  OR: We wanted to talk to you so we could share a few of your insights with people on our website. Are you an online kind o' gal? LM: Oh, yeah .. a little bit, but I'm really an e-mail junkie 'cuz it's a good way to keep in touch with a lot of people .. all over the United States.  OR: Let's talk a little about your life on the road, your life in the studio and about your life at home. LM: Cool.  OR: You were a really busy gal this summer! LM: I was! It started off, uh .. I just flew to Nashville a few days before school was out in June, and I got right onto the bus. Then, we did about 60 shows this summer...within about three months. And, just right now.. we're finishing up the last of our shows for the year. We just canceled two shows in Alaska, I don't know why, but I really wanted to go. I was looking forward to seeing Alaska.  OR: You really like life on the road, huh? Was it fun to be asked on the Strait tour? LM: Oh, yeah. We did the George Strait tour, um two years ago, and it was a lotta fun. I mean, we were with Tim McGraw, Faith Hill and John Michael Montgomery and we had a blast. That was my very first tour.  OR: Did everybody welcome you with open arms? LM: Oh yeah. It was the first big thing I ever did. It was a lotta fun. I was the little sister to everybody on the tour.     "No, I'm not moving to Nashville."

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