Dan + Shay Sing Along With Patients At Seacrest Studios

Video created by: Chris Coleman
Photos taken by: Chris Coleman
Recap written by: Cody Hudson and Chris Coleman 

The country music duo Dan + Shay paid a special visit to the Seacrest Studios in Children’s Hospital Colorado. The group was in town opening for Blake Shelton that night at the Pepsi Center on their Ten Times Crazier Tour. Dan and Shay were greeted by a room full of excited kids as they took their seats to eagerly explain the story of how they got their start as a group in December 2012. Dan recalled that he didn’t have enough money to pay for heat, so he created a tent inside his living room to stay warm. Shay laughed as he said it “felt like something out of Narnia” and Dan reported that it gave the feeling of writing songs and playing guitar in a circus tent. 

When asked about the headliner on their current tour, Blake Shelton, Dan reported that Blake always plays basketball before the show but looks pretty goofy in his basketball shorts. Shay likes to poke fun at Blake’s age, telling him, “You’re like a grandfather to me.” Then we threw the interview to the kids; Angelina asked, “Would you rather have a unicorn, alicorn, Pegasus, or flying pink moustache as a pet?” The duo was in total agreement; the best way to go would be with a unicorn with a hot-pink moustache! One patient asked about animals and Dan described his dog, Joy, who loves to tour and meet fans. Dan even joked that Joy is more popular than he and Shay, especially on social media. A starstruck teen asked just how tall the guys are. “With or without our hair?” Shay asked without missing a beat, giving a nod to his tall hairdo. “It’s a 5-inch difference!” he laughed. 

Other kid-questions included “what do you think is the greatest invention?” With little hesitation Shay responded, “the guitar…and girls,” (which got a good laugh from the studio audience) while Dan shared that he is huge coffee fan, so he is grateful for the automatic flavored coffee machines. The kids in the studio also learned that Dan and Shay are big ping pong fans, but Shay reports that Dan is the better player. When asked what they would do with 5,000 ping pong balls they excitedly answered, “play 5,000 games of ping pong!” Dan and Shay performed their latest single, “Show You Off,” inviting the audience to sing along on the “ay-oh” parts of the chorus. There was no hesitation in playing a game that has quickly become a celebrity-visit studio favorite, Backwards Forwards. Dan went first and attempted the phrase, “Where It All Began,” (the title of their current album). When this was played backwards the studio erupted in laughter and Dan remarked it sounded like Shay’s language late at night. Dan had to retry his challenge, “Ten Times Crazier” (the tour they are currently on), after he broke down laughing while attempting the backwards version. 

Before the guys spent time taking photos and signing autographs, Dan and Shay gave a special shout out to a patient upstairs and left the kids with an encouraging message. “No matter what you do or dream, never give up on it because the craziest dreams can definitely come true!” Huge thanks to Dan + Shay for brightening the day at Children’s Hospital Colorado!