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West Palm Beach Photos

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Photos by: Wonda Couturier

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Two Hats and a Redhead Tour Continues Through Early Summer

Craig Shelburne

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The popular thing in touring lately is to package two bands from the same era -- the '80s, usually -- and then target the thirtysomethings who don't mind shelling out the bucks for a night of big-haired nostalgia.

Reba McEntire's first No. 1 hit came in 1982, but only a few country acts from that era are on still on the radar. However, George Strait is bigger than the sheds, Alabama's off the road for good and Ricky Skaggs is doing bluegrass fulltime. So, who to invite?

It would be hard to imagine either Terri Clark or Brad Paisley turning down the chance to work with McEntire. These two hat acts -- and that term is meant here that in the most flattering way -- have loyally followed the musical path blazed by McEntire, retaining elements of traditional country music in a format that's constantly evolving. So, naturally, they both accepted the invitation, thus forming the Two Hats and a Redhead tour, which will travel through the U.S. this spring and early summer.

In other words, the concert is not intended as a night of nostalgia, even though McEntire's set list will likely shuttle you back into previous decades on a few occasions. During a Sunday night (April 24) show at the Sound Advice Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, she ultimately proved that no matter what she has accomplished in her astounding career so far, her string of memorable hits will remain her crowning achievement.

Wearing a sparkling white blouse and glittering black slacks, McEntire focused on the music. In fact, every member of her top-notch road band was featured in a solo and not just during the introductions at the end of the set list. She also remains an incredibly poised and distinctive singer, whether she's drawing out "You Lie" into multiple syllables -- so fun to watch on the big screen -- or zipping through "Love Revival."

She relies on her latest album, Room to Breathe, for many of the show's highlights. "He Gets That From Me" incorporates her heartbreaking music video, while sepia-toned pictures of sisters are projected onto the enormous shuttered doors during "My Sister," which is quite possibly the longest phone message ever. But "Moving Oleta" is the real showstopper. In the expertly written song, an elderly gentleman cares for his wife who has Alzheimer's, all the while fighting back the inevitable anger and hurt the disease can bring to families. Like Vince Gill's "Go Rest High on That Mountain," it hits you where you live, and there's a sense of inherent drama in the melody that McEntire can deliver like no other.

There's no question she's a superstar on her own merit, but McEntire also seems to know the value of surrounding herself with excellence. This goes for listening to songwriters who know what they're doing, to hiring a road crew that makes it look so easy. (Substantial praise must be given here to the very capable lighting team that kept the show visually interesting without ever intruding or showing off.)

With hits like "Celebrity" and "Me Neither," Paisley has a knack for choosing fun songs that fit perfectly in outdoor shows. The giant screen behind him (framed within the outline of a red amplifier) visually complemented the fun instrumental, "Make a Mistake With Me," as well as the harrowing, award-winning "Whiskey Lullaby." He also previewed his upcoming single, "Alcohol," told from the perspective of its title subject.

But the crowd seemed to perk up the most on the tongue-in-cheek "I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin' Song)," which the teenager behind me knew all the words to. Actually, every time I glanced her way over the course of the night, she was grinning and singing along. And that's cool, because in 15 years -- when Paisley is the headliner bringing out the new hat acts -- that same teenager will probably be sitting there with her kids thinking, "Dang, that guy has had a lot of really great tunes."

Likewise, Clark's good-time attitude and laidback demeanor are ideally suited to lounging in the sun with buddies. Ever since the beginning of her career, Clark has made no bones about being a huge McEntire fan, and Clark's elation is obvious when she strolls on stage for the encore. You can almost read the thought-cloud over her head: "Am I really getting to do this?" Best of all, she's more than just holding her own out there.

McEntire's contributions reach further than just show biz, of course. A longtime supporter of charitable causes, she has teamed with a Whirlpool for this tour to raise money and awareness for Habitat for Humanity, a non-profit organization that builds houses for people in need. In turn, those people will help build houses for other families. One dollar of each ticket price benefits the organization, and Whirlpool donates a refrigerator and oven range to each new home.

