Donny Boaz was one of the last actors to join The Young and the Restless before Corvid-19 shut Hollywood down. The Waxahachie, Texas born actor was immediately thrown into the fire, with instant story and demanding scenes, and he more than proved to be up to the task. Now that Y&R is one again taping and airing new episodes, Donny is one again in the thick of things as Genoa City’s Phillip Chancellor IV – that’s ‘Chance’ to you.
If Donny looks familiar, you might be surprised to know it is probably because you love country music. “I’ve got to work with some great country music artists,” Donny tells HollywoodHI. Among them, a singer with the song that Rolling Stone ranked #57 of the 100 Greatest Country Songs of All Time. “Eric Church had a song called Springsteen and I’m in the video,” he says modestly. The song became a country classic, selling more two millions copies when it was released in 2012 – and the video has been viewed considerably more. “That’s probably the most watched thing I’ve ever done,” he says with his Texas grin. “I think it has over 60 million views,” and counting. The single reached #1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, and reached #19 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Church’s first song to enter the top twenty. The video shows the singer performing, while Donny and and an actress portray a young couple struggling through a rocky relationship.
The song, which is actually not about Bruce Springsteen, was nominated for two Grammy Awards – Best Country Solo Performance and Best Country Song in 2012. It’s #57 placement on the Rolling Stone 100 Greatest Country Songs of All Time, puts it right between Carrie Underwood’s Before He Cheats (#58) and Jeannie C. Riley’s Harper Valley P.T.A. – and for those who love country music, you’ll be happy to know that at the top of the list is Johnny Cash’s I Walk the Line at #1; Patsy Cline’s Crazy at #2; the Hank Williams tune I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry at #3; and checking in at #4, the great George Jones, and what many consider the greatest country song ever written, He Stopped Loving Her Today.
“I love country music,” says Donny. “I did another music video, No Good Place to Cry, and I’m telling you, ain’t nobody has got a voice in country music like Randy Houser.”
And Donny knows his country music, too! “I grew up on Garth Brooks, George Strait, Tim McGraw, John Michael Montgomery, Tracy Lawrence, and Brooks and Dunn.” And don’t think that he’s let all those combined hours listening to songs about renegades, rebels, rivers, rain, and ragtops, go to waste. “It wasn’t until I became an actor and was required to sing in films and on tv that I took lessons I never saw myself as much as a singer growing up,” he says, somewhat modest. So, could there be recordings and record releases in the future? “I can sing – a little bit,” he winks.
– Jim Warren
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