~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~The Word*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Issue #1: 8/1/00
Member Count: 83 (let's raise this number to the triple digits guys!)
President: Tracey
Vice President: Michelle
Editor: Vanessa

Attachment: Tyler & Amanda @ The Northern Wisconsin State Fair in Chippewa Falls, WI (7/14/00)
Photo Credit: Tracey

Welcome to the first issue of our Wilkinson newsletter, The Word! We have tried our best to get all the Wilkinsons information that we could find out there for you guys! Have fun! Feel free to e-mail us and tell us what you think about our first attempt!

-A word from the Prez- I will be at the Wilkinson's concert in Marshall, Minnesota on August 13th if anyone wants to meet up! Email me And check out the word online at https://www.angelfire.com/country/theword

**Member Contest**

That's right! We want our member count to rise sky high and we need your help!

The Rules: Get as many people as you can to email be sure to tell them to join "The Word" But you got to make sure to tell them to tell us that you sent them, or the email wont count. The contest will end Friday, September 8th.....we will be sure to post the current standings in out next issuse that we know you'll all be waiting for!

Whats a Contest Without Prizes??? Yup..thats right...prizes! The Top 3 people that get us the most members. What can those people win you ask?? Well just look below for details!

1st Place: Are you ready for this? The person who gets the most..will only get....An 8x10 printed picture of The Wilkinsons...SIGNED by all three in Chippewa Falls! Amanda was told it was for the fan club so she was sure to put "Love <3 Thanks" on it!

2nd Place: 8 Live pictures from Mall of America, Mahnomen, Marshall, and/or Chippewa Falls.

3rd Place: 4 Live Live pictures from Mall of America, Mahnomen, Marshall, and/or Chippewa Falls.

Want proof that these pictures are good?? All these pictures can be seen at Wilkinsons high...just click here ------> Wilkinson High

~*~Breaking News~*~

The Word here with an incoming news bulletin about the Wilkinsons!

Amanda has just gradudated high school and plans on taking a year off before taking marketing and business courses in Nashville.

Word has it that Tyler has his eyes on a car --a plum PT cruiser style...last we heard he was trying to convince his dad...yet to report if Steve has caved!

Non singing member Kiaya celebrated her 11th birthday on July 14th.

Singing member Steve will be turning 45 on August 18th.

The Wilkinsons will be touring Canada this fall and are especially psyched about their two stops in Belleville Ontario.

Well thats all the breaking news for now...stay tuned until next month! Have your own breaking news? Email the word here! -----> starwarsgirls@hotmail.com

~*~ Behind the Scenes News ~*~

Tyler does his homework on the floor....why? Simply because his desk is full of star wars stuff....his whole room is said to be a kind of star wars shrine. In fact Tyler says "Whenever momma and I go to Wal*mart, she always says "We don't have room for anything," but he said he always makes room.

Younger sibling Kiaya has a secret pizza recipe. She doesn't find it all that weird when she sees people screaming for her family. She's probably used to it by now....and has a good set of ear plugs.

Recently Amanda and Kiaya went to see N'Sync in Nashville. I'm sure they had a blast because I got a chance to see N 'Sync in Minnesota and the show was AWESOME, lots of special effects and crowd interaction too!

Its reported that Steve doesn't like Bum Equipment but Tyler says he'd wear it anywhere!

*~*Tour Schedule*~*

Are they headed in your direction?

August:

Thu 08/03/00- Gallipolis, OH Gallia County Fair
Sat 08/05/00- Cheboygan, MI Cheboygan County Fair
Sun 08/06/00- North Bay, ON Heritage Festival
Fri 08/11/00- Georgetown, IL Georgetown Fair
Sat 08/12/00- Potosi, MO Washington County Fair
Sun 08/13/00- Marshall, MN Lyon County Fair: Ice Arena, 6:30 pm
(for tickets call 507-532-2959 or if no one's there 507-532-2038)
Tue 08/15/00- Armada, MI Armada Fair
Fri 08/18/00- Indianapolis, IN Indiana State Fair
Sat 08/19/00 Beaver- Dam, WI Dodge County Fair (2 shows)
Tue 08/22/00- Gray, TN Appalachian Fair
Fri 08/25/00- Avon, NY Avon Park Theatre
Sat 08/26/00- Brooklyn, CT Windham County Agricultural Fair
Sun 08/27/00- Holyoke, MA Heritage State Park
Thu 08/31/00- Hickory, NC American Legion Fair

September:

