CHAFFEE, Mo. – Hundreds gathered in southeast Missouri to enjoy the solar eclipse with St. Louis Cardinals legend-turned-country music sensation Adam Wainwright.

Wainwright performed nearly an hour’s worth of songs Monday at the Rock “N’ Roll Drive-In in Chaffee, Missouri, just west of Cape Girardeau.

Nearly halfway through his performance, Wainwright and visitors took a break to observe the solar eclipse. It reached totality just before 2 p.m. with the moon blocking the sun for nearly four minutes.

It’s a little different than closing out a World Series title or winning 200 games, but Wainwright says Monday’s performance ranks among his favorite adventures.

“One of the highlights of my whole life, I got to be honest,” said Wainwright. “I never thought I’d do anything like this. I feel very blessed and honored to be up here.”

What started as a hobby is now a thriving post-baseball career for Wainwright. He released his debut country album, “Hey Y’all,” on Friday and opened for Zac Brown Band on Saturday in St. Louis.

The album includes hits such as “Time To Fly,” “A Song Will Bring You Back,” and the album namesake “Hey Y’all,” which he performed at his Busch Stadium sendoff concert last fall. Many of Wainwright’s songs are about his upbringings, family and baseball career.

“I was proud to be out in front of our guys today and represent Cardinal Nation, but also rep this new album we got. I feel like it’s pretty neat. I’m glad to be able to share it. It’s my life story.”

Before his performance, Wainwright spent several hours meeting fans and signing autographs as other country artists performed at the Drive-In’s grand stage.

The crowd was a mix of Cardinals fans who traveled from St. Louis, southeast Missouri locals and out-of-state visitors. Some guests made the trip from as far as Los Angeles.

Fans stood in admiration of the retired ace as he showed once again that he still has a lot left to give. Among their comments…

“Adam is a true renaissance man. I believe anything Adam puts his mind to and his heart to, he can do.”

“I think it’s really great, especially retired athletes who have had meaningful careers. I think it’s super important for them to have something that brings meaning to them after they retire.

“I’m really excited about both Adam Wainwright and the eclipse, but I’m really excited to meet Adam.”

“You don’t usually see people outside where you know them from. You’re usually used to seeing them on a baseball field. That’s what they say, so seeing him in another whole world is unique.

As for the solar eclipse, Wainwright says this experience beats the last one that rolled through Missouri in 2017.

“Last time I looked at it without glasses on, and I had a spot on my eye for two weeks,” said Wainwright. “I didn’t do that today. That was pretty amazing, though. That was pretty cool to be able to share that with everybody.”

To stay up-to-date on Wainwright’s musical pursuits, visit AdamWainwrightMusic.com.