Joy in the Sawdust: Carpenters Crew Member Welcomes New Baby Amid Tour Buzz…Read More…

Joy in the Sawdust: Carpenters Crew Member Welcomes New Baby Amid Tour Buzz…Read More…

In a tour already filled with heartfelt harmonies and nostalgic melodies, a brand-new note has been added to the emotional score of The Carpenters’ 2025 “Yesterday Once More” world tour—a note composed not in the studio or on stage, but in the soft coos of a newborn baby.

Mark Reynolds, the long-time stage carpenter and lighting technician for The Carpenters’ tribute ensemble “Close to You Live,” became a first-time father this past weekend. The backstage buzz that usually revolves around rigging, set changes, and sound cues took on a different tone as word spread across the tour crew that Mark’s wife, Hannah Reynolds, gave birth to a healthy baby girl on Saturday evening.

“Honestly, I’ve built a thousand stages, hoisted countless lights, and fixed more rigging than I can count, but nothing—absolutely nothing—compares to holding her in my arms,” Mark said in a video call from the hospital in Des Moines, Iowa, his eyes still moist with emotion.

The baby, named Melody Grace Reynolds, was born at 7:43 PM, weighing 6 pounds and 12 ounces, in the same hospital where Mark and Hannah first met eight years ago. As coincidence—or fate—would have it, Hannah is a pediatric nurse at MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center, and Mark had visited the ER for a minor injury during a local theater gig in 2017. Their love story began in that hospital, and now, it’s where their family has officially started.

The Tour That Almost Wasn’t

The timing couldn’t have been more dramatic. The Carpenters’ “Yesterday Once More” tour had already been a logistical ballet for the crew. Running across 38 cities in North America and Europe, the tour celebrates the enduring legacy of Karen and Richard Carpenter with a fusion of tribute performances and immersive stagecraft. For Mark, who has worked with the tribute band since its inception, this tour had initially presented a tough decision.

“When I found out Hannah was pregnant back in October, I thought I might have to sit this one out,” he admitted. “But she wouldn’t hear of it. She told me, ‘This is your dream job—go build dreams for others, and I’ll build ours here.’”

To accommodate the family’s new priorities, the tour’s management team, led by veteran tour director Lisa Peretti, restructured Mark’s responsibilities to allow for breaks between legs and backup coverage if needed.

“Mark isn’t just part of the crew,” Peretti said. “He’s part of our family. When he came to us with the news, there wasn’t even a question. We adjusted the schedule, brought on an assistant rigger, and made sure we had a private jet on standby just in case the baby came early.”

In the weeks leading up to Melody’s birth, that jet was mentioned half-jokingly—but turned out to be a wise move. After a show in Denver last Wednesday, Mark received a call from Hannah saying contractions had started. Within 45 minutes, he was airborne on a company-chartered flight, racing the clock and the clouds to make it in time.

“He Made It by Minutes”

“It was cinematic,” laughed fellow crew member Alex Chu, who helped Mark pack in a panic backstage. “He was out of breath, shaking, and yelling for his ‘go-bag’ like it was an action movie.”

According to Hannah, Mark walked into the delivery room with just five minutes to spare.

“He came in still wearing his tour hoodie, and I swear he smelled like fog machine fluid,” she joked. “But the second he touched my hand, everything settled.”

Melody arrived swiftly, with no complications. Mark was able to cut the umbilical cord and be present for the baby’s first breath. “I’ve seen standing ovations before, but none like that,” he said. “She came into the world with eyes wide open. It was like she was already listening for applause.”

The entire tour crew, scattered across hotels and transit hubs prepping for their next show in Minneapolis, paused for a brief celebration. Lead tribute vocalist Emily Jameson announced the birth during their soundcheck rehearsal, prompting a spontaneous cheer that echoed through the empty theater.

“Mark is like the pulse behind the curtain,” Jameson said. “He’s the guy who makes sure every moment on stage looks like magic. It’s fitting that his daughter’s arrival felt like one, too.”

Tributes On and Off Stage

The Carpenters’ music has always been synonymous with warmth, harmony, and familial love—so it was no surprise when the group decided to incorporate a subtle tribute to the new baby during their Minneapolis show.

During “Top of the World,” a song long celebrated for its joyful tone, the stage backdrop shimmered with a new constellation-like animation. At its center: a tiny blinking star labeled “Melody.” Only a few in the audience noticed the detail, but backstage, the gesture meant everything.

Mark, still at the hospital, watched the livestream and cried.

“They didn’t have to do that,” he said, his voice breaking. “But that’s the kind of people they are.”

Emily Jameson also added a sweet impromptu dedication during the encore: “This one’s for a brand-new voice in the world. Welcome, Melody Grace.”

Tour merch designers are now reportedly working on a limited-edition onesie printed with the phrase “Backstage Baby” alongside the band’s classic logo—a surprise gift for Mark and Hannah.

A Future on the Road?

While baby Melody is only days old, speculation is already swirling among the crew about whether she’ll follow in her father’s footsteps—or perhaps take the stage herself one day.

“She’s already got a musical name,” said sound engineer Curtis Liu. “If that isn’t foreshadowing, I don’t know what is.”

Mark himself isn’t ruling out the possibility.

“Who knows? Maybe one day she’ll be standing stage-left, running cues, or singing backup. But no matter what she does, I want her to know she was born into a community that values love, music, and craftsmanship.”

As for now, Mark will be taking a two-week break from the tour, during which assistant stage tech Jamie Tran will cover his rigging duties. The crew has organized a rotating schedule to keep things running smoothly—and they’ve even started a “Welcome Baby Melody” group chat filled with photos, jokes, and memes.

The Road Ahead

The Carpenters’ “Yesterday Once More” tour is scheduled to continue through November, culminating in a grand finale at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Mark is expected to rejoin the crew in Boston later this month, and he and Hannah plan to bring Melody to at least one show on the East Coast.

“She already has baby-sized noise-canceling headphones,” Hannah said with a laugh. “We’ll make sure she starts young.”

Mark’s return will be greeted not just with applause, but with a deeper understanding among his peers. His story has reminded the entire team—and perhaps the fans too—that behind the music and lights are human lives filled with hopes, sacrifices, and celebrations.

“Sometimes, we get so caught up in the performance that we forget why we started doing this in the first place,” Lisa Peretti reflected. “Moments like this realign us. We’re not just a crew—we’re a family.”

—

Postscript:

At press time, Melody Grace Reynolds was already receiving unofficial fan mail, thanks to Emily Jameson’s shout-out and a viral TikTok clip of the “Melody Star” tribute from Minneapolis. Tour fans have taken to social media using hashtags like #BackstageBaby and #MelodyGrace to send their blessings.

Whether or not she’ll remember any of it is yet to be seen—but for now, the Carpenters’ family, both on and off stage, is singing a new song. One that begins not with a chord, but with a cry. And for everyone lucky enough to hear it, it’s the sweetest note of all.