Middle Tennessee State University - Midlander Yearbook (Murfreesboro, TN)

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venny Rogers

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Illumination And Radiance: Kenny Rogers ' Style Homecoming Celebration 1980 came to an exciting end with a concert by one of the biggest names in the world of enter- tainment. Exemplifying the term cross-over art- ist, superstar entertainer Kenny Rogers brought his electrifying stage show to MTSCJ to perform before a capacity crowd in Murphy Center. Amid ecstatic fans, popping flashbulbs and intermittent gifts of long-stemmed roses from his ad- mirers, Rogers, singing hit song after hit song, gave a legendary performance that included opening acts by both Dave and Sugar and Dottie West. One of the hottest country trios around, Dave and Sugar began their por- tion of the concert with energetic vitality and exuberance, performing their hits from the past five or six years. Dressed in tight white jeans and beige cowboy boots, Dave Rowland was joined in the opening number, Queen of the Silver Dollar, by his two female partners gussied up in snug outfits of shimmering silver and white. The audience, although ready for Rog- ers to make his appearance, soon took Dave and Sugar ' s performance to its col- lective heart, applauding and screaming wildly as the trio sang from their reper- toire of hits, including The Door is Al- ways Open and Crystal Chandelier. Durinq their rendition of Good-hearted Woman, the three professionals tempo- rarily borrowed cowboy hats from three members of the audience and walked off the stage into the crowd to meet their fans. Several female followers received kiss- es from Dave, to the enjoyment of the frenzied crowd. When the foot-stomping show came to a close, Dave and Sugar left the stage in a flurry that left everyone breathlessly wanting more. Dottie West, the venerable country music entertainer, gave the audience what they wanted. Being one who has seen others come and go throughout the years in the cut-throat world of show busi- ness, Dottie proved that she was in step with the ' 80s. Appearing in a deep purple outfit embossed with the same color se- quins and wearing matching cowboy boots, she opened her show with Chica- go ' s hit song, entitled I ' m Alive. It ' s Dottie, not Dolly, West reminded the audience after her first number, in reference to another music superstar. I know she ' s bigger than me ... I think she ' s 5 ' 10 ... lying down. Yellow lighting effectively accentuated her hit ' Country Sunshine, which was followed by You Pick Me Up, Honey, Just to Put Me Down and Fool-hearted Man. The audience, which included all 10 of

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West ' s siblings, applauded thunderously during her rendition of Why Don ' t You Stay, and they went insanely wild while West and her Wild West Band energetical- ly performed the fiddle-playing tune, the Orange Blossom Special. By the finale of West ' s electrifying show, which included Anne Murray ' s hit song You Needed Me, dedicated to Murray herself, and a medley of Dixie and Glory Hallelujah, the homecom- ing concert audience had gotten their whistles wet and was roaring with the anticipation of who was yet to come. Dressed in a typical three-piece suit, Kenny Rogers may have looked like an average middle-class businessman, but when he walked onto the stage and be- gan to sing, it was clear that he was anything but. He was greeted by a standing ovation from the crowd and a staccato of popping flashbulbs. Swarmed by women groping for a handshake from the superstar and try- ing to snap a close-up picture, Rogers quickly took command of the near riot- ous group, singing She ' s a Mystery to Me. After this opening number, he apologetically explained to the fans who had gathered at his feet why he did not respond to the gestures, I happen to think it is unfair to shake some people ' s hands and not others. But he added jokingly, However, I will take money, During his next few numbers, Love or Something Like It and Love the World Away, Rogers was still followed religiously by women wanting just to touch his clothing. Although he contin- ued to ignore the handshake hopefuls, the former member of The First Edition did accept loving gifts of long-stemmed roses from three of his more ardent fans. After singing Reuben James, he tenderly thanked the three women, say- ing that he would take them home to his wife, implying impishly that he bought them for her himself. I haven ' t had to buy her roses in three years, Rogers said mischievously. I love it. Dottie West joined Rogers back on stage for All I Ever Meed Is You and the Kim Carnes-Rogers duet, Don ' t Fall In Love With a Dreamer, ending the number in a symbolic hug of comara- derie. Rogers ended his show with Lu- cille, in which he invited the audience to sing along on the chorus, which gave him another standing ovation. The encore left the audience begging for more, but the flourish and verve of the Rogers concert left them satisfied. Kenny Rogers 29