Meanwhile, McEntire's fans can be thankful that, despite her far-reaching accomplishments, she is still comfortably at home in country music.

SET LIST

Reba McEntire

"So Good Together"
"The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter"
"Whoever's in New England"
"I'd Rather Ride Around With You"
"You Lie"
"The Nights the Lights Went Out in Georgia"
Medley: "I'm Gonna Take That Mountain"/"Little Rock"/"Rumor Has It"/"Walk On"/"Can't Even Get the Blues"
"Somebody"
"Moving Oleta"
"Love Revival"
"He Gets That From Me"
"The Fear of Being Alone"
"I'll Be"
Medley: "Take It Back"/"Why Haven't I Heard From You"
"My Sister"
"I'm a Survivor"
"Is There Life Out There"

Encore
"Fancy"
"Does He Love You"
"Oklahoma Swing"
"When Will I Be Loved"

Brad Paisley

"Celebrity"
"Wrapped Around"
"Me Neither"
"Little Moments"
"That's Love"
"Making That Easy Money" "We Danced"
"Make a Mistake With Me"
"Alcohol"
"Whiskey Lullaby"
"I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin' Song)"
"Mud on the Tires"

Terri Clark

"Better Things to Do"
"Easy on the Eyes"
Medley: "Emotional Girl"/"If I Were You"/ "A Little Gasoline"/"When Boy Meets Girl"
"Now That I Found You"
"I Just Wanna Be Mad"
"Poor Poor Pitiful Me"
"Girls Lie Too"
"I Wanna Do It All"

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TAMPA PHOTOS

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Photos by: Wonda Couturier

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Wonda & Mary in Tampa

Photo by: Rod Skaggs

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Reba and friends thrill lively crowd

By Janis Fontaine

Country star Brad Paisley performed to a nearly sold-out crowd in cowboy hats and boots Sunday night at Sound Advice Amphitheatre in suburban West Palm Beach.

If there was ever a question about whether Paisley is a picker who can sing, or a singer who can play, it was answered at the show. Like Vince Gill, Paisley seems to sing to connect the guitar solos, but that's OK because he's so good at both.

Paisley displayed his instrumental skills with a wild ride on the theme from The Munster's television show. But it was I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishing Song) that jolted the guys in the audience out of their seats. He kept up the tempo throughout the show, slowing it down only for the romantic love songs Little Moments and The Dance, and for the mournful Whiskey Lullaby. (Alison Krause sang her part of the duet via video.) He also introduced Alcohol, the first single from his next CD, which will hit the airwaves in the next month or so. For an encore, Paisley performed the title track from Mud on the Tires.

Next up was the hardest-working redhead in entertainment.

Reba McEntire may not have Trisha's perfect pitch, or Martina's vocal power, or Faith's perfect beauty, but she has the skill to deliver a song that is uniquely her own.

The days of a dozen costume changes and elaborate staging are a thing of the past. Dressed in black jeans adorned with black crystals and a sequined white tank, the 50-year-old queen of country brought her trademark enthusiasm to the stage — even if she couldn't hit some of the high notes.

McEntire began her show to a standing ovation and rocked with the upbeat So Good Together. She and her eight-piece band were polished, even though McEntire began the rehearsals only a week before her Habitat for Humanity tour began on April 15. Many of the songs brought the audience to its feet and her easy rapport proved again that McEntire is a top-shelf entertainer. She has never stripped herself of the country colloquialisms that set her apart from some of her contemporaries. She told the crowd she was "tickled to pieces to be in West Palm Beach."

McEntire also told the audience how difficult it was to choose the songs she'd perform. With a career that has spanned nearly 30 years, and has produced 29 albums, that's understandable. So McEntire played a medley of hits that chronicled her career. She played her first No. 1 hit, Can't Even Get the Blues from 1982, and then followed it with her most recent No. 1 from 2004, Somebody.

