ABC/Image Group LA If you ask the guys in Old Dominion who one of their greatest inspirations and mentors is, they don’t miss a beat with the answer. It’s Trace Adkins.
The reason why dates back to the days when the CMA and ACM Vocal Group of the Year was still struggling.
“Back in the day, man, we played some shows with him when we were in a van,” Matthew Ramsey remembers. “One show in particular, it was in Myrtle Beach at the House of Blues.”
“And he had his buses out there and trucks,” Matthew continues. “And we were backing our little rundown van and the U-Haul trailer, trying to squeeze it in between his buses. We were just running on fumes.”
Little did they know, Trace was paying attention.
“After the show, his tour manager called me over and said, ‘Hey, is that y’all’s van?'” Matthew tells ABC Audio. “And I was like, ‘Yeah.’ He goes, ‘Y’all are travelin’ in that?'”
“We thought we were in trouble or something,” Trevor Rosen laughs.
“Yeah,” Matthew agrees. “He shook my hand and he slipped me $500 and said, ‘Trace saw that and wanted you guys to have this, because he’s been there.'”
“And we were making 500 bucks for that show,” Matthew explains. “We were only getting paid 500 bucks. So to double our money meant the world to us, and he has no idea how much relief that money gave us. And we’ve since told him, and it’s been a great friendship.”
There’s no doubt OD is paying the good deed forward. They’re using their music video for “Some People Do” to shine a light on their friend Jason Schneidman, the celebrity stylist who works to help members of the homeless community who are battling addiction.
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