Lady A Detail Fan-Focused Request Line Tour: ‘It’s Legitimate’
Lady A are currently prepping for their one-of-a-kind Request Line Tour, but rather than stressing over the setlist, they're leaving that task up to their fans. The Request Line Tour (buy tickets here) will be comprised of just that: requests.
"We just want to involve the fans," Charles Kelley says. "We have a hotline that you can call and request, but we're also gonna take some live requests."
That number, by the way, is 615-882-1975.
The trio stopped by Taste of Country Nights recently to chat about their unique approach to this tour. The idea came from a few intimate shows Lady A were a part of.
"We had done a couple of like random shows like charity events where it was just us sitting around with an acoustic guitar. In those settings we kind of would be like, 'What do y'all wanna hear?'" Kelley explains. "Some of them would be cover songs. We were like why can't we do something like this?"
"It's legitimate," Dave Haywood emphasizes when asked if they are really only doing fan requests at their shows.
Fans can call the number above and ask for Lady A to add a song to their setlist at an upcoming show. While many of those calls may go to a hotline voicemail, Kelley, Haywood, and Hillary Scott are making time to answer some personally.
There are sure to be some off-the-wall suggestions, but the band say some fans just want to hear some Lady A deep cuts.
"A lot of it's like 'we celebrated our wedding anniversary, we walked down the aisle to this song' and it might be a song that was like the 12th track on our third record and not many people really know that song," Haywood shares.
"To maybe make a moment at that show with that couple and kind of dedicate it to them so we're kind of building the setlist based off of people's requests that are coming in," he continues.
"And their stories," Scott adds.
After navigating the pandemic without live shows, Lady A are ready to connect deeply with their fans more than ever — performing for your fans is a big part of an artist's DNA.
"I think we were reminded too of just how much we needed that as well as the fans need that kind of connection and live music," Kelley says of getting back on the road after a touring hiatus.
After the pandemic, Lady A's first trek was the What a Song Can Do Tour with Carly Pearce, Niko Moon and Tenille Arts. Each night on the road was a reminder of how much the band missed performing for live audiences.
"The tour that we did with Niko, Carly and Tenille, every night just felt like a win and a blessing," Kelley reveals. "Every night it was like this could be our last show of the tour so let's treat it like that."
Being in the same room strengthens the connection between an artist and their fans. After wrapping the What a Song Can Do Tour, the trio started dreaming of ways to involve their supporters even more.
"I think that tour really brought us to the thoughts and ideas for this one of just what are the ways that we can continue to just deepen the connection with our fans," Scott shares. "And sometimes that means bringing it into a smaller room making it a bit more of an intimate setting because we've all missed that so much. That connection that can only happen in a live show experience."
Lady A's Request Line Tour kicks off Aug. 13 with back-to-back shows at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. The trio will crisscross the nation visiting various theaters before wrapping things up on Oct. 29 at the Old National Centre in Indianapolis.