But it was When the Lights Went Out in Georgia that brought a huge cheer from the crowd. A full moon was displayed on the video screen behind her while at the same time a huge full moon rose behind the amphitheater.

Terri Clark opened the show and she looked hot in her hot-pink T-shirt, jeans and white straw hat. Clark also performed a medley of her hits and got the fans up out of their seats a couple of times.

The well-behaved crowd was an eclectic mix of parents with kids, seniors in bluejeans, and lots of women in skin-tight Wranglers and cowboy hats. Out on the lawn, fans had perfect weather for the near-perfect show.

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DILLARDS APPEARANCE IN TAMPA

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Photos by: Charlie Huntley

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Additional Atlanta Photos

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Photos by: Wonda Couturier

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ATLANTA PHOTOS

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Photos by: Shanon Fountain

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Reba to perform

BURBANK, Calif., April 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Today the Academy of Country Music is announcing that country music superstars Kenny Chesney, Reba McEntire and Montgomery Gentry will perform and Terri Clark, Emily Procter, Rob Schneider & Neal McCoy and The Warren Brothers will serve as presenters at the 40TH ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS. The ceremony, which honors country music's top talent as well as the industry's hottest emerging talent, will be broadcast LIVE from the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on Tuesday, May 17th, 2005 at 8:00 PM ET/PT on the CBS Television Network.

Kenny Chesney is nominated for five awards this year, including Entertainer of the Year, Top Male Vocalist and Album of the Year. He also has two nominations for producing -- for Vocal Event of the Year (the single "When the Sun Goes Down") and Album of the Year (the album "When the Sun Goes Down"). Chesney has won four ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS in the past, including Top New Male Vocalist, Top Male Vocalist and two for Single Record of the Year. If he wins Entertainer of the Year, he will be eligible for the Merle Haggard Award, an honor given to those artists who win the Academy's triple crown of Top New Artist, Top Male/Female Artist and Entertainer of the Year.


Reba McEntire who has hosted the ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS a record seven times, will perform as part of this year's telecast. In 2002 she was awarded the first annual Academy of Country Music / Home Depot Humanitarian Award for her outstanding philanthropic work. In 2003, the Academy of Country Music awarded her the title of "Leading Lady" in recognition of her status as the all-time leading winner in the Top Female Vocalist category.

Montgomery Gentry are nominated for Top Vocal Duo this year. Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry are riding the smash success of their recent album "You Do Your Thing." They just concluded their cross-country "Turn It Up And Bring It On" tour, and will continue to headline fairs and festivals throughout the summer. Montgomery Gentry has six ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS nominations, including a win for Top New Vocal Duo.

Terri Clark has two nominations this year: one for Top Female Vocalist and another for Video of the Year (for "Girls Lie Too"), she is currently on the Two Hats and Redhead tour with Reba McEntire and Brad Paisley. Emily Procter stars on the hit CBS drama "CSI: Miami." Rob Schneider stars in Neal McCoy's video for "Billy's Got His Beer Goggles On"; McCoy is nominated for this year's 4th annual Academy of Country Music / Home Depot Humanitarian Award. The Warren Brothers, stars of CMT's "Barely Famous: The Warren Brothers," are nominated for Top Vocal Duo this year.

These artists join previously announced 40TH ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS performers Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, Rascal Flatts, George Strait, Big & Rich, Sara Evans and Tim McGraw.

The Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 with a mission to support, promote, and enhance the advancement of the country music industry worldwide. The Academy, which is comprised of 3,800+ professional members and a newly established Associate Membership, is headquartered in Burbank, CA. For more information on the ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS and the Academy of Country Music, please visit http://www.acmcountry.com.

ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS is produced for television by dick clark productions. The show is executive produced by Dick Clark and R.A. Clark, and produced by Barry Adelman. The executive in charge of production is Bob Bardo, and the executive in charge is Fran LaMaina.

Southwest Airlines is the official airline of the Academy of Country Music Awards.


The ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS will be broadcast LIVE from the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on Tuesday, May 17th, 2005 at 8:00 PM ET/PT on CBS Television Network.

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