Lee Brice & Garth: “A Miracle!”

In January, Lee Brice got to sing “More Than a Memory” with Garth Brooks at a show in Boston.  Lee told the entire story of that amazing night to Country Countdown USA’s Lon Helton:

“That was an insane thing.  I wrote that song in 2007, he had a #1, I got to meet him, but at that time, I was hitting the road.  So I never got to see him sing that song live.  I was in Boston on a Friday night, and Garth was playing there that night, so this was my chance to see him sing More Than a Memory.  So I was able to go, and able to get backstage and see him at the meet & greet.  Next thing I know, he takes me in his dressing room, and we’re all hanging out talking.  In conversation, he asks me how the road is, and then he says, ‘Speaking of work, how’d you like to work tonight?’  And my mouth dropped open, and I really didn’t know what to say.  I was wondering, what do you mean by work?  Then he said, ‘I know a lot of folks here would like to hear you sing More Than a Memory, so why don’t you sing it with me tonight.’  I asked, ‘Are you sure,’ and he said, ‘Well I am gonna have to take Shameless out of the setlist, and I have to let everyone know.’  So I go to my seat, and they come get me later in the show, and they hand me a microphone.  He introduces me, I walk out, and we go.  He gave me the first verse and chorus, he sang the second verse and chorus, and let me end the song, and it was one of those things that escalated quickly.  Crazy!”

Was that the first time you saw Garth live? “No I saw one time when I was 17, and that was when I decided this was what I was gonna do with the rest of my life.  So to see it again, and be on stage with him was really a miracle, it was a one-in-billion chance, and I’ll never forget it, it was really special.”

Now I don’t remember many times where Garth has done something like that. “It’s funny because I was in the airport the next day, and I saw his promoter, so I walked over to surprise him, and he says, ‘Lee I’ve gotta tell you, in all the years I’ve worked with Garth, which is from the beginning, I’ve never seen Garth bring anyone on stage in an arena.’  Then later, he came over and said, ‘Lee I forgot, he did get one person up that I remember.  He got Billy Joel to sing Shameless.’  That’s pretty good company to be in.  Still to this day, I can’t wipe the smile off my face.   But you never know what Garth’s gonna do.  He doesn’t bring people up randomly.”

So did he take Shameless out of the set? “He did.  And he still played until 2 in the morning.”

Tags: garth brooks, lee brice

Category: Audio