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Andrew Watt, from left, Duff McKagan, Chad Smith, Post Malone and Slash perform "War Pigs" during the in memoriam tribute for the 68th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, in Los Angeles.

Chris Pizzello, AP Photo

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Spanish Fork Mayor Mike Mendenhall is pictured Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, at the Spanish Fork Fairgrounds.

Jacob Nielson, Daily Herald

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Spanish Fork Mayor Mike Mendenhall is pictured Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, at the Spanish Fork Fairgrounds.

Jacob Nielson, Daily Herald

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Spanish Fork Mayor Mike Mendenhall was watching the Grammy’s at home with his family Sunday night, anticipating the Ozzy Osbourne tribute, when something of the utmost improbability occurred.

The intro of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” began playing, and out came Post Malone, wearing something Mendenhall’s son immediately recognized — a camouflage Spanish Fork Fiesta Days Rodeo hat.

“My 9-year-old’s like, ‘He’s wearing the Fiesta Days hat, dad!’ So then we all went nuts,” Mendenhall said.

The wardrobe choice from the popular singer and rapper, who notably resides in Utah, sent the Spanish Fork community into a frenzy. Mendenhall’s phone ran out of battery power because of all the texts he was receiving, and on social media, people expressed excitement to see their hometown represented at what is arguably music’s biggest stage.

The hat was given to Post Malone by Mendenhall himself — along with a a belt buckle — when Post Malone attended the Fiesta Days Rodeo last July.

It was a visit that left quite the impression on the mayor, who said the city was given just a day’s notice of Post Malone’s arrival and that he simply wanted to hang out with the cowboys and pull rope.

“We asked him, ‘Do you need anything from us?’ He was like, ‘No, I just want to come hang out,'” Mendenhall recalled. “So he hung out all night and signed thousands of autographs for fans that were just going crazy, kids especially.”

Whether wearing the free hat seven months later was a calculated move by Post Malone or not, Mendenhall said he had no idea. He remembers the entertainer being incredibly grateful upon receiving it at the time.

“He said, ‘Mayor, you don’t have to do that,'” Mendenhall said. “And I said, ‘Well, I know I don’t have to do that, but welcome to Spanish Fork. You’re making this night a big deal. We appreciate you coming.’ As soon as I gave him the buckle, he took off his belt buckle he was wearing, gave it to a gentleman that was with him and put on our belt buckle.”

Post Malone did not wear the hat at the rodeo — because he was donning a cowboy hat — but he made sure to put it on later, at the Grammy’s, in front of millions of people.

“The Grammys is a place where a lot of people like to make statements,” Mendenhall said. “If his statement was, ‘Here’s one of the best rodeos I’ve ever been to,’ that’s a pretty good statement to make at the Grammys.”