Here are two wonderful emails that were really meant for all of you. Please help me welcome new Flight Crew Members, Jim and Margaret.
It was Dr. Douglas’ anonymous quote I used last week when I took you on a “Sunday Stroll Through My Email”. He asked Ann (anncruise) what he needed to do to become a member of the Flight Crew. She always passes the really hard questions to me. I, of course, told him to just come to the site and start reading. Then I gave it some thought and decided there was a fee to join. It was not adopted by this board, but by you, the members who have paid dearly. So I told Ann to tell him to become a member of this ultra exclusive group, he needed to tell us how he first “met” Il Volo.
So… here are Jim’s lovely membership dues.
Dear Ms. Crider,
I’m honored that you posted a portion of my message to Anna, today on this site. I hope that I can support Il Volo on their journey in life. You see Ms. Crider, they are very dear to me. This trio beamed into my heart as a brilliant healing message of my Faith at a dark hour in my grief over losing my beloved mother in 2014. This past Christmas Eve, these kids, these boys, these beautiful young men, brought me great solace from the nave of the Assisi Cathedral in Italy, where they performed a Christmas Concert in 2013. It was my first introduction to Il Volo. Their pure and vibrant voices, the joy of their talent, their gift of music and song, the absolute genuine humility of their great love of God, their families, for each other, and for those in attendance was captivating and restorative to my soul. I wept openly, from the Source of Peace. I love them with all of my heart, Ms. Crider. Godspeed, Il Volo.
Respectfully, Dr. Jim Douglas
From new member Margaret to The Crew:
I love so many of the stories and articles that have been written by so many of you over the past few weeks. They are so heartfelt and express what so many of us cannot put into adequate words. In many cases, I have felt the same feelings and emotions listening to Il Volo and seeing how they are with their families, friends and fans. It has been wonderful to see them grow up before our eyes and also to see them travel to faraway places and share their experiences even though they are at times so busy and probably exhausted. God bless them and their families and also The Flight Crew.
~~Margaret
~~~~~~~~~~
Thank you for your warm messages. Welcome aboard. We’re happy to have you both with us.
So, Here’s your hat, here’s your ears, you’re an honorary Crew-ka-teer.
~Marie and the Flight Crew
Wonderful stories. Welcome to the crew!
Welcome to The Flight Crew Jim and Margaret. Jim, your story is so touching and you write from your heart. We are so lucky to have you as a member.
Welcome to the crew! This is where we share our love for “our” three young men and where we let down our hair on occasion and get silly without anyone rolling their eyes!
Welcome to The Flight Crew and a group of very lovely, crazy and serious ladies and a few gentlemen who seem to be able to share the love of the boys and their talent without restrains.
Welcome to the Flight Crew Margaret & Jim! We welcome all IlVolovers here!!! Thank you for sharing your lovely stories! These young men captured my heart the first time I heard them!!!
WELCOME Jim & Margaret. On this wonderful site, we all share the same undying devotion to these 3 beautiful youngmen. Yes indeed, they helped me ease the sorrow I felt when my husband of 46 years left me to be with God. I start very early (4am) each day to listen to the voices of these angels. They soothe my soul and I can face the rest of the day. Again, we welcome you both.
Welcome Dr. Jim!
So nice to have a doctor in the house – to help us heal our often broken hearts when we find that the boys have been teased, ridiculed, or put down by those who are likely just jealous of their success, and have probably never even heard them sing! Because, as you know, when someone you love hurts, it hurts you, too! And, of course, when we are sad, and find out they may not be coming back as soon as we’d hoped?
So sorry on the loss of your mother, but I’m sure she is now an honorary Ilvoloangel, watching from above, her love shining down on you, and beaming that you have found such a wonderful new interest and people to console you when you are sad.
Yes, the Assisi concert was beautiful and I imagine a bit difficult for the boys, as they had to be “on their best behavior” and no fooling around! I think they had a little fun, but it was pretty controlled!
Every so often we lose a few to the “men in the little white coats” that have come and carried us away…(oh wait, you won’t tell them will you??) But we are usually back pretty soon when we are able to convince them that we aren’t really crazy, because we are really good at pretending we are perfectly sane!
