With the Motherlode Fair going on this weekend in Sonora, I couldn’t help but laugh and laugh when I recalled that weekend oh-so-many years ago when I introduced Shane Minor on stage at the fair. A Modesto native, Shane has gone on to become quite a successful Nashville songwriter. His credits include Number One hits “Live A Little” by Kenny Chesney, Diamond Rio’s “Beautiful Mess,” and Steve Holy’s “Brand New Girlfriend,” as well as Craig Morgan’s “International Harvester,” Clay Walker’s “Fall,” and songs recorded by Eric Church, Luke Bryan, Justin Moore, Chris Young, Rodney Atkins, LoCash, and many more.

After his Motherlode Fair performance, Shane went with me to a KAT party at a Sonora bar. Shane is always up for a good joke or prank. He’s probably one of the funniest people I know. So we decided to have a little fun with everyone. I got onstage and told the crowd I’d like to sing a couple of my favorite songs for them. I managed to keep a straight face through the not-so-subtle groans because what they didn’t know was I had Shane hidden backstage with microphone in hand. As I started singing (or lip-syncing to Shane’s live singing) to the karaoke track, I somehow still managed to keep a straight face as I noticed the crowd’s reaction. They couldn’t believe it. And shouldn’t have. Their eyeballs were bulging like a roomful of Pugs. After a couple of songs, I thanked everyone and was immediately swarmed with folks coming up and saying things like “Oh my gosh Simon! We didn’t know you could sing like THAT! You were amazing!” Only then did I let them in on the gag and exposed Shane as the man behind the curtain. And we laughed and laughed.