Scott Hamilton Brings Together Country Music & Figure Skating

On paper, fewer things make sense together than country music and figure skating. Yet, if you look closer, the two have a lot in common. For example, boots are used in skating, and clearly a mainstay in country music. Ice is necessary for skating, just as its necessary for mixing drinks at a country show. Both love glitter, tight pants, drama, and storytelling, and on Sunday night (November 18), the two worlds collided at in the most magical way, thanks to Olympic gold medalist, Scott Hamilton.

Hamilton hosted his third annual benefit show, Scott Hamilton and Friends, to benefit the Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation. According to the show announcement, “Proceeds from the concert benefit Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation, dedicated to changing the future of cancer by funding advanced, innovative research that treats the cancer while sparing the patient.”

The night was hosted by Sheryl Crow, a cancer survivor herself, and featured an all-star cast that included country superstars Florida Georgia Line and newly-crowned CMA Vocal Duo of the Year, Brothers Osborne. While the artists performed, they were joined on the ice by a cast of skaters from across North America, including national, world and Olympic champions. “Man, this is a crazy weird gig,” Crow remarked early in the evening. “Can I just say that right up front?… I mean, we just need to have ice skaters every night when we play! It’s so boring just playing for people.”

Florida Georgia Line was unsurprisingly one of the highlights of the night, as Crow revealed that Tyler Hubbard was the first person she texted to play the show. His response: “Hell yeah!” The duo performed “SIMPLE,” “Meant to Be” with Crow filling in for Bebe Rexha, and “Cruise” to kick off the full-cast finale. One of the highlights of the night was a performance by US Olympic Gold Medalists (and Dancing with the Stars winner!), Meryl Davis and Charlie White, who skated during “Meant to Be.”

Joined by figure skating legend Kristi Yamaguchi and Crow, Hamilton served as the night’s emcee and hype man. “You buy a ticket to this show right?… The more people that come to these shows, the more research we can fund, the more we can partner with the V Foundation, and the quicker we can cure this thing!” Hamilton shouted jubilantly, hitting the ice between performances to talk about his foundation and the skaters. In addition to his hosting duties, while Hamilton didn’t skate a full performance, he did briefly join the Canadian cast of the Thank You Canada tour in a tribute performance to David Bowie, set to “Let’s Dance”

Brothers Osborne also electrified the crowd during their performances, rocking their way through “It Ain’t My Fault, “Shoot Me Straight,” and “21 Summer.” Highlights of the show including the death-defying stunts of Canadian pairs team, Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford, who earned a standing ovation after skating to “Shoot Me Straight.” Additionally, melting the ice during “21 Summer” were 3-time Olympic gold medalists, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, who earned one of the night’s biggest responses.

Watch as Brothers Osborne perform “21 Summer” for Olympic gold medalists, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir in this video captured by a fan.

In addition to hosting and singing backup for the majority of the performances, Crow performed some of her own songs, including “My Favorite Mistake,” “Wouldn’t Want to Be Like You,” and “If It Makes You Happy.” She was joined on the ice by US Champion Ashley Wagner during “Wouldn’t Want to Be Like You,” and World Champion, Kaetlyn Osmond during “If It Makes You Happy,” making for some extremely memorable performances.

Other performers included Bart Millard of MercyMe, Steve Cropper, Eddie Floyd, Chelsea Field, and Tommy Shaw of Styx.

In addition to the great music and fantastic skating, the show was for a good cause and truly felt like a celebration of that. In the event program, Hamilton wrote, “Cancer is a disease that has found a way to touch us all…I can tell you that nothing creates hope greater than seeing the Bridgestone arena full of people locking arms in defiance of this destroyer of life.”

For more information about the Scott Hamilton Cares foundation and how to donate, visit the official website here.

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