I’m so glad you have officially joined the crew, as I was going to respond to Marie’s “Sunday Stroll” post, but got busy with some other things. I, too, feel much the same way you do, as we may not get to see the real impact they may have on the world. I do know I would like to at least live long enough to see them get married and have children, because I’m sure they will be the best fathers! I also hope they all have little girls! They will certainly be the apple of their father’s and I’m sure Godfather’s eyes! Can you have two Godfathers? I can’t see the guys having to choose one over the other? Of course Piero and Gianluca have brothers…
Wow, if you just found them in December, you have a lot of catching up to do! I think we’ve all mentioned at one time or another, how it’s almost like a miracle that these guys seem to come into our lives just when we need them the most. It’s like they just drop from the sky, like angels, and we think “where have they been all my life and how had I not heard of them before now?” But it’s true…
Well, doc, sit back, buckle up, and enjoy the ride of your life! It’s guaranteed to be a bumpy ride – mostly from laughing so hard at some of the posts or comments. And be sure to have a box of tissues handy – you never know when that emotion is going to overtake your senses and you just start crying for no apparent reason! But, we all know the reason…. Yes, it’s a crazy bunch, but we are one for all, and all for Il Volo!
I’d also like to invite you to join the Italian lessons that I’m trying to teach! Lol! Not sure how much anyone is really learning, but I think we are having fun trying, anyway!
Jana
A sweet welcome Jana. Everything you said is certainly true. “Ilvoloangel”, love that!
Those Angels “dropped out of the sky” for me too. How lucky for me. For all of us.
Can’t wait to see Piero’s little girl!
I loved Ilvoloangel, too! Thank you, Jana and Marie!
~ Jeanine
Kindred spirits, one and all. Welcome to this nutty, loving, remarkable group of totally devoted fans of Piero, Gianluca and Ignazio. Il Volovers, all:)
Dear Margaret,
Welcome to our crazy, little group, as the other ladies have said. I must warn you, if you haven’t figured it out yet, Marie has tagged Ignazio for herself. And the only reason the rest of us let her is because she runs the site! Lol! But just beware, there are the occasional fight that breaks out. So, if he’s your favorite too, be careful….. of course the others are fought over on occasion also!! We all seem to have our favorites!
Yes, it must be nice to have finally found your home – where everyone has the same feelings and emotions as you do. It’s a real comfort at times, if you have friends and/or family that just don’t understand your obsession (sorry, you’re not obsessed yet?) Oh, you will be soon, if you keep reading this site, it’s terribly contagious! By the way doc, we don’t want a vaccine for it… lol!
Thank you for your compliments on our stories and articles. They all come from the heart with a few little facts thrown in here and there!
When you get brave enough, you’ll have to tell us which guy is your favorite, I think we all have one, although we of course, adore them all!
Like I told the doc, sit back, relax, buckle up, and enjoy the ride! The Flight Crew will begin beverage service soon. White wine for all Ignazio lovers!
I’d also like to invite you to join the Italian lessons!!
You LET me tag Ignazio? (she says, as cold as ice.) Let me? (she repeats.) No one here “let me”. I grabbed the poor Boy all on my scary own. Don’t be frightened Jim and Margaret. Just stand back a little and keep your hands off. Oh…Welcome.
Also, to set the record straight…I don’t run the site alone. First there’s all of you or there wouldn’t be a site. Also, much of what Kelly does is behind the scenes. She is, in fact, working on a new addition to the site now. BTW, Julie (thank God for Julie), is another Crew Member whose work you don’t see. I merely try to manage the site (full time job) and all of you (RIGHT…like that’s remotely possible) and run my mouth. Like this!
Hi Crew – certainly didn’t mean to slight anyone!! I feel it a true honor to be part of this site. Who says you can’t pick your family? 🙂 Lol!
Marie, you always make me smile!
~ Jeanine
Welcome to Dr. Douglas and Margaret, from the tot of this page! 🙂
It is so heart warming to read such wonderful reviews about Il Volo ! to know that someone else feels exactly the same way that you feel when hearing them sing ! No journey is too long for me now as I take them with me wherever i go, they are now my constant travel companies and their soothing voices relax me and I am ready to face the day ahead !
Hey Jim, I just touched base with you yesterday, I think, but have to make my welcome offical. You already know that I’m a contributor on this site, and I know you will fit in just fine. We may be a somewhat older group here, but there are times you wouldn’t know it. Just like Jana said………………well, you’ll find out quickly enough. Hope you enjoyed the videos. Oh, and by the way, I go by “kitty” here, so you won’t get confused. Nicknames fit better here, because we’re family. Kathryn is just a little to proper for here. Il Volo is the head of this family, and they have made us part of their’s. Hope things go well with your relocation. Welcome aboard!
