Joe Nichols performs on stage at Country Summer 2014 in Santa Rosa, CA. (Photo: Vincent Mulligan)
It was a terrible story. A Rancho Cotate High School Senior, a month from graduating, dies in a car crash. Not from a drunk driver, or a treacherous storm, but because Llano Road in Santa Rosa is too narrow and bumpy for a speeding car.
Sadly, in May 2014, that was Ashley Carlson from Rohnert Park’s story. I remember seeing the story when it happened and just thinking how senseless it seemed. One of those where you really wonder how that’s part of God’s or anybody’s master plan, if you believe in that sort of thing.
In the following weeks, I received an email from one of Ashley’s friends, asking if Joe Nichols could mention her on-stage at Country Summer because her favorite song was “Sunny and 75”. I kindly said I’d ask, but I did not think anything would happen. We adore all the performers we work with! But country concerts are a lot more scheduled than you’d think. Often there are just simple logistical reasons why shout-outs can’t happen and that is OK.
So I was very excited to see an email back from Joe’s record label that said “Yes, he absolutely wants to do this.” What’s more, Joe wanted to meet with Ashley’s family before the show and learn a little about who she was.
The day of the event Joe spent time with Ashley’s sister, her boyfriend, Mohamad, and her father Dennis. “It meant the world to my family,” her father said. “When he played ‘Sunny and 75’, tears came to my eyes. It was beautiful moment in a hard time for us.”
Before playing “Sunny and 75” on stage, Joe simply said to 8,000 fans, “Some of you may know a young girl named Ashley Carlson. She couldn’t be here today, but I’d like to dedicate this song to her because it was her favorite.” The people in the crowd who knew, yelled with exuberance.
Nothing can ever right the wrong of a tragedy like this. But speaking with Joe after the show, I think he put it best: “If I can do even one small thing to help someone my music has touched, I do it.”
This post was written by Froggy 92.9 afternoon personality Dano.
