Chase Rice Shares Full-Circle Moment With Legendary Country Group, Alabama: ‘Dreams Do Come True’

Chase Rice recently shared a full-circle moment with country supergroup, Alabama, when he had the chance to open for the Country Music Hall of Famers at the Voices of America Country Music Fest in West Chester, Ohio. 

Rice took to social media to celebrate the milestone moment and share a sweet message about the memorable evening. 

“Saw em when I was 7 years old. Got to open for em tonight. Dreams do come true,” he wrote. “@thealabamaband thank you”

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A post shared by CHASE RICE (@chaserice)

Alongside the message, Rice shared a photo of him sporting Alabama merch, including a t-shirt and hat. 

The full-circle moment prompted an overwhelming number of Chase Rice’s fans to share their excitement. 

“OMG! What an amazing night for you! Love Alabama! So empowering! You’re on ! Happy for you! Thanks for sharing Keep smiling it looks good on you,” wrote one fan, while another shared, “I’m happy for you. That’s awesome.” 

Alabama also responded with a clapping emoji.

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Chase Rice’s appearance at the Voices of America Country Music Fest comes amid a busy summer for the North Carolina native. In addition to performing at fairs and festivals across the U.S., Rice is also slated to join Jelly Roll on several dates of his 2023 Backroad Baptism Tour.

Additionally, this fall, the “Eyes On You” singer will appear alongside Old Dominion on the group’s No Bad Vibes Tour. The trek will visit arenas around the U.S. through December. 

2023 has been a wildly successful year for Chase Rice, who released his 14-track I Hate Cowboys & All Dogs Go To Hell album in February to rave reviews. Among the tracks is the emotional “Bench Seat,” which was self-penned by Rice. 

“My buddy was in a really dark place – to the point where he was ready to end his own life. It took a lot for him to take me back to that moment, but when he told me what stopped him it stopped me in my tracks: his dog came and laid his head on his lap, and that connection saved him,” Rice explained ofthe inspiration behind the song. “I wrote this song by myself with the point of view from the dog’s perspective – which might not be obvious right away – and what that moment might have meant for the two of them if not for that intervention.”

He brought the song to life with a powerful music video, directed by Kaiser Curringham. The seven-minute-plus clip plays out like a short film spotlighting mental health.

“For the first time in my career, I could envision the whole video as I was writing the song,” Rice explained. “I wanted to shine a light on the topic of mental health because this is something that makes way too many people feel alone and especially when addiction becomes part of the picture, one bad moment can have horrible consequences. I personally know how hard it can be to ask for help when you need it. I hope this helps start a few more conversations and helps people know they really aren’t alone.”

“When my friend was in that moment, it was impossible to see anything but the heaviness. He was able to get the help he needed, though, and now he’s living a beautiful life and starting a family. That’s what this video is really about – showing you the potential for a happy end to the story if you are able to find a way to get help through the dark times.”

According to a press release, the “Bench Seat” music video has been selected for 16 film festivals. It’s taken home six awards while being named a semi-finalist and a finalist twice each – and counting.

This video will likely also be a contender for the coveted Music Video of the Year title at the upcoming CMA Awards, however, those nominations have yet to be revealed.