Dwayne Johnson tells Kelly Clarkson he dreamed of being a country singer at 15

It wasn't immediately obvious when Dwayne Johnson joined Kelly Clarkson onstage to sing Loretta Lynn’s 1967 hit “Don’t Come Home A-Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind)” on “The Kelly Clarkson Show" Monday, but here's the truth: It was something of a lifelong dream for the former wrestler.

See, before Johnson made wrestling and acting his career, he was an aspiring country music singer — though certainly not a traditional-looking one, as he told Clarkson during his interview on her show.

"You guys will find this surprising," Johnson began.

"I lived in Nashville a couple of times (when I was younger)," he explained. "One time when I was 15 and ... hanging out in bars, which I shouldn't have been doing, but I was already like 6'4", 220 (pounds) with a mustache, my dream was I was going to be a country singer."

Johnson, 50, explained that he would "walk the streets" while singing, hoping to be discovered. "But it didn't happen," he added.

Fortunately, he seems to have bounced back, with a wrestling career as "The Rock" and a landing roles in films like "Moana" and "Jungle Cruise" and TV shows like "Young Rock."

But singing a Loretta Lynn song on Clarkson's show was truly another bucket list item crossed off, as he noted.

"I grew up on country music," he said. "Traditional country music, 'three chords and the truth,' 'twin fiddle steel guitar.'"

And we know he's a fan, since those phrases are classic references to songwriter Harlan Howard and a song by George Strait.

"I love Loretta Lynn," said Johnson of the legend, who died on Oct. 4 at age 90. "I love Loretta, and I love country music."

This article was originally published on TODAY.com