Dori Monson
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Bonneville Seattle is raising funds for the construction of a second Fisher House at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Tacoma and we need your help.Dream comes true for Seattle Soundgarden fan
on May 16, 2012 @ 3:08 pm (Updated: 3:34 pm - 5/16/12 )
 Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell is getting big props for making a Seattle teen's dream come true. (AP file photo) |
What an emotional rollercoaster for 18-year-old Spencer Larson. The Soundgarden fan was on vacation last fall in Orlando with his family from Seattle, and managed to score front row seats to see Chris Cornell perform at the Hard Rock Cafe. It would be the highlight of his young life. But alas, his dreams were seemingly dashed.
"We showed up there at the venue and the concert was cancelled just an hour before it was about to start because Chris had laryngitis caused by flu. Needless to say I was pretty disappointed," Spencer told 97.3 KIRO FM's Dori Monson.
But the story doesn't end there. Somehow, Larson convinced his parents to pay for him to fly back to Florida this week for the rescheduled show. And he was going to make sure he made the most of it.
"The day before we flew down to Orlando, I went up to the grocery store and bought some cardboard, got some red and black sharpies and I just wrote out a message on my sign that said 'Can I sing Hunger Strike with you?' He was probably going to turn me down, but I figured 'I got nothing to lose.'"
Far from turning him down, the exact opposite happened. Cornell not only acknowledged the sign, he actually invited Spencer on stage.
"He goes 'I'll let you come up here and sing any song. Really it's up to you, but that song is kind of special and it's kind of difficult it's something I did with Eddie'," Spencer said.
But the teen didn't back down from the challenge. He told Dori he was pretty nervous before taking the stage, trying hard to remember all the lyrics to the classic song. But once he took the stage, instinct took over.
"I was not nervous at all. I loved it. I was just enjoying the moment. thankfully I think it went pretty well."
Did it ever. Spencer more than held his own and got a rousing endorsement from the sold out crowd and a memory he says that's the highlight of his young life.
Listen to Interview: Seattle teen who shared stage with his hero, Soundgarden's Chris Cornell
Check out Spencer's Hunger Strike duet with Chris Cornell here:
Josh Kerns is co-host of KIRO Radio's Seattle Sounds (Saturday nights 7-8) and a digital content producer for MyNorthwest.com.
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