Margaret, I’d like to welcome you as well. This family just seems to keep growing, and growing, just as our love for our guys grows ever deeper. Many of us here are grandmas, and that may account for the amount of unsolicited advise they hear from us. Isn’t that what grandmas do in familes, especially Italian ones: but Italian or not, we give them affection like no other. We laugh with them, and at them, but we also cry with them when they feel down. We get more Italian all the time, and now Jana is teaching us their language or attempting to! Welcome Margaret.
Here is a note from Margaret to share:
Good evening to you Marie,
Thank you for letting me know about your posting my email. I meant every word of it. The articles posted are so lovely and as I mentioned, just really strike a chord with me as I feel much the same about these wonderful, talented young men. I only had to see the first airing of their PBS special “Il Volo Takes Flight – Live From the Detroit Opera House”, to realize they were so special. I can’t help but feel God did put them together at the same time for a reason – one being the joy they give to so many people. I appreciate the Italian lessons and feel I am learning more about Italy where my paternal grandfather was born and my mother-in-law also.
I do try to check in with The Flight Crew a few times a day and once again thank you all so much for all you do.
Margaret
Welcome Jim and Margaret,
You have come to the right place to share your love of Il Volo… Here, we are family… We love our guys, they have brought all of us from the dark into the light in one way or another… They were born onto their families as a gift from God, but when they met on that fateful day on the Italian TV show and the producers put their voices together, those three gifts from God was suddenly shared with the world to bring peace, love and joy to all who need it through their music and their loving hearts… Their movie star good looks is an added bonus..They truly are a blessing to all who love them….They are our GRANDE AMORE…
Welcome home Jim and Margaret. All of the above has been well said. The young men of Il Volo has brought light into my life also. I lost my husband after 63 years and my son when he was only 22. The guys , especially Piero, Has brought me back to life. I owe them my sanity as well. I hope you find in the flight crew site all of the compassion that these members show each other. Welcome . Buckle up . Sit back and enjoy. Joanie G
Welcome to the Flight Crew, Jim and Margaret! Others have said it much better than I can, but I, too, found our beloved Il Volo at a very low point in my life. And since then I have found light, love, and excitement that I thought were over for me. Piero, Ignazio, and Gianluca are like members of my family, so it’s like they are my Italian grandsons. Oh yes, we wrangle with others about our favorites (mine is Piero), but it’s all done in fun. Again, a big welcome to you both!
I like your new name for us, Marie – Crew-ka-teers!
a message from Jac:
Comment: I would also like to join. I have been a fan since the first Italian contest. I am 87 yrs. old and a great grandmother many times, but no one has affected me the way they have since Mario Lanza. these boys (young men) are great, and I really hope all the fame and glory does not change them as so many young celebs have been.
Ok Jac, you’re a member. Welcome! Jump right in! Hope you weren’t worried about being too young. You’ll fit right in! I think we all feel sure they will stick to their goal of remaining humble.
WELCOME ! WELCOME ! It is great to have you on board. Thanks also for the tale of first experience with this incredible passion through Music.
a response to the worry about ill-will that some people have passed on through teasing, etc. When you read about that just employ this cure: Take one dose of watching the winning night program at the Sanremo festival when they get their award or take one dose of watching when they won the Latin Billboard award and while you are watching Gianluca jump up and down and crying then your worries go away.
Our guys are well -centered and they get past the ills of the business (hey, it is a rough business. )
Of course, if some people do not treat them right, then we must kidnap them and bring them to the USA forever. (they could live in Las Vegas)
Then I would live in Las Vegas.
Me, too!!
Jac, how happy I was to hear that someone else was a fan of Mario Lanza. It was a sad day at my house when he died unexpectedly. I loved his movies as well as his singing. So a big welcome to the Flight Crew.!
