DATE: Monday, November 3, 1997              TAG: 9711030244

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: MUSIC REVIEW 

SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   46 lines

TOO-LONG SHOW CAUSES SOME WALKER FANS TO MISS GOOD THING

Primestar presented Clay Walker Saturday at Hampton Coliseum. Looking at all the empty seats, it seemed that a lot of folks were at home watching Primestar TV.

Walker is not one of the megabucks megastars, but give the guy a chance: He puts on a terrific show.

But megastardom could be forthcoming. Walker is blessed with good songs and the ability to sell whatever he sings.

He knows no boundaries, mixing country with rock. There is Merle Haggard and George Jones, Bill Monroe, Elvis Presley, and even a version of ``Louie, Louie.''

Musically, he is all over the place, but the Walker hits are not neglected. His fans know the words as well as he does and join in enthusiastically.

Often he sings off-the-cuff, huddling with his band, trying to figure out what to do next. Whatever he decides is A-OK.

About 3,000 fans turned out to see Walker, the star of a four-person way-too-long show promoters insist on pushing.

Before he was finished, many folks had left. They have to stay for the openers to see the biggies, and by the time the biggies get on stage, it's getting late.

One of the acts they sat through was Kevin Sharpe, who has little-boy enthusiasm about being a star. He obviously loves the stage and his fans, but wastes too much time with a lot of silly carryings-on, such as watering the audience with a squirt gun.

There were nice touches: jumping into the audience while singing, signing autographs while singing and bringing a young lady on stage for a serenade session.

Sharpe concentrated on his hits, but also offered a couple of numbers from an upcoming album. One of them, ``Kiss a Girl,'' should land on the charts.

And there was Lee Ann Womack, a very good singer who's a bit lacking in the charisma department.

Like Walker, she ventured afar - doing her songs, including the immensely popular ``The Fool,'' and entering the worlds of Dolly Parton, Bob Wills and gospel.

The first performer was handsome newcomer Mark Wills - no relation to Bob.

It was a fairly decent night, and a lot of entertainment for $20 a ticket, but 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. is just too much of a good thing.

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