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

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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

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venny Rogers

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Barry Manilow: Writer, Singer, Musician Everyone said only people over the age of thirty would be there. Boy, were they wrong! The age span of the people at Barry Manilow ' s October 11 concert ranged from nine to sixty-nine. Barry Manilow proved his versatility in rivet- ing his audience ' s attention to his on- stage performance. After a thirty-minute wait, the crowd was anxious and excited. When Barry finally came on stage, one could feel excitement brewing ail over Murphy Center, His opening song, Somewhere in the Night, captured the essence of his style. The performance of the open- ing song thrilled the hearts of the crowd and made the late start worth the wait. The first half of the concert intro- duced some of his new songs which are soon to be released. As the introduction to Ships, Manilow told the crowd that the song is about his father. As he fin- ished this sentimental song, there were few dry eyes in the audience. Following the intermission, Manilow came back on stage attired in a Mexican Chiquita Banana jacket. At this point, shocked though they were, the crowd witnessed the beginning of Manilow ' s version of I Left My Heart in San Fran- cisco. Manilow asked the crowd, Isn ' t that the song you were expecting? To this he received, Mo, we want ' