The song might have been That’s My Kind Of Night, but it was Jax Underwood’s first kind of night at a Luke Bryan concert on Saturday.
The Guelph boy was hoisted up on stage by one of Bryan’s security guards to sing That’s My Kind Of Night along with the country music star and American Idol judge at Budweiser Stage in Toronto.
Jax, also known as Might Mouse by his Guelph Regals’ lacrosse teammates, stands a mere four feet and five inches tall. His father hoisted him on his shoulders during the concert so he could see Bryan. Jax was singing along while wearing his Regals shirt and hat bearing Bryan’s name.
“Every video on my phone is Luke pointing at Jax when he was on our side and singing with him,” said Nicole Underwood, Jax’s mother.
“I think Luke was more impressed that someone his age knew every word to every song,” said Underwood.
Jax has been a fan since he was four years old, so he’s had five years to learn the repertoire of songs ahead of the first concert he ever attended.
Underwood recalled driving up to Sauble Beach with Jax and her daughter Isabella. During the two hour car ride the siblings learned the lyrics to Bryan’s song Rain Is A Good Thing.
Bryan took notice of Jax and the next thing the Underwood family knew their son was standing on stage while Bryan held out his mic and Jax belted out the lyrics.
“When I got up there I was very nervous,” said Jax.
“It felt really good because we were really close to him,” he said. “I just felt, like, 'whoa! that’s Luke Bryan on stage!'”
The crowd cheered him on and sang with him.
Jax taught himself to play the guitar but singing is a little out of his wheelhouse. Although his mother said she can hear him singing in the shower sometimes.
Underwood had mixed emotions. She was shaking and crying when her son got off the stage. She was happy for him but felt sorry for her daughter because during the concert Isabella tried to give Bryan her hat but he didn’t take the hat.
Jax didn’t think too much when his mother and aunt gave him tickets for the concert. His mother thinks he was in shock. Leading up to the concert Jax said he felt nervous and happy.
The Underwood parents were only a few rows away from the stage gates with their children. They were worried they would be crushed. They took precautions and made space for them. Jax’s father considered bringing him closer to the seated section for safety. The family joked maybe Bryan would bring him on stage so Jax should stay near.
At one of Jax's recent lacrosse games, the referee asked the coach if one of the players sang with Bryan on the weekend. The coach didn’t know until the referee showed him a photo of Jax on Budweiser Stage.
How did Jax have the courage to sing to nearly 16,000 people?
If he didn’t get on stage he said his aunt would have thrown him up there.
Jax said he would be happy if that many people came to see him play lacrosse.
