McEntire gives down-home performance of old and new hits
by: Jim Kiest
Express-News Staff Writer
Reba McEntire has had success on Broadway and prime-time TV, but she started her career in the rodeo. And she still looked at home there Saturday afternoon, casually dressed in a shimmering black tank top and jeans, as she opened the first of two shows with the up-tempo "So Good Together."
McEntire's polished, powerful eight-piece band was packed into half of the circular stage. That gave her room to move and dance a bit during her 15-song set, which stretched from "Whoever's in New England" to her current album, "Room to Breathe."
The sound was commercial country stopped just short of slick by McEntire's still notable Oklahoma drawl.
McEntire probably spends as much time acting as singing these days. So it's no surprise the show was liveliest during a couple of juicy blue-collar melodramas, "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia" and Bobbie Gentry's "Fancy."
Halfway through, the show was stopped to introduce college students who received scholarships last year in McEntire's honor after she rode to the rodeo's rescue when Alabama called in sick. Nobody seemed to mind the interruption, which gave folks the chance to applaud the spirit of the rodeo.
"I learned a lot" in college, McEntire told the students. "A lot I learned wasn't in the textbooks, but I sure did learn a lot."
After that it was back to work. Highlights of the concert's second half included "Somebody," McEntire's most recent No. 1 hit, and a bluesy medley of "Take It Back" and "Why Haven't I Heard From You?" that gave the band and the fans a chance to shine.
McEntire returns to the stage after the final rodeo performance of the year at 2 p.m. today.
-Submitted by Vicki Tkach
CLICK HERE to discuss in our forum.
Express-News Staff Writer
Reba McEntire has had success on Broadway and prime-time TV, but she started her career in the rodeo. And she still looked at home there Saturday afternoon, casually dressed in a shimmering black tank top and jeans, as she opened the first of two shows with the up-tempo "So Good Together."
McEntire's polished, powerful eight-piece band was packed into half of the circular stage. That gave her room to move and dance a bit during her 15-song set, which stretched from "Whoever's in New England" to her current album, "Room to Breathe."
The sound was commercial country stopped just short of slick by McEntire's still notable Oklahoma drawl.
McEntire probably spends as much time acting as singing these days. So it's no surprise the show was liveliest during a couple of juicy blue-collar melodramas, "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia" and Bobbie Gentry's "Fancy."
Halfway through, the show was stopped to introduce college students who received scholarships last year in McEntire's honor after she rode to the rodeo's rescue when Alabama called in sick. Nobody seemed to mind the interruption, which gave folks the chance to applaud the spirit of the rodeo.
"I learned a lot" in college, McEntire told the students. "A lot I learned wasn't in the textbooks, but I sure did learn a lot."
After that it was back to work. Highlights of the concert's second half included "Somebody," McEntire's most recent No. 1 hit, and a bluesy medley of "Take It Back" and "Why Haven't I Heard From You?" that gave the band and the fans a chance to shine.
McEntire returns to the stage after the final rodeo performance of the year at 2 p.m. today.
-Submitted by Vicki Tkach
CLICK HERE to discuss in our forum.
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