'CMT Insider': Phil Vassar, James Denton on the Video Set
"This song is about fun," Phil Vassar says. "That's all it is. It's not meant to be taken seriously. It's just crank it up, roll the windows down and just have fun with it."
The song he's referring to is "Bobbi With an I," a lighthearted ode to a guy who dresses in women's clothing to get free drinks during ladies' night at the neighborhood bar. Vassar recently shot a music video for the song with actor James Denton (star of Desperate Housewives and a native of Nashville) and Brad Hatcher (who had the honor of being cast as Bobbi).
"I wrote this song with Craig Wiseman," Vassar explains. "And if you know Craig, that's all you need to know. We sat in the house and started going back down memory lane. We started talking. One night at a club, one of my buddies showed up dressed as a woman. But he was so smart. I mean, it was ladies' night, right? Free drinks. It was just hilarious, one of the funniest things."
Vassar thought it would be a great subject for a song and music video.
"I've written some serious songs -- 'Just Another Day in Paradise,' 'American Child' and 'Prayer of a Common Man.' It's just time to laugh and have some fun. And that's what this song's about."
In the music video directed by Eric Welch, Denton is cast as a friend of Bobby -- or Bobbi.
"Originally, Phil and I were talking about me being Bobbi, which I thought was going to be hysterical," Denton says. "I really wanted to do it. But in the song, it mentions that he benches 335 [pounds], and I was like, 'Not me!'" So we got a burly guy who's a little more believable."
Vassar and Denton have been friends for several years. They're both actively involved in Share the Beat, an annual event that benefits the James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness in its work to promote organ donation programs. When Vassar asked him to be in the "Bobbi With an I" video, Denton listened to the song and immediately said yes.
"It gave me a reason to come back to Nashville and visit family," Denton says. "I haven't been here in a year, so it was a good excuse to come home."
