POP MUSIC REVIEW : ‘Elder Statesman’ Tillis Moves Easily From Style to Style
After making country music for 32 years, Mel Tillis is ready for the role of elder statesman as evidenced by his early set Tuesday at the Crazy Horse Steak House in Santa Ana. That is not necessarily a bad thing. Returning country to a personable graciousness, Tillis’ set celebrated all kinds of country music, not just his own hits.
Opening with an upbeat “Stomp Them Grapes†and following that with a lush swing rendition of “Take Me Back to Tulsa,†Tillis moved from style to style with ease. His rich baritone then caressed a medley of “Burning Memories†and “Send Me Down to Tucson†as the twin fiddles of his Statesiders band wept in the background.
Using guitarist Jerry Reid as a foil, Tillis joked with the crowd and kept the mood light throughout his set. Though the material was suggestive enough for the adults in the crowd, nothing was offensive, making Tillis perfect family entertainment.
A slow, sweeping rendition of “You’ll Come Back (You Always Do),†written by novelist Norman Mailer as the theme for the “Tough Guys Don’t Dance†movie, was given a dramatic reading that proved why rookies such as George Strait and Randy Travis just can’t make songs sound as lived-in as some of the old-timers. Indeed, Tillis may be one of the more underrated vocalists in country.
In addition, Tillis used his area appearance to introduce a young singer named Dude Mowrey from Ocala, Fla., Tillis’ home state. Though only 16, Mowrey has all of Travis’ tonal qualities and much of Strait’s sense of phrasing, especially when covering Strait’s hit “The Chair.†After two songs, Tillis returned to the stage, only to have the audience request one more song from Mowrey.
Tillis and the Statesiders also gave the audience a Cook’s tour of country music, with an instrumental medley encompassing many of country’s best-loved songs. The fiddles started off “Tennessee Waltz†and from there, the band moved through snatches of “Turkey in the Straw,†“Jambalaya,†“The Wabash Cannonball†and “Rocky Top.â€
Tillis wound up on a familiar note, singing “Detroit City,†the song he wrote that made Bobby Bare famous. With the audience joining in on the chorus of “I wanna go home . . . ,†Tillis brought the show to a quiet close, only to be called back for an encore of “Orange Blossom Special†that kept accelerating until it couldn’t be played any faster.
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