Lady Antebellum Perform Surprise Duet With Fan, Make Her Dreams Come True
For 15 years, Tricia Van Auken has been carrying the same sign to every concert she attends. It reads: “Can I Come Sing w/ You?” — and believe it or not, it has actually worked! Ten months ago, Jake Owen invited Van Auken on stage during a performance at the New York State Fair. Then on Sunday night (June 3), Van Auken’s lucky sign worked again, when Lady Antebellum called her up to sing with them during a show in Canandaigua, N.Y.
“Lady Antebellum stopped and asked, ‘What does your sign say?’” Van Auken told local news station WHAM 13. “At first, I was thinking, ‘Are they talking to me?’ Then my sister shoved me down the stairs and said ‘Go!’”
The 32-year-old music teacher is used to singing for her students and her family, but the sight of thousands of screaming country music fans definitely made her nervous. Still, she sang the Lady A favorite ‘American Honey’ through her nerves and surprised the trio — and their fans — with her rocking singing voice. The crowd erupted in cheers as soon as her voice hit the speakers.
“It was amazing… amazing! I could hardly sleep last night and I haven’t stopped smiling all day long,” she said. “For me, it’s like a bucket list item you want to check off as a singer. If you love country music you’re thinking, ‘I would love to do this someday.’ The fact that it worked is amazing.”
It’s hard to believe that Van Auken has been carrying this sign around for 15 years, and it has worked for her only twice — in a year, no less. She plans to try her luck again at a Tim McGraw concert she’ll be attending soon. After all, you never know what could happen!
Watch Tricia Van Auken Sing with Lady Antebellum