It’s back-to-school time for a lot of kids across the country, and when Charles Kelley of Lady Antebellum thinks back on some of his school memories, one that stands out the most is the day he realized he wanted to perform on stage in front of people. Charles says, “The first time I ever performed, actually was at a pep rally for this guy named Will and he was running for class president. And our band, and I played drums, and we came up with a creative twist on ‘We Will Rock You’ to ‘Will Will Rock You.’ And I was playing drums, so you know, it was pretty easy. It was, “Will will will will Rock You.”
Charles and Dave Haywood actually grew up together and went to school together, so Dave remembers that day. It was a pep rally, and for Charles, just being on stage and having people cheer for his band was an amazing feeling. And he says, “After the pep rally, then we go back in our classroom and I had like all these people are like, ‘Dude! I didn’t know you played the drums.’ And I was like, this feels cool. Whatever this is, I want more of.”
Thirteen years into his career with Lady Antebellum, Charles has definitely gotten a lot more of that feeling. In fact, net week, Lady A, whose current single, “What If I Never Get Over You,” is sitting just outside of the top 20 on the charts, will get a lot of that feeling when they head back to Las Vegas next week to play the final five dates of their residency at the Palms Casino Resort.
Lady Antebellum – school memories :39
“I definitely have some school memories. The first time I ever performed, actually was at a pep rally for this guy named Will and he was running for class president. And our band, and I played drums, and we came up with a creative twist on ‘We Will Rock You’ to ‘Will Will Rock You.’ And I was playing drums, so you know, it was pretty easy. It was, “Will will will will Rock You.”
Dave Haywood – “I remember that. I was there”
Charles – And I remember that and I remember it was the most amazing feeling, like after the pep rally, then we go back in our classroom and I had like all these people are like, ‘Dude! I didn’t know you played the drums.’ And I was like, this feels cool. Whatever this is, I want more of.”