Supernatural Certainly Didn't Exaggerate Jensen Ackles' Singing Ability
For years, Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) was portrayed on "Supernatural" as a hunter with a hard exterior who has trouble expressing himself. A lot of his self-expression manifested in things like his insistence on fixing up his iconic car (a '67 Chevy Impala) anytime something happened to it and his love of blaring classic rock. A lot of his habits and mannerisms were passed down from his father, John (Jeffrey Dean Morgan).
As the show progressed and fans went along Dean's journey of self-discovery with him, they got to experience his growth firsthand. While Dean did go through the struggles of accepting that both of his parents were not the shining examples of good parents that he so desperately tried to make them, some of his habits never died. His intense love of the Impala never faded, and his taste in music may have become a bit broader, but it never stopped bringing him joy.
Over the years, these traits adapted to become his own, rather than the desperate mimicking of his father. In fact, music became a way for both Winchester brothers to let go and relax. Some of the show's most memorable scenes show one or both boys rocking out. The infamous "Eye of the Tiger" lipsync performance Dean gave in Season 4's "Yellow Fever" episode probably stands out in most fans' minds. Another great example is the Season 3 finale, where Dean faces the potential of actually dying and going to Hell. To cope with the reality that this may be his last day on Earth, he coaxes Sam (Jared Padalecki) into a sing-a-long of "Dead or Alive" by Bon Jovi. Dean even proclaims, "Bon Jovi rocks ... on occasion," to get his point across.
Jensen Ackles can really sing, though
While most of the scenes on "Supernatural" that include Dean Winchester singing or lipsyncing are played up for comedic effect or to ease the tension of a serious situation, it was inevitable that he would eventually be put on the spot in a more serious sense. In Season 15, that finally happened. In an episode titled "Last Call," Dean is forced on stage by Leo (Christian Kane), and they sing a duet together. Seeing Dean pulled into such a situation is fundamentally hilarious, but the solid performance Jensen Ackles delivered had fans cheering.
Movies and shows fake that sort of thing all the time, though. Making the assumption that this wasn't actually Ackles singing is an easy mistake. But earlier in 2022, Ackles made an appearance at NJCon, and he performed "S.O.B." by Nathaniel Rateliff live. With his love for singing, it should come as no surprise that Dean's amazing performance in "Last Call" was all Ackles.
In 2018, while still filming "Supernatural," Jensen Ackles further expressed his passion for music by joining forces with his long-time friend Steve Carlsen. They created a rock band called Radio Company. Radio Company's debut album became the #1 rock album in the world on iTunes when it first dropped.
"We kinda feel like we're hearing a sound that we didn't necessarily set out to create, but it found us," Jensen described the process of making Radio Company's original album in a video documenting the creative process. Radio Company's second album is available now, though Ackles has moved on to star in "The Boys" as Soldier Boy.