Mon 09/04/00- Show Low, AZ Thunder Raceway
Fri 09/08/00- Claremore, OK Claremore Expo Center
Fri 09/15/00- Fletcher, NC N.C. Mt. State Fair
Mon 09/18/00- Anderson, SC Anderson County Fair
Sat 09/23/00- Huntsville, AL Big Spring Jam
Sat 09/30/00- Brighton, MI Brighton Center

October:

Sun 10/15/00- Kumamoto, JPN Country Gold Festival

November:

Thu 11/02/00- Kansas City, MO Kemper Arena
Mon 11/13/00- Winnipeg, MB Walker Theatre
Tue 11/14/00- Thunder Bay, ON Community Auditorium
Wed 11/15/00- Timmins, ON Ecole Secondair Therialt
Sun 11/19/00- North Bay, ON Capitol Centre
Mon 11/20/00- St. Catharines, ON Sean O'Sullivan Theatre (2 shows)
Tue 11/21/00- Peterborough, ON The Showplace
Wed 11/22/00- Belleville, ON Belleville Yardmen Arena
Thu 11/23/00- Belleville, ON Belleville Yardmen Arena
Fri 11/24/00- Windsor, ON Capitol Theatre
Sat 11/25/00- London, ON Centennial Hall
Sun 11/26/00- Guelph, ON River Run Center
Mon 11/27/00- Hamilton, ON Hamilton Place Theatre
Wed 11/29/00- Sarnia, ON Imperial Oil Theatre

December:

Fri 12/01/00- Owen Sound, ON Owen Sound Collegiate & Voc. Inst.
Sat 12/02/00- Orillia, ON Opera House
Sun 12/03/00- Blyth, ON Blyth Theatre
Mon 12/04/00- Kingston, ON Grand Theatre

*Please call the venues before traveling long distances, as all dates have the possibility of changing.

*~*Articles*~*

Tyler's Growing Up

It's a bird...its a plane...its a purple bathing suit top???
During a past show in Northhampton, MA the "evil" projectile was thrown up onto the stage where the wilkinsons were performing. This brought to many people's attention that little Tyler Wilkinson is growing up and so are his fans. Onstage instead of a matching colour of purple, Tyler's face turned bright red, treating the object as if it were a deadly snake. This of course brought on fits of laugher not only from the crowd but his family and band as well. Another sign of Tylers fans growing up , happened during their July 4 show in Clinton, IA, where one of the young fans in the front row got so excited about seeing Tyler that she hyperventilated and fainted. After the show The Wilkinsons made sure they met with her to be sure she was all right. In a Wilkinson's crowd it can be noted that the majority of the audiences are now teenage girls cheering for Tyler. More people are reconzing Tyler because of the fact that he has taken on the responsibilites of singing lead roles such as in "Jimmy's Got a Girlfriend". And it doesn't help that he's turned into a dashing young man. :O)

