Abby Walters is back. 12 years of Forever Friends Nashville, dog rescue with RARE, and Sunday nights with the Walters Band at Union Hill. Abby sits down with Trent six years after her first episode and goes back to the start. She grew up in Indiana, graduated high school at 17, and was teaching kindergarten at 21, walking out of her classroom on day one bawling to the teacher next door.
She moved to Nashville in 2010 right after the flood to sing, landed her first job at Farrago where she met Trent, and 12 years ago started Forever Friends Nashville, teaching herself to sew dog toys, leashes, and bandanas. By year ten it was a grind that didn't really make money, and she told herself something had to switch. The next day, waiting on the Biscuit Love family at table C10, a woman told her she'd emailed that week about carrying her products. A month later, wearing her Forever Friends shirt on the way to meet her newborn nephew, the woman at the airport shop counter said they'd been looking for a dog product business.
Then it gets into the dogs. The Dino's and Dogs calendar is heading into year eight, and the first year was pure chaos, the same vibe as her first day teaching. Now they dress the dogs, pick a rescue every year, donate 100% of the proceeds, and have raised almost 20 grand. That's how she found RARE Rescue, a foster-based rescue with no building, and why she's fostering Carolina, a sweet hyper pup she pulled from a concrete building on a 105 degree day. And when she's not sewing or rescuing, she's at Union Hill Trading Post, home of chicken bingo and a Sunday open mic that turned into the six-piece Walters Band. Her stepdad came for her birthday and said it best: you're right, you can't explain this.
1.Who is Abby Walters?
A Nashville singer-songwriter, bartender, and dog advocate who founded Forever Friends Nashville 12 years ago.
2. What is Forever Friends Nashville?
Abby's handmade dog product company making toys, leashes, and bandanas, now carried at Biscuit Love, the Nashville airport, Bates Nursery, and Carter Vintage Guitars.
3.What is the Dino's and Dogs calendar?
A yearly dog calendar shot at Dino's Bar and Grill in East Nashville that donates 100% of proceeds to a rescue and has raised almost $20K.
4.How can you help RARE Rescue?
Follow them on Instagram, volunteer at events, foster, or join the Good Humans Club for $5 to $1,000 a month, and help raise $2,000 to unlock another $1,000 for their spay and neuter grant.
5.Where can you hear Abby sing?
Sunday nights at Union Hill Trading Post with the Walters Band, which she calls the every single week tour.
Where to find Abby Walters
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbywalters1/?hl=en
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5yTqhT4uBRadtQlJFZkJGr
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/abby-walters/1440331613
Where to find Furever Friends:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fureverfriendsnashville/
Website: https://www.fureverfriendsnashville.com/
Where to find Spread The Positive:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spreadthepositive.net
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spreadthepositive/
Website: https://www.spreadthepositive.net/
