Aaron Watson did a good deed for a special child last weekend at the Heart O' Texas Fair & Rodeo in Waco when he converted his listeners into fans of Layla Evetts.
In a pre-concert interview, Watson promised "Laylapalooza" in honor of a 6-year-old with terminal brain cancer. The country singer delivered with a live set dedicated to Evetts.
"I'm just really going to dote on her, I'm going to be neglecting other girls in the crowd tonight," Watson told KWTX.
Watson learned about Evetts through KWTX news anchor Julie Hays, a college friend from his days at Abilene Christian University.
"It's such a heartbreaking thing that family's going through," said Watson to KWTX. "My wife and I, we lost a little girl, Julia Grace, so it just kinda started tugging at my heart, and I said 'well, let's do something special.'"
Watson also surprised Evetts and her family and friends with a special pre-show party backstage, featuring food from local businesses and custom-fit cowgirl hats from Standard Hat Works.
The group also boarded the tour bus to hear a special rendition of "Bluebonnets," a song inspired by Julia Grace dying shortly after her 2011 birth.
"The second verse says 'there's so much I can't explain such as gravity and pain, still I remain blindfolded full of faith, I kiss my angel girl goodbye, still can't help but wonder why, but I believe I'll see her again someday,'" said Watson to KWTX. "I don't know how i'm going to be able to sing that tonight so...it kind of hits home, ya know...Layla."
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Watson's retelling of a special night wasn't without a few laughs.
"I said 'am I your favorite artist?' and she said 'favorite COUNTRY artist,'" he adds. "I think Taylor Swift has me beat."
Watson went on to thank Evetts for making him feel like the most important country music singer in all of Texas.
"I just want to thank Layla for her hugs and for making me feel bigger than George Strait, so thank you Layla," he said.
