Warner Music NashvilleDan + Shay had barely set The (Arena) Tour in motion in March before the COVID-19 pandemic brought it to a halt.

While Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney desperately wanted to be on the road, they had plenty to occupy them at home. Shay’s second son, Ames, was born in February, and Dan and wife Abby had just bought a new home.

“We moved into that house literally the week our tour started,” Dan recalls, “so it was just absolute madness. And that week was crazy in Nashville. There was a tornado…”

“So a lot was going on…” he reflects. “Had this tour continued, we may[‘ve] still be[en] scrambling to get the house ready and [to] figure stuff out.”

Of course, Dan and Abby’s new digs are also home to their beloved rescue pups.

“I feel like every decision we make in our personal lives is motivated by the comfort of our dogs,” Dan tells ABC Audio. “And we moved to a place with a little bit bigger yard, just so they could run around.”

“And I guess if you have a yard that tires out the dogs a little bit more, that really helps us, too. A tired dog is a good dog,” he laughs. “So, yeah, we got them a little bit bigger space and it’s been nice.”

Especially now that their new single, “I Should Probably Go to Bed,” has come out, Dan + Shay are more anxious than ever to get back to work.

“There’s been silver linings to it all,” Dan says. “Unfortunately, we’re missing the road, missing the fans. And we had a good thing going there.”

“But, you know, we’re fingers crossed hoping that it’ll pick back up just like it was in 2021,” he adds. 

By Stephen Hubbard
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.