Graduation Day for Amanda taken from the Bellville Intellegience

It's the morning of her high school gradua­tion, and Amanda Wilkinson is a little late getting out of bed. "That's what happens when you stay up until 2:30 (a.m.) with your friends," her father Steve says with a smile. When Amanda does step out onto the patio five minutes later, she doesn't look like she was up late. She's bright-eyed and composed, ready for one of the most important days of her life. That's saying a lot, considering the 18-year­old is the lead singer of the country trio The WiIkinsons - a group that has to its credit a U.S. No. 1 song, and won single, album, song and group of the year at the 1999 Canadian Country Music Awards. When the family left their Trenton home for Nashville in 1996, the Wilkinsons - Amanda, dad Steve and 16-year-old Tyler - were known only to their local fans who heard them play at community events. But things have changed. The family returned to Trenton this week to attend Amanda's graduation from Trenton High School Wednesday night. She's been planning it for awhile. "This only happens once in your life. This is the time that everyone goes their separate ways," Amanda says. "I said `guys, I'm going home and don't book anything for then."' Amanda has been home-schooled by her mother, Chris, since leaving the town she grew up in. She says every time she comes home, she has to pay a visit to Trenton High and spend some time among the familiar faces. Home is important to the Wilkinsons. They haven't been back since December, and being home this week even for a short time is relax­ing. Steve spent a day fishing, and Tyler demonstrates a water missile launcher that shoots soaking projectiles into the air. It's just a normal family scene. Amanda is just your normal graduate. 'The difference is she's been touring and hasn't had a chance to get things together. No worry - her friend Pam has collected her cap and gown. "I guess a teacher mentioned that they had ordered me one that was for someone who was 5'6", and it was like `NO!'," the petite teenager laughs. "I think they got me the micro-mini of gowns, so I should be OK. If it's too big, I'm going to look like Yoda." "You already ...," Tyler starts, and thinks better of it. There's nothing like sibling bond­ing. Amanda wasn't worried about being treated differently when she was getting ready to receive her diploma. She says her friends have always been there for her, and she has the same relationship with them she always had. "It's all the people I grew up with. We laugh at old yearbooks, we have fun. There's always going to be people who don't understand what I do, but my friends just say `It's what you do, it's your career'. Coming from Trenton, the music business can seem like such a big foreign thing. But we've had support from friends from the beginning. After meeting some of the biggest stars in country music and performing in front of huge audiences, can a high school graduation still be exciting? Absolutely. Awards shows and things can be really fun but they get boring. Graduation is one of those things you only get once. I wouldn't miss it for the world. She plans to keep music in her life well after high school, no matter what happens. She'd like to take a year off school, and then begin taking marketing and music business university courses in Nashville. They have a great music program. I know people who went and still go. I want to take classes, and when we're touring I can take correspondence courses. She's well aware that she sticks out in a crowd and isn't concerned about the barrage of interview and photo requests she gets. While she says fame hasn't changed her, she knows it's there and accepts it. What I do isn't normal. It's a good way to let my fans know how important this is to me, too. But mostly I'm like anyone else who's graduating. My family is so excited. Besides, its graduation. Everyone else is going to have a tons of cameras pointed at them, too. The Wilkinsons will be back in the area for two concerts in the fall. They will perform Nov. 22-23 at the Quinte Sports Centre in Belleville.

*~*Concert Review*~* Six Flags
by Brian

Well, I might as well start at the very beginning of the day: woke up at 10am and took a shower and got everything I needed packed...Left home at 12:30pm... Arrived at 1:15pm or so...Walked into Six Flags and found the amphitheatre (very easy to find)...And then I began the long, but not bothersome wait knowing who's there. They had blocked the entrance with benches so I sat down and watched the band and then Amanda, Tyler, and Steve do soundcheck...In soundcheck they did "One Of Us Is In Love" and "Fly", boy they sounded GREAT even though it was soundcheck...When they were done with "Fly", everyone clapped and Amanda said smiling and laughing, "Thanks ya'll, it's only soundcheck." I did take some pictures (of course) of them doing soundcheck... 20 minutes before showtime they took the benches off the entrance and let us in...I sprinted for a good spot and got in the 3rd row (I guess)...No seats! That didn't bother me at all! LoL! Showtime!!!! The Wilkinsons opened with "Can't Do A Thing With My Heart"...I was so excited I thought I was going to cry! LoL! Now from my perfect vantage point, I had the most PERFECT view of Amanda!!! Tyler and Steve were kind of hidden by some people but I could get pictures of them. But if it's no surprise to ya'll, most of my pictures had Amanda in them! I was oh, so close to Amanda, I could look 2 feet from me and there she was! I took a roll and a half of concert pictures...Amanda looked GREAT with an orange Tweety Bird shirt and leather pants! Other songs performed were "Fly", "26 Cents", "One Of Us Is In Love", "Boy Oh Boy", "Shame On Me", "Jimmy's Got A Girlfriend", "Till You Let Go", "Hypothetically", "I'll Know Love", "1999", "The Yodelin' Blues", "Don't I Have A Heart" and a couple others that I don't know the titles to, but they were awesome songs! I was bouncing to every song that they played and feeling every note too, that's how into the music I get. When they did "26 Cents" the crowd got to sing the chorus and I was singin' at the top of my lungs! I was so elated just to be there!! I can't wait to see how my pictures come out!!!!

Fan Club Meet and Greet

We all got to meet them in front of their bus, which wasn't too far from the amphitheater. When I got up there, Steve remembered me!! Oh, how special that was! I made a ceramic plaque for Amanda, on it was Amanda, Voice of an Angel. She loved it!! I could tell she was happy, just by looking at the way she looked at it, she was smiling and talking in that voice of her's!!! Amanda then gave it to DT to put it onto the bus... Picture Time! Before I got a picture with them, I told them all how inspired I was by them to write lyrics and Steve said "That's great man!" I tried giving it to them so they could read them, but they couldn't take them on the bus, I guess for copyright reasons. I then told them that 15 of them were about Amanda and Steve said "A little inspiration there, huh?" LoL! Amanda again had a smile and the twinkle in her eyes on her face and I had a bright smile on my face too I had them sign my "H&N" cover and when Amanda gave it back to me, I believe she called me "Sweetie"...ohhhhhhhhhhh For the picture, Steve said, "Why don't you go stand next to your inspiration." I, without any hesitation did and we put our arms around each other...Now just imagine the smile I had on my face! As I was getting ready to leave to head over toward the public signing I told Amanda, "I'll be over there." And she said, "Cool, alright, we'll see you there." I left feeling very elated!

