LADIES NIGHT OUT

LADIES
NIGHT OUT
AUGUST
16, 2013-LANCASTER, PA
AMERICAN
MUSIC THEATRE
Seven
of country music’s great female artists gathered together on Aug. 16, this past
Friday night in Lancaster, PA for a super awesome package of country music as
it should be played and listened to.
Crystal
Gayle, Barbara Fairchild, Ava Barber, Norma Jean, Jett Williams, Jan Howard,
and Shelly West

gathered together to put on one of the best shows that has appeared at the
American Music Theatre.  I promise you that no man should ever get in the
middle of a conversation when 7 women are talking over old times.  You
will not get a word in edgewise, but just listening to their stories let me
know that they are a great part of the reason that country music has come so
far, then when the new artists started taking over it has started downhill like
a snowball rolling to hell.  These ladies were awesome to work with, did
their jobs, met their fans, signed autographs, took pictures, shook hands and
stayed until the last fan had left the building. 
The
one thing that was sad was that Leona Williams took a fall when she got off of
the plane in Harrisburg, PA and dislocated her shoulder and was unable to
appear on the show, which worried all of us until we heard from her that she
was doing alright.  She is home in MO in a Branson hospital where they are
keeping her under observation.  She has asked me to tell all of you that
she appreciates your concerns and prayers for her well being.  She loves
all of you, and I can tell you that the ladies truly missed her great presence
and voice on the show, but there will be other times.
To
go into detail about the show would take more space than I can have at this
time, but I can tell you this, that when the show was over, the entire cast of
the show received a standing ovation from the audience, and it was well
deserved.  Each of the ladies still sang with super great vocals and
looked as great as ever, and that is my heartfelt feelings, and I must say I
enjoyed keeping my mouth shut for the time I was there to host the show. 
All I had to do was tell them what time they would be scheduled to appear, how
much time to do, and point them to the stage.  THERE WERE AWESOME.
And
now about the band that backed the ladies and their music.  Call them
musicians, pickers (and I hate that word), players, whatever you use to
introduce them, I was honored and amazed at the sound that the 4 musicians gave
for each performer.  It was as close to their recordings as they could
ever get.  Bandleader Dick McVey put this group together, and he did a masterful
job of getting charts to all players, going over all of their music, and then
giving them a short rehearsal at the venue.  Dick played base, Doug
Jernigan is as good as it will ever get on steel guitar, Glen Dickerson on lead
guitar, and he and Doug made it worth my while to just sit and listen to them
work their magic behind each artist, never once having to scramble on what they
were going to play, Dewayne Harper on drums, borrowed from the Crystal Gayle
Band, and what an addition he was to put together the rhythm section with Dick
McVey holding down the fort and leading the group through each individual
lady’s segment.  It was truly country music at its best.  My
congratulations to the band as one of the best I have ever used.  They did
do their homework and in my mind, they played for the music, and yes they
received pay for their work, but they worked for the love of what they do, and
I can tell you the audience appreciated their great efforts.  Thanks to
Dick for putting this group together. I will surely use them any time I can
because they are loyal to their word.
To
the Ladies I thank you for an awesome professional job, and for never missing a
beat on entertaining your fans.  The youth of today would do well to take
a lesson from these seven women, but as I said, never interrupt seven women
talking over old times, if you are a man.  It was a great night for me,
the audience and the American Music Theatre.  Wish you could have been
there with us.

Marty
Martel

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