Just a few years ago, Dwight Yoakam found himself in a children’s hospital with a team of doctors huddled around his son. With his wife, Emily Joyce, by his side, the couple could only stand by and watch. Thankfully, Yoakam’s son recovered. But that moment never strayed too far from the singer’s mind. Wanting to help those kids and parents who find themselves in the same position, Yoakam helmed a concert to raise funds. But during the show, fans were shocked when the singer paused his song to welcome Billy Bob Thornton to the stage – well, somewhat.
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Kicking off the Dwight Yoakam & Friends: Rockin’ for the Kids, the show consisted of Lukas Nelson, Marcus King, Shooter Jennings, Grace Potter, and Charley Crockett. With proceeds from the concert going to fund the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, Thornton added his name to the performance list. But when the show started – the actor was missing.
During his performance of “What Do You Know About Love”, Yoakam received a call. Picking up his phone, he saw Thornton. “Hey, man. What are you doing? You’re supposed to be here, but where are you? New Jersey, bro. Are you in your hotel room or are you outside? Mr. Thornton, who presented tonight with Mick G and me, is stuck in New Jersey in the ice storm.”
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Dwight Yoakam Admits “That Experience Never Left Us”
With Mother Nature keeping Thornton from attending the concert, the actor still wanted to help the cause. Looking at the crowd from his phone, he thanked those who helped support the children’s hospital. “I just wanted to say that for the Children’s Hospital of L.A., this is a great thing that you are doing. I’m so happy that you all are doing… Thank you all for showing up for this cause, because that’s what we’re here for. We are here to help the future generation.”
Recalling his own past, Yoakam nremembered the families he met who faced crushing odds. “When you walk the halls of a children’s hospital, it changes you. It puts all of life in a very graphic perspective. As Emily and I were there with our own child, we saw so many families facing battles no one hopes to ever have to endure. And while we were fortunate to not face those challenges, that experience never left us.”
Using that moment to launch a concert series aimed at giving back, Yoakam turned a deeply personal experience into a mission to support families walking similar hospital hallways.
(Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)
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