Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, January 23, 1993 TAG: 9301230240
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MARK MORRISON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
ALABAMA ON THE DECLINE? NOT HERE
Except for the hats, Alabama figured it out a long time ago.Mix some trademark country themes - love, heartbreak, heaven, trucks and more love - with a knack for catchy pop hooks and rock 'n' roll. The combination proved to be a sure-fire winner, bringing young people to country music while not straying too far from country's musical roots.
It was a formula that the rest of Nashville took about 10 years to latch onto.
And when that happened, the newcomers - most of them - came in cowboy hats, unlike hatless Alabama.
Either way, Friday night at the Roanoke Civic Center, Alabama showed what all the original fuss was about.
Although the lack of recent hit records and cheesy TV spots promoting greatest-hit packages indicate the band has seen its day as country's top group, you never would have guessed it by the response Alabama received from the 10,755 people who attended Friday's concert.
The signature love songs - "Feels So Right," "You've Got the Touch" and "When We Make Love" - sung perfectly by lead singer Randy Owen, seemed to be the most affecting.
The ballad "One Upon a Lifetime" really connected as Owen performed the song while strolling through the crowd.
Another fan pleaser was the medley of Alabama hits past: "Take Me Down Tonight," "Love in the First Degree" and "The Closer You Get." For fun, Owen and band mates Teddy Gentry, Jeff Cook and Mark Herndon also threw in more hits with, "Mountain Music," "Song of the South," "Roll On," "Born Country" and "High Cotton" during a set that lasted about 90 minutes.
Featuring its 1-2-3 punch of vocal harmony, mandolin and piano, Diamond Rio, probably country's hottest band, opened Friday's show.
Among a number of songs that highlighted the combination, the ballad "Mama, Don't Forget to Pray For Me," particularly showcased the band's high lonesome vocal harmonies, cut nicely by Gene Johnson's whining mandolin fills and Dan Truman's winning piano accompaniment.
The high lonesome harmonies also shined on a foray into bluegrass that brought the audience to its feet. Dynamite stuff.
Diamond Rio was most interesting, though, when it highlighted Johnson's driving mandolin playing. His mandolin prowess is what sets Diamond Rio apart from a dozen other middle-of-the-road country bands with similar hairstyles.
Bouncy vocalist Marty Roe's country nasal twang also gives Diamond Rio some identity, but alone it doesn't rank quite as one of Nashville's most distinct voices. Roe is definitely helped by Johnson's and bassist Dana Williams' harmonies.
His exaggerated nasal on "Norma Jean Riley," however, was one of the hour-long set's high points.
Also opening was Nashville newcomer Michelle Wright, who should be listed under the definitions for bland, average, non-country and Solid Gold dancing.