Kevin Bacon and Kenny Loggins play 'Footloose' on classroom instruments

16 June 2026, 14:13

The actor reunited with the singer behind the iconic 1984 hit for a nostalgic performance on The Tonight Show.

Kevin Bacon reunited with the song that helped define his career as he joined Kenny Loggins for a playful performance of Footloose using children's classroom instruments.

The actor made a surprise appearance on The Tonight Show's popular "Classroom Instruments" segment, where Jimmy Fallon, house band The Roots and special guests perform famous songs using toy guitars, xylophones, kazoos and other schoolroom instruments.

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Music icon Kenny Loggins, whose songs became synonymous with blockbuster films in the 1980s, kicked off a medley of some of his biggest hits before Bacon arrived to perform the title track from the 1984 dance classic Footloose.

The upbeat performance featured snippets of 'I'm Alright', 'Danger Zone', 'Footloose' and 'Celebrate Me Home'.

The segment also included a nostalgic nod to the original film when John Lithgow briefly reprised his role as Reverend Shaw Moore.

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Interrupting the performance, he declared: "Now wait a minute. Everybody listen to me. I object to this kind of music. It's illegal in this building."

Moments later, Kevin Bacon stepped in, once again channeling his character Ren McCormack, with the line: "Jump back. Hey, I thought this was supposed to be a party. Let's dance!"

The appearance marks another celebration of the enduring popularity of Footloose, more than four decades after the film helped launch Kevin to international stardom and cemented Kenny Loggins' reputation as one of Hollywood's defining soundtrack artists.

Although Footloose remains one of his signature songs, Loggins' catalogue stretches far beyond the dance anthem.\

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During the medley, he also revisited 'Danger Zone', his chart-topping hit from Top Gun, which is marking its 40th anniversary this year.

The song made headlines last year after it was used without permission in an apparently AI-generated video featuring Donald Trump dumping excrement on "No Kings" protesters.

Kenny Loggins, Jimmy and The Roots Sing "Danger Zone," "Footloose" & More (Classroom Instruments)

Responding at the time, Loggins strongly objected to the video's use of his music."This is an unauthorized use of my performance of 'Danger Zone,'" he said in a statement.

"Nobody asked me for my permission, which I would have denied, and I request that my recording on this video is removed immediately."

The late-night television appearance comes during a landmark year for the singer-songwriter.

Earlier this year, Kenny Loggins was announced as one of the inductees into the Songwriters Hall of Fame's Class of 2026.

He joined an acclaimed list of songwriters that includes Taylor Swift, Alanis Morissette, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, Kiss members Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, Terry Britten and Graham Lyle, and Walter Afanasieff.

The induction ceremony took place at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City on Thursday last week (June 11).