A long time lurker Halien finally signed on at IDF. She's had some history with meeting the Reinharts and met Himm2 at the Chicago Hard Rock performance.
She also had the fortune to win a VERY unique opportunity as one of 10 winners to see Haley record a video at Akoo...Here is an account of her experience...very very unique
Quote:My Akoo encounter started from a post i read in another haley forum about a contest to win a chance to meet her. I sent in my text to enter the contest never thinking i would be chosen. I hoped.... as many of you big fans have been able to see her at small radio promotions around the country. I was shocked when last wednesday i received a text on my phone telling me i was chosen! I never win anything!! I think i told everyone i knew about it.
Akoo international is a TV/music company? that produces interactive videos that are shown in malls around the country. ( 182 malls). i guess they have tv screens set up in food courts with videos showing. if you look on their web site ,it says you can interact with the videos using your phone. So haley was there to record a video and 10 of us and a guest were chosen to observe this.
I brought my son and we were to arrive at 1:30pm on Friday May 25th. We arrived about an hour early, had to register our car plates with security and were brought up to the Akoo Studio by the security guard. There were 2 teenagers there with their mother (she was the driver), a father and son ( father was very nice. I talked to him while waiting) 2 guys and the rest girls looking to be around 18-24 . total was 20 of us. We were led into a waiitng area with music videos playing,and a counter filled with snacks for us. everyone was very nice, the receptionist was also excited about seeing haley and had her phone ready to take pictures too. The station manager came in around 1:40pm and led us into the recording studio. He showed us the cameras they would be using in filming. Keith and Courtney were sitting there all set up to play. I couldnt resist and said hi to Keith and Courtney ( as Tusk said he did when seeing them) they both perked up , looked at me ,like how did you know my name and smiled. i told them they were great musicians and they thanked me. 
We were then led into the sound booth where we were to observe the recording. It was kind of small and we had to form a semi circle around the sound board. So we were separated from the Musicians by a window. Haley came in to the recording studio and said hi via the microphone. Oh, we also had to all sign a media release form as they explained that a video was being made and we would be part of it.( i wasnt sure how i was part of it) anyway haley looked great as always, wearing a flower print top and tight black pants. They told we had to be quiet during the recording and that they may had to repeat a song 2 or 3 times. Her dad harry then came into the sound booth where we were and sat down.
She sang Wasted Tears first, then Free, and Hit the Ground Runnin. all were perfect the first time of course. On the second line of Hit the Ground Runnin ,her voice kind of gave out, and she laughed a little. I thought they would rerecord the song but they didnt. I didnt realize under near the end, that there were cameras recording Haley but there were also cameras in the sound booth recording us too!! A guy in the corner had a video camera recordign all our reactions to the songs. It took only about 15 minutes. Then we were all led back to the waiting room.
haley came in after about 5 mintutes. we all got in a line,had pictures taken with her, got a signed cd and autographed 8x10 photo. A lot of the girls had her sign their cell phones which i thought was kind of cute. I had her sign the cover of my deluxe lyric book too (we got the standard cd from Akoo)
And then everyone started leaving. It took about an hour total. Istayed and talked with Harry Reinhart for a while. When he came into the recording booth, I told some of the people there, "Thats Haleys dad" i heard whispering thats haleys dad-- so after some of the girls had their pictures taken with him too.
i asked harry if Haley was tired from all the travel etc. he said "Shes exhausted, but she's a trooper".I asked if she was making a lot of money. he said "it comes in and goes out, but once the money from the publishing rights comes in, " it should be good". At Hard Rock Cafe I told harry that haley looks so professional and sounds so good. he said "SHE WAS BORN FOR THIS" AMEN
So i got 2 cds and 2 pictures with her autographs. I told my son i have to keep the autographed copies and i would get him another one. HE HE my son told harry Reinhart that i was trying to buy out the stock of haley cds in chicago\\
Oh and Akoo told us the video would be ready in 7-10 days on their website.
the end
She got to witness Haley singing in a recording studio
