Released as a single in 1990, it went to No. 1 and became the song many fans call his signature. Written by Tony Arata, it’s about looking back on something that ended in heartbreak and deciding it was still worth it.
Years later, that song found Kelly Clarkson at just the right time.
Kelly was going through a painful divorce and struggling to make sense of it all. Then, one day, “The Dance” came up on her playlist.
“I was like, ‘No, that’s the thing. That’s it,’” she later told Garth.
In 2021, Garth was honored at the 43rd Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C., for his lifetime of music. And Kelly was asked to sing for him.
She admitted she was terribly nervous. She’d been texting Garth’s wife, Trisha Yearwood, before the show. Then she walked on stage and saw them sitting there.
What came next was breathtaking.
Kelly sang “The Dance” softly at first, then let that famous voice soar. In the audience, Garth sat with his hand pressed to his face, close to tears. Trisha sat beside him, just as moved.
Afterward, Garth said it best: “It’s just so pretty. That woman is a true friend to a song.”
What song has helped you through a hard time? Share it in the comments.
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