Dear Crew Members:
Lol, ok, enough of all THAT formality! Hi folks, I am so sorry I am so late in getting a message of thanks to all of you for the warm, sweet welcomes you’ve extended to me. I’ve retired my practice, sold my home, corralled up my dogs (a raucous pack of nine Pembroke Welsh Corgis) and stowed away a ton of fishing gear in the back of my truck and I’m right in the middle of relocating to Taos, New Mexico. I’m going there to live in the mountains, raise organic tomatoes, angle for trout, listen to as much Il Volo as I possibly can, and write a couple of books. Right now, I’m meeting myself coming and going and Ms. Marie finally had to send me a gracious “knock on the noggin” email to tell me to get myself back over to this site to see that I’m OFFICIALLY A FLIGHT CREW MEMBER!!! Or,…..maybe that’s “officially certifiable” as a Flight Crew Member, lol. And since behavioral/neurological science was my profession for what seems like an eon of time,…I know without any clinical reservation that I’m nuts over these fellas that call themselves “Il Volvo”!!! But, it’s a diagnosis that I am unabashedly proud of and blessed by. These gentlemen are making this old world a lot better place than it was before they came on the scene as a ‘triumvirate of talent’. I believe with all my heart and soul that an Authority greater than any individual or mogul in the entertainment industry consolidated them as a collective force of love, love, and love (did I mention love?). I shared with Kittykam in a thread on another Il Volo website, that when they first sang to me this last Christmas Eve from their recording of the 2013 Assisi Christmas Concert, that I watched that video repeatedly for the next two hours enraptured. But that during the first hour all I could do was diligently try to figure out how these three boys were able to tuck their angel wings underneath their tuxedo jackets without even a ripple in the fabric! The next hour was simply devoted to giving thanks for the healing power of their ethereal voices as they ministered to me in song. I love Il Volo, and I’d fight a circle-saw blind-folded if I thought it would keep one moment of harm from coming to these precious young men. I couldn’t love sons born of my own blood and marrow any more than I do Mr. Barone, Mr. Boschetto, and Mr. Ginoble. Godspeed, Il Volo.
Thanks Jim. Circle-saw, huh? I’ll be darn. To keep the Boys safe, I think I would be right behind you! Well, that’s a scary revelation!
I hope your move is swift and easy. Have fun fishing, growing, writing, and with the pups. My wish is that you enjoy retirement as much as I do!
Tuck their wings away? But Jim, I can see them, I know you can too.
~M
Jim, you acknowledged Il Volo beautifully… We all feel the same as you… We love Il Volo and we all want to protect them as if they were our own…
To be a Flight Crew member the only qualification is that you love Il VOLO… You passed with flying colors.. Welcome to our family…
Thank you Jeannette!!! I’ll work the Coach and Economy Section on today’s flight and you take First Class for the kind ‘Welcome Aboard’ you and the others have given me,…..now,…where do we keep those little bags of pretzels and peanuts??? Ms. Marie, lol, you bet a circle-saw,…and rude critics too,…those kids are worth every ounce of support I can give them!! After all, my mom sent them to me in her stead this last Christmas. One of the best gifts she ever gave me. I’d like to share this with all of you, too. My buddies have been listening to Il Volo from my downloads on every fishing trip we’ve been on since December when I’ve been doing the driving. The last three trips we’ve taken one of them has done the driving besides me for a change, and when they get to my place to pick me up they make sure I bring “those Italian boys” along with me, lol,…..because they now pontificate we catch more fish when the scaly rascals hear the boys singing from the boat!!! Now how’s that for a “fish tale”?!? But, what is truly charming about my story,….is that I occasionally catch one of the ‘old goats’ (lol), humming an Il Volo tune when they’re puttering about the campsite! And that, Ms. Marie,..is genuinely heartwarming to observe. Thank you all so much for helping me understand this phenomenon better than I could have ever done so on my own. A special thanks to Anncruise and KittyKam for initially reaching out to me with the right directions to take in order to learn more about these three tremendous gentlemen. I thought I was the only one who felt this way after hearing them sing the first time. I could water the front lawn with tears every time I hear them perform the ‘Ave Maria’. Godspeed, Il Volo,…and the Flight Crew, too.
Dear Jim and Margaret, how sweet to hear your stories and have you join us!
Thank you, Marie, for this special blog! (OK, they’re all special!)
The Assisi concert was so heartfelt for me. I cried more than once watching and listening.
And, Jim, I Love your fish tales! I can match them with cat-tales. Playing We Are Love in a cat adoption shelter calmed jangly nerves of kitties newly put in cat kennels while quarantined. They went from agitated cries and reaching through the cages to calm curled-up purrs in about 10 minutes!
Come to think of it, I believe I purr, too,
when I hear IL VOLO! 😉
Love to all! Miss you lots, and so glad to check in!
Say a prayer for my family, if you will. One member just had a biopsy. Another is having surgery next week. And more.
God’s grace and Grande Amore.
~ Jeanine, Compassion’s Doorway
Hi Jim & Margaret I just discovered you have joined our Flight Crew. Welcome & congratulations you both are in the right place. You are a man after my own heart Jim by reiterating how you will stand up for these wonderful young men. That is what I did for one of them a while ago by writing a couple of letters to a few people defending the hurt he was feeling. I think they made a difference because I got 2 responses & things seemed to change for that young man.
These young men are the same age as my grandson & I will do anything I can for him & I feel the same about Il Volo. There are no other singers on the planet as good & wholesome as they are. My heart overflows with love for these young men & especially Ignazio.
