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Ron and Natalie met in the Spring of 1983 during Natalie's temporary—or so she thought—visit to Beaufort to care for an ailing grandmother who had recently relocated there. She heard Ron singing in a local church, and after she had decided to stay for awhile, they began singing in a contemporary Christian music quartet. In November 1985, they married and have continued to be partners in every sense. The couple's joint performances began à la Ruby Dee and Ozzie Davis, presenting dramatizations with songs of poetry and literature. Ron, a St. Helena Island, South Carolina native, and Natalie, who hails from Syracuse, New York, soon afterward began to tour their show "Sea Island Montage," an outgrowth of Ron's 1986 book, Reminiscences of Sea Island Heritage. Their performance was based on stories culled from oral histories of elderly St. Helena Island residents Ron had documented while he was a reporter with The Beaufort Gazette. The two performed nearly forgotten spirituals, told tales of Gullah customs like "seekin' religion" in the wilderness, and of Gullah folk medicine beliefs and superstitions. Their performances, writings, and recordings validated the rich history of the Gullah people to numerous audiences during nearly a decade. In 1996, Governor of South Carolina David Beasley individually presented Ron and Natalie with the Palmetto Award—the highest honor given by the state. In 1997 Ron and Natalie were the recipients of the Folk Heritage Award given by the South Carolina Legislature. The award recognizes lifetime achievement and the demonstration of excellence in folk arts which have enriched the lives of the people in their community and the state. Gullah Gullah Island, the Nick Jr. TV show in which the couple starred as "Miss Natalie" and "Mr. Ron," was named as one of the 10 best children's shows by TV Guide in 1996. In 1997 it was nominated for a daytime Emmy in the outstanding preschool series category. The show has been twice nominated for the NAACP Image Award and has won two Parent's Choice Awards. Upon ending production of Gullah Gullah Island in 1997, Ron and Natalie continued to captivate sold-out audiences throughout the country as they toured the Gullah Gullah Island Live! performance with Binyah Binyah Polliwog. They were donned "the Smashing Pumpkins of the pre-school set!" Individually and collectively, Ron and Natalie continue to believe in, pursue and achieve dreams. Miss Natalie's Workshop, featuring whimsical Gullah Island gifts and handcrafts is maintained by Natalie. Products handpainted and handcrafted by her are available here. In February 2000, Ron premiered Sweet Surprises, a music production of original one-of-a-kind love songs! Ron is creator, songwriter and star performer. The production, available for bookings, is a "A Feel-Good Theatrical Celebration of Love, Friendship, Passion and Joy!" For a sampler, go to What's New. In Dream Seeds, their production-in-development, Ron and Natalie delight audiences with songs and stories about the wonder of making dreams come true!
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