Most people’s worst nightmare.
This week on the Dale Jr. Download podcast, Dale Jr. did his weekly “Ask Jr.” segment, the former NASCAR driver was asked by a fan about performing onstage with Kenny Chesney. It was during a benefit concert in 2003 for the Dale Earnhardt Foundation, and took place at Daytona International Speedway featuring a stacked group of performers included Sheryl Crow, Kenny Chesney, Alabama and Brooks & Dunn.
Dale recalled the weather being iffy, and not knowing if he wanted to stand side stage or not, for fear that someone might want to bring him out to help performing… something he had absolutely no interest in whatsoever.
He is friends with Kenny now and hangs out with him on occasion in Key West, but didn’t know him at all back then, and Jr. of course got pulled onstage and said he had no choice but to participate.
He still remember beings nervous, and while it was in good fun, he doesn’t necessarily look back on it and still think of it as “fun”:
“That was so long ago. I remember the weather being kinda iffy, but every band that showed up was not deterred because of the weather. and some of these bands that were in this lineup were not necessarily NASCAR fans, didn’t really know much about dad, but they were asked to be there and it felt like it wasn’t a real concert, if that makes any sense. It kinda felt like we were just throwing our own little party, but when the weather started getting weird, none of those acts were like, ‘We’re not gonna go on til the rain stops.’
Because there were electrical chords and all kinds of stuff out on the deck getting wet, potential for shock and all of those things. and everybody went forward. ‘Back Where I Come From.’ Kenny’s a good friend, see him from time to time when we get down to Key West, he might have his boat there. If you see his boat out in the marina, ‘Hey, where are you at?’ Meet him at a bar, go drink beer, have fun, great guy. Easy guy to be around.
Didn’t really know him back then, I was very hesitant to go up on the side of the stage because I don’t want to get drug out there in front of everybody, I don’t wanna sing that song or any song in front of a crowd of people. I was scared to go do karaoke at a bar after six beers.
But he didn’t give me a choice… he drug me out there, and we end up singing that song and that’s the way it goes. But I was nervous, now I can look back 20 years and go, ‘Man, that looked fun.’ No, I was nervous. And then, the other one that maybe there might not be that much footage of, he came to a concert in Charlotte.”
Jr. also told a story about getting pulled onstage during a show in Charlotte, and Kenny jumping on his back without warning… he says they almost fell into the pit, which honestly could’ve been really bad, but I feel like having to go onstage and “sing” with a professional, even if they’re your friend, sounds horrific to most people who don’t perform for a living.
I’m not sure where this footage might live, but if anyone has it… please, we need to see it.
You can watch Jr. talk about it here:
I dug up and old clip of Dale and Kenny on stage together at Sloppy Joes down in Key West, way back in 2009.