I am glad you Jim & |Margaret feel the same way as we all do. Have fun blogging.
It is wonderful to read the messages from Jim and Margaret. Jim, my introduction to Il Volo is very similar to yours. I lost 2 sons 6 weeks apart and felt as though I had lost my mind, my soul and my heart. five months later, I first heard Il Volo by a fluke. I was channel surfing and nothing seemed interesting until I happened to stop on the public TV station and Il Volo was singing. Their voices and personalities were amazing. After just a few songs, my stress, tension, sorrow were eased away. I could feel myself relax for the first time in months. I believe these three young men, and they were very young in early 2012, are a gift from God for healing broken spirits. I have heard many others tell similar stories after finding Il Volo. My best to you as you heal from grief.
God Bless You, Ms. Bolin. I am so very sorry for your loss and so very honored that you shared it with me in this way. God walks the dark hills of our loneliness and despair, and sends the light of His Grace to lead us out into the world we must continue on in until the reunion is prepared for our arrival. These boys brought me out of my darkest hour, and nothing else need be said about it. I am here today and Il Volo are bound to me through the purest form of Love. Godspeed, Ms. Bolin.
And blessings to you, Jan!
I’ve never heard Our Guys say they were named IL VOLO (the flight) after the flight of the angels, but I do believe that must be true. So many of us soar into a peaceful happy state with their glorious music, their magnificent hearts, and their deLightFull personalities!
Loving peace,
~ Jeanine, Compassion’s Doorway
From Sandi:
I, too, am an IL Volo lover…perhaps a better description, an IL Volo lover Grandma. I am an mature teacher who has worked with teenagers for many years. I observed years ago that teenage boys were very much like “squirrels in boy suits”. I have loved, guided and at times, chewed on the ears of many of these “squirrels”. I was so enamored with the young men of IL Volo when I first saw them on PBS. They were such a endearing bundle of talent, energy, joy, and young teenager charm that it was love at first sight! I have followed them via twitter and then, I found all of you…my kind of people! Thank you so much. I hope I can be a useful member and friend who is most willing to support and nurture these delightful and inspiring young men. Sandi
Something is happening here! Something almost beyond explanation. It seems to me that we are suddenly welcoming more and more crew members into our family. I am very proud to be able to contribute here, and to have been asked, but I’m even more so now because this site encourages mature fans to feel comfortable voiceing their thoughts, appreciation, respect, and deep admiration for three young men who are giving hope, and joy, by doing nothing more than being themselves. They are able to convey feelings, relate experiences, and make friends without the fear of being laughed at or made to feel strange. The majority of us here, have grandchildren, or even great grandchildren, and at times have said that they care for, and even worry about these young ones as if they were. Not only has it been said that a Grandmothers love must be earned; but once earned, it will always be. I’ve been asked several times why Grandma aged ladies love Il Volo so much. Isn’t that a bit out of the ordinary? My answer has always been: It’s because we ARE Grandmas. We have lived long enough to recognize good from not, and appreciate it when we see it. Kindness, compassion, manners, rank high in our assessment, and have been sorely lacking by todays standards. When we see it, it’s applauded, and cherished. Those young men display, to us, what is the important things that go far beyond even beautiful voices, and looks. God has outdone himself in the creating of these three. Instilling them with qualities that we readily recognize, and never ignore. Because of this, they are gaining, and gaining the adoration they deserve, without even having to try. We do love them!
Kitty, I agree with every word you said. We cherish our raggazzi for who they are and what they represent as well as for their awe inspiring talent.
Ah friend, Kitty…
“Something is happening here…” What a great opening line to speak to the amazing spirit of our Sharing-the-Love Flight Crew and our Amazing Soaring Ragazzi!
Life is good.
Love and gratitude to all,
~ Jeanine, Compassion’s Doorway
Hello! Jac and Sandi, welcome to our family. Please feel free to join in these get togethers often, as we never tire of everyone sharing in our expressions of love, gratitude, and respect for these special young men. Blessings to you, Kitty
I first saw il Volo when they made a guest appearance on American Idol. Shortlly after that, I lost four sisters, one every year after that. My best lifelong friends. I was in a terrible mental state for long time and had to take meds and had counselling. Listening to them every day and following their careers have brought me to this new family. I cannot thank them enough. I listened to them sing “Smile” every day. It made me cry every time but it really helped me through this period in my life. Grazie to il Volo and The Flight Crew.
Dr. Jim and Margaret, welcome! I’m a little late to the party, but I hope to see you all around!