Frankie Ballard Recalls Memorable Valentine’s Day Gig

All performers have witnessed special moments from stage, whether it be proposals or shout-outs to friends. But when it comes to the Valentine's Day holiday, newcomer Frankie Ballard has one moment in particular that stands out above any other unusual events in his career.

"I remember playing on Valentine’s Day in Michigan in a smoky little honky tonk bar years ago," Ballard tells Taste of Country with a smile. "Valentine’s Day fell on a Saturday night. So this guy comes up to me on a break and asks me if he could propose to his girlfriend on the microphone in front of everybody for Valentine’s Day."

Ballard agreed to help the guy out. When he returned to the stage, the gentleman joined the singer onstage. "This guy comes up and he was sweating, so I kind of helped get it started," Ballard recalls. "I was like, this guy has something to say, and I asked her to come up to the stage. So she comes up to the stage, he gets down on his knee, and she says yes. He puts the ring on her finger, and I play them a slow country song and they dance."

As the night progressed, the happily engaged couple celebrated, and Ballard had the best view in the house. "They were there with some friends and family. The guy had set it up and done it all right. So they start celebrating," Ballard says. "They start drinking and doing shots and they continue to party … and party and party and party! They get wasted. Everybody in the whole group gets wasted. We’re playing and rockin' out."

"I don’t know what happened, but the next thing I saw was that his fiance got pissed. She pulls the ring off, and throws it at him across the dance floor," Ballard explains. "It hits him in the chest and falls to the ground. So I witnessed the engagement and the breakup, all in one night."

Years later, Ballard still thinks back on the couple and wonders where they ended up in life. "I wonder if they sobered up and got some perspective on it," he says. "I don’t think that he did anything; I think that she was just really drunk and got worked up."

Ballard won't have any more Valentine's Day gig stories this year as he has the night off, but he is giving his fans a special gift for the whole month of February. His 'Tour Six Pak' EP is priced at $4 through his website all this month with the purchase of one other item. To order your copy of the album, which includes his debut hit 'Tell Me You Get Lonely,' visit Ballard's official website here.