Clint Black returned to Sioux City Saturday for a concert at the Orpheum Theatre.
Bruce Miller
Back when Roy Clark and Barbara Mandrell were winning Entertainer of the Year awards, it wasn't enough to sing hit songs. A performer had to demonstrate versatility - and entertain.
Now, two Top 10 hits and you' re practically guaranteed the prize. Thankfully, Clint Black subscribes to the old school of entertaining.
At the Orpheum Theatre Saturday night, he played the guitar and harmonica, told stories, reminisced about the good ol' days, sang hits and entertained. It wasn't just a matter of killin' time.
Backed by videos for every song (what is this, a Brad Paisley concert?), he talked about that first year, saluted his heroes and shared credit for his success. Clad in black (of course), he had the same drive as he did in the '90s and wasn't afraid to offer up a Willie Nelson impersonation that was quite good.
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He also sang Merle Haggard's "Mama Tried" and got the audience to join him on "Killin' Time." A great back-up band (comprised of several loyalists) worked as effortlessly as those videos and its members weren't afraid to step into the spotlight.
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Fiddle player Jason Mowery (who also doubled on several more instruments) was particularly impressive and able to give Black the sound he needed to recall those early years. Longtime writing partner and guitarist Hayden Nicholas got solo turns as well and had a way of bringing out the vocal best in his friend. Throw in other Nashville stars and, well, you see how the Entertainer of the Year title isn't going where it's deserved.
Opener Solon Holt - who said he's a country soul singer - broke a string while playing "Bartender's Blues," a song written by James Taylor and recorded by George Jones. "That sucks," Holt said, but he carried on, played several more songs and made an impact.
"That's happened to all of us," Black said later in the show. "But I'd rather it happened to him." He smiled and tipped his hat to the 21-year-old. While a more traditional singer would have been a better fit, Holt was extremely good at singing, writing and playing. When cuts introduced on social media get wider play, he'll be giving Chris Stapleton a run for the blues. A song he wrote last week expressed all the emotion he had after meeting a woman in Illinois and having to say goodbye. It's a keeper.
Black, of course, has plenty of those - perhaps too many to fit into a Saturday night setlist. His way of serving all audiences - young, old, traditional, contemporary - proved he's a better entertainer than most. While some of those videos were too obvious, they showed he's still eager to compete with those who get their start on social media.
Listening to the early hits, it wasn't difficult to picture him sitting on a stool opening for someone else and trying to figure out how to carry on when a string breaks.
Somehow, we think he'd offer a huge smile and keep right on singing.
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