38 Special having its best year, to perform at Lakes Jam

38 Special, known for their classic hits of "Hold On Loosely," "Rockin' Into the Night" or "Caught Up in You," will bring their all to the Brainerd lakes area when they hit the Lakes Jam stage.

38 Special will perform at 8 p.m. June 25 for classic rock night during the three-day music fest at Brainerd International Raceway, located off Highway 371 north of Baxter. Lakes Jam, founded in 2012, is a music fest that unites country and classic rock.

"People who are familiar with us and our music will hear all of the songs they are used to hearing and can expect to hear a few surprises," Danny Chauncey, lead guitarist and vocalist of 38 Special, said in a phone interview Tuesday at his home north of Atlanta, Ga. Chauncey said the band just got back from doing some shows in Alabama, Louisiana and Texas and were off until Thursday, June 9.

Chauncey said 38 Special is having its best season this year, as all the musicians are getting along and playing their best ever.

"It's going to be fun," Chauncey said of the Lakes Jam gig.

Along with Chauncey, band members are Don Barnes, songwriter, singer, guitarist and producer; Barry Dunaway, bassist; Gary Moffatt, drummer; and Bobby Capps, keyboardist and vocalist-all who have been together for more than three decades. 38 Special has more than $20 million in sales and has won many gold and platinum awards over the years. Since 1976, the band has released more than 15 albums and have toured nonstop ever since.

Chauncey said the band is currently working on a new album they hope to release next year. He said it will be their first album released in 12 years.

"This is really exciting for us," Chauncey said. "We have 12 years worth of songwriting to pick from and we have cut our first three tracks."

The band has been "threatening each other to do an album every year, but our touring schedule is really crazy," he said. "We spend three to four days on the road and some trips are for weeks and when we come home we have two days and the last thing we want to do is go to the studio. We want to pet the dog, kiss the wife and do laundry and then get back on the road. We just made a commitment to do this now.

"We're really excited about it and feel it will be something people will be able to identify with and go 'That's a grown up 38' ... We don't want to be the same band we were in the 80s. We want to focus on us. We don't have anyone breathing down our backs for a record. Our music still gets played a lot on radio and we have a good touring career. If we do a record it's because we want to do one because we really like the music."

Chauncey said his favorite song to perform is "Fantasy Girl." He said it is fun to play as a guitarist and it has a "good feel to it," he said.

"You also can't help liking 'Hold on Loosely,'" Chauncey said. "We've played that song over a thousand times and the audience loves to hear it."

Chauncey said one of the best parts of performing is meeting and exceeding the audience's expectations. When the band gets on stage they can see the expectation and excitement on the audience's faces and they want to make sure they don't disappoint them. Chauncey said "Hold on Loosely" is always the moment where the band knows how they did with pleasing the audience.

"Watching people let go of whatever they had going on in their world when they showed up at the concert is great. It's great to be able to do that," Chauncey said. "It's a great experience.

"To be someone's entertainment is a gift ... and to have them come see you on their date night instead of the movie where you are the movie is pretty powerful and the older I get the more I appreciate it."

Chauncey, who said he will turn 60 June 19, said it's crazy when he looks back to see how long he has been in the entertainment business. He said when he started, rock and roll was pretty new. He said all the bands then were in their teens or 20s.

"I don't think anyone expects to be playing until they are old like me," Chauncey said. "You turn 30 and are still playing and you turn 40 and are still playing ... Paul McCartney is still playing and won't stop."

Chauncey said the Beatles had a huge impact on his life and the reason why he wanted to go into music. He said the Beatles was the first band he heard on the radio and their hits were always on the top of the music charts.

Chauncey said he learned to play guitar at age 8.

"I had a guitar for a long time, but never learned how to play it," the guitarist said. "I was taking music lessons and they only wanted to teach me 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' and I didn't want to play that I wanted to play 'I Want to Hold Your Hand.' So it stayed in the closet and then one day I was outside playing with it and the postman happened to be a guitar player and he tuned my guitar for me ... The light bulb went off and then got some lessons."

JENNIFER STOCKINGER may be reached at jennifer.stockinger@brainerddispatch.com or 218-855-5851. Follow me at www.twitter.com/jennewsgirl on Twitter.