Imagine Your Suprise & Delight!

You might know that I spent 30+ years working on the radio. I started in Top 40 when that format still existed, and moved to country in the early 90's. The first thing I noticed was that "country music" wasn't what I thought it was...it was embracing rock and r & b for influences, especially where performance was concerned. It was definitely NOT my Father's country music!

Not that there was anything wrong with his...classics from Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris and Chet Atkins can still make me smile. But this newer, fresher brand of country was more lyrically interesting and musically fun. Stars like Garth Brooks, Trace Adkins and Kenny Chesney were emerging and putting their brand on a new era of country.

And the second thing I noticed was how truly into the music and the fans the country artists are. They are a totally different breed than what I had seen in Top 40 radio. Those artists treat their fans like annoyances and treat radio people like slaves. Not fun to be around!

Imagine, if you can, being in Nashville on Sunday night. Maybe you were taking a tour of the Opry after dark, and heard a slight commotion across the alley. Maybe you were actually already in Tootsie's, having an adult beverage at a Nashville landmark.

Imagine looking up to see Kenny Chesney on stage, putting on an impromptu concert for you.

Yes, THAT Kenny Chesney...CMA Entertainer of the Year 5 times so far, the top-grossing touring act several years running, one of the hottest tickets in country music...playing tiny Tootsie's for free, for fun.

That happened this past Sunday night. Kenny Chesney, The Wailers, Mac McAnally and Kid Rock were at the Sommet Center, rehearsing for tonight's CMA Awards performance. According to Kenny, they were just having such a good time, they decided to take that show up the road to Tootsie's.

The Wailers, known as Bob Marley's backing band for years, provided the tunes. Kenny, Mac and Kid delivered the vocals and by the time the second song was being sung, the line to get into Tootsie's was wrapped around the block twice, with fans straining just to hear the fun coming from inside.

A quote from Kenny: “After we finished rehearsing, it just didn't feel like enough, you know? You get sorta ready to go, and then it's over. I know that was all I could think: this should be done live, out there, so people can see it. When I asked Family Man (Aston Barrett of The Wailers) if they'd be up for playing, he was ready. You know, it's that thing of you get your feet wet…”

Makes me smile to think about the stories that those people in Tootsie's will be telling the rest of their lives about the night a superstar serenaded them by surprise.

Makes me wish I had been there, and I'll be watching the CMAs tonight, imagining...