While backstage at this year's epic Throwdown in Seattle headlined by Tim McGraw, Matt McAllister and Gabe of 100.7 The Wolf's The Morning Wolfpack caught up with newcomers Dalton Dover and Kassie Ashton.
LISTEN NOW: Dalton Dover backstage at 'Throwdown'
"Giving Up On That" singer and 2019 The Voice contestant Dalton Dover is not only enjoying the success of his hit single but also the thrills of fatherhood with his children and their friends seeing his rise on social media, and fellow parents in his community quickly becoming fans. "I think they're kind of eating it up a little bit now," he admits.
"At first it was really hard kind of leaving my babies at home," Dalton adds, "but now it's cool."
LISTEN NOW: Kassi Ashton backstage at 'Throwdown'
This year's Throwdown will be Matt's first time seeing "Drive You Out Of My Mind" singer Kassi Ashton on stage, but her reputation for fiery performances certainly preceded her. "It's spicy, you know... we ain't cooking with just salt and pepper," Kassi says. "You gotta have a little more than that!"
WATCH NOW: Dalton Dover backstage at 'Throwdown'
Of course, as his career continues to take off, Dalton has had a chance to look back at some of his major accomplishments. The biggest 'pinch-me' moment right now, he feels, was being invited back on stage at the Grand Ole Opry. "My debut was pretty surreal but going back to the Opry playing in a lineup that wasn't my debut was pretty incredible. That was a moment that I was like, "Holy crap! Am I really here, you know?"
WATCH NOW: Kassi Ashton backstage at 'Throwdown'
Kassi's got herself a 'pinch me' moment as well, but it may be a little more embarrassing than Dalton's. Remembering back to her 2019 CMA Fest performance, to which she brought her dad along for the shared experience, Kassi told the story of her first encounter with this year's Throwdown headliner Tim McGraw. "I'm wearing these V front, like Cher, western pants," she explains. "I made them, they're really special. Tim McGraw, being the nice great human that he is, comes in my dressing room to say 'hello, I'm Tim McGraw,' and then you salivate and try to say something... and he tells me in front of my not-sober father that he really likes my pants. And my dad goes, 'I bet y'all could switch.'" To this day, Kassi says her dad denies the conversation. "I'm like, 'that's because you were deep in the whiskey river.'"
Check out The Morning Wolfpack on Seattle's 100.7 The Wolf's full conversations with Kassie and Dalton above, and stay tuned for even more coverage from Throwdown 2023 right HERE.
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