Public Meeting

Bought one of the new Wilkinsons shirts and had them sign it. When I go to Amanda, I said, "I have one last request, can I have a hug?" She said, "Sure and we hugged!! When I got to Steve, I said, "Will you send me a reply back about my lyrics?, I know you guys are very busy." He said, "We'll try." I have to send my lyrics to their management company, so we'll see what happens!!! After Everything I had kind of expected this b/c they said, they would ride some rides and while walking around, I walked over toward the Superman ride and watched for a while and you girls are going to love this: I saw Tyler coming off the ride and I got a picture of him. Then he walked over toward another roller coaster and rode that one too. He, of course was follwed by some security. No sight of Amanda or Steve...drats! LoL!

Closing Thoughts

I LOVE this close, intimate settings that I have seen The Wilkinsons in...This is by far, the BEST Wilkinsons concert that I have been too Thank you Brian for letting us use your encounter. If any of you have any stories you'd like to share email them here ----->starwarsgirls@hotmail.com

*~*Charts*~*

Album- #15 The Wilkinsons: Here and Now
Single- # 40 The Wilkinsons: Jimmy's Got A Girlfriend
Billboard: #50 - Shame On Me

*~*Links*~*

Check out The Wilkinson's online...

The Words official site Wi lkinson Wars
Wilkinson High Tracey's Wilkinson Page
Michelles website Wilkinson Village
David's Photo Album
Lynzie's Wilkinson Page wilkinson
Just Another Wilkinson Page Kyle's Wilkinson Page

Have a page you'd like linked? Email us

~*~Question Of the Month~*~

How did you become a Wilkinson's fan??

Send your answers to us at starwarsgirls@hotmail.com be sure to put Answer in the subject! We will be sure to post as many replies as we have room for in our next issue!

~*~Poll~*~

This is the Pole without Limits...We give you the question you give us your pick- Send us in your choice for favourite un-released Wilkinsons song! (and yes you can pick any of the covers they do such as One of these days :0))

Send us your answers to starwarsgirls@hotmail.com with the subject Poll....the results will be posted in our next issue.

~*~Member of the Month~*~

Do you want to be member of the month? Visit our site and fill out the form.

This months winner: David Pennybaker (is it any surprise? LOL jk David Congrats!)

Name: David and Sara Email Addy: davep@flex.net
*Current Residence: Conroe, TX (just north of Housgon)
Age: 36 and I'm not telling
*How you became a Wilkinson fan: Fell in love with them at an acoustic concert in Houston (Aug 1998)
*How long have you been a fan? 2+ yrs
*How many concerts have you been to? only 21 (and still counting!)
*Favorite Wilkinson memory: Steve dedicating "Somewhere Before" to us
Favorite Wilkinson: hmmmm, Chris (we've talked to her the most) -- but we love'em all
Favorite Wilkinson song: Somewhere Before, Oil and Water, Shame on Me, The Only Rose
*Why you should be member of the month: 'Cuz I have more pics than anybody else? (comment, I'd say he does, over a thousand, check out his page if you haven't been there latelym, for sure if you haven't been there at all! this guy takes great pix!)

Thanks for entering and sorry to those of you that didn't win this time. We will pick a new winner next month so keep those entries coming.

~*~ Closing ~*~

Thanks once again for joining the Word. We hope that you enjoyed reading the first issue as much as we enjoyed writing it. Till next time, keep on supporting the Wilkinsons..........and may the force be with you!

Tracey (President)
Michelle (Vice President)
Vanessa (Editor)
The Words Official Site -----> Wilkinson Wars Feel Free to send any questions or comment here -----> mailto:starwarsgirls@hotmail.com

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~The Word*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~THE WORD~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
care of Tracey, Michelle, and Vanessa August 1st 2000! You have been asked to be on this list, so you cannot consider us spam. If you would like to be removed just give us an email! And we'll remove you no questions asked!