Incoming call. You never know who might decide to make a surprise appearance on stage these days, no matter what city you’re in. I know here at Whiskey Riff, we always say you never know who will appear at a dive bar or a small venue to support a friend in Nashville, but let’s face it… that statement rings true in plenty of other cities where music industry folks live… New York, Austin, Atlanta in the rap game, and of course, Los Angeles. And in Los Angeles, California, that statement definitely rings true during Grammy Week. Last night, the Grammy Awards were held at Crypto.com Arena, with Zach Top, Tyler Childers, Chris Stapleton, and Jelly Roll all taking home Grammys in various country music categories. But in the days leading up to the Grammys, country sensation Dwight Yoakam held an event that showcased some of the brightest country music talent while also supporting a good cause. Dwight Yoakam & Friends: Rockin’ for the Kids, supporting Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and included appearances from Charley Crockett, Lukas Nelson, Marcus King, Shooter Jennings and Grace Potter. The reason for this concert was deeply personal to Yoakam. A few years ago, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when their son was still an infant, the new parents found themselves in the hospital with Dr. Mark Krieger, SVP and Surgeon-in-Chief at CHLA, for what turned out to be nothing of further concern. That said, his time there with his son and wife, Emily Joyce, opened his eyes to the struggles millions of families across the country face as their children battle health issues. “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. Rockin’ for the Kids is our way of saying thank you to Dr. Krieger and the entire staff at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, on behalf of every family who puts their trust in them every single day.” It was clear that those whom Yoakam called upon to perform with him at the benefit knew the personal connection and were happy to appear to support such a wonderful cause. The event at The Roxy Theatre featured some legendary performances and a surprise FaceTime call from an old friend who was unable to attend. While Yoakam was on stage performing “What Do You Know About Love,” Yoakam’s wife, Emily Joyce, was trying to get his attention that a very important person was on the phone waiting for him. Yoakam stopped the tune and took the phone when he saw that none other than the Landman star, Billy Bob Thornton, was on FaceTime. “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. He’s in a hotel in his coat. Well, yeah, man, we kicked off over here. I don’t know if you can see the room… Yeah, you can see the room.” The YouTube user who shared the footage had a clear view of the phone screen, showing a bundled-up Billy Bob Thornton ringing the “Fast As You” singer from an icy New Jersey. According to the onstage conversation, Thornton was scheduled to attend Yoakam’s event, but snow in New Jersey was delaying the wrap date for a movie he’s currently filming. That, combined with flight cancellations, led to his absence from the event. After Billy Bob complains about the cold in New Jersey, he takes a moment to thank everyone who attended the event for supporting such a great cause. “Anyway, 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.” Yoakam then breaks the news to the crowd that, if Thornton were in the room, he had planned to bring him onstage to cover Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show’s “Sylvia’s Mother.” Talk about heartbreak…that would have been an epic performance. Those in the audience got a special treat witnessing this FaceTime. Check it out: The post Dwight Yoakam Stops Show Mid-Song To Answer Call From Landman Star Billy Bob Thornton: “You’re Supposed To Be Here” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.