[williamssl]

I just got back from seeing Robert Earl Keen at the Bass Performance Hall in downtown Fort Worth and it was one of the best concerts I have ever seen. The acoustics there are great, and since he wasn't promoting a new CD he was able to tap into his full body of music and not just shill the new stuff.

Now many months ago I had started dialogue with both of you independently on this guy, spawning from the "Why I Hate Country Music" thread OOver there.

Jeb expressed interest in me sending some MP3's, I did, and then for right or wrong reasons nothing has happened from there.

Sergeial was much slower to bite, but I did get a nibble from him listening to some samples, being impressed (my words), and asking for an album recommendation. I provided that recommendation and extended an offer to send some MP3's or burn a CD, similar to what I offered Jeb (and the entire reader base of the "Why I Hate..." thread), but then nothing further.

Now I know life happens, so none of the above is meant as anything other than a recap of where we are and have been.

So back to tonight- the concert was great and I'm using it and my massive enthusiasm for the artist in question as a final (on my part) plea to get you two (or anyone else interested) to give the guy a real listen to. As before, I will burn you a CD if that's the best way of doing this. PM me your address, PO Box, whatever. And you can ignore the white powder that comes packed with the CD

I hate drawing comparisons, but if I put my Amazon.com hat on, this is a "if you like Lyle Lovitt, you will probably like Robert Earl Keen" thing.

[Batman]

I do love Lyle. My gmail address isn't hidden, go ahead and e-mail me something.

[Lucky]

I don't love Lovett but I'm ok with him. And I like country. So by all means send me recommendations, mp3s or whatever. I always love checking out new music.

I believe both my email and AIM are here.

[williamssl]

Will e-mail you both some stuff this week.

re: Lyle Lovett. I know I made it, but it's not really all that great of a comparison...but with Keen often being billed as "the greatest singer/songwriter you've never heard of", his distinct sound, Lyle's distinct sound (both are not "country" in the more general interpretation of that genre), and the fact that Keen and Lovett were roomies in college....it's probably the only comparison that can be made.

And here's most of a review from the concert last nite, courtesy of Ft. Worth Star Telegram (Linky to full review)

Full of emotionRobert Earl Keen's show glows with warmth and intimacy

FORT WORTH -- The Bass Hall stage may not look much like a weather-beaten front porch, but it can sure become one when Robert Earl Keen is standing on it.

Keen is known for his who-knows-the-number-for-911? sort of honky-tonk shows. But the popular Texas troubadour brought his songs and tales of the lonesome and forgotten to the fancy-pants surroundings of our shiny symphony hall Saturday night and presented a show that glowed with warmth and intimacy.

Opening with Feelin' Good Again, the Houston native and his four-piece band glided through a set that included several favorites (Gringo Honeymoon, Five Pound Bass), a few surprises (Not a Drop of Rain) and tracks from his most recent studio album, What I Really Mean (the title track and The Great Hank).

The highlights of the set were the more reserved numbers that allowed Keen the opportunity to connect directly with the capacity crowd of about 2,000.

"We seldom play this, because it is not quiet enough," said the Texas A&M University graduate before an especially effective rendering of Not a Drop of Rain, a typical Keen ballad about being lost, alone and yet somehow maintaining a sense of hope. He didn't need any hot guitar licks to carry the song's emotions.

All it took was that famous Keen voice that remains unchanged -- sorta flat, sorta nasal and all Texas heart.

Much the same could be said of his The Front Porch Song, a tune Keen wrote with college roommate Lyle Lovett.

The singer, performing without the band, colored outside the lines for us, expanding our view of College Station and its people as seen from the safety and comfort of that tumble-down porch.

Keen and company's 90-minute set concluded with a blazing version of his signature anthem, The Road Goes on Forever.

The playing was impressive, as it had been all evening, but the pedal-to-the-metal tempo robbed the tune of its narrative qualities.

But, because almost everyone present could probably recite that tale of being down and out and trying to dodge the law, Keen must have felt he didn't need to worry too much about making the lyrics distinct.

So, all in all, it was a fine evening of music from a familiar visitor who is certain to be welcome back on this particular front porch most any time he wants to drop by.

GRADE: A

[williamssl]

I sent you each an e-mail with some links to files on xdrive. I don't think you need to do anything but click on the links in the e-mail. Here (I think) are 2 of the links as well (you have to copy/paste them into browser).

download.xdrive.com/s/611193773aNQH1dt3Himl6FfHrEh&partner=plus

download.xdrive.com/s/611193863GpycdAvfUv01HvlKLuU&partner=plus


These are all from his latest live CD "Live at the Ryman". Let me know if there are problems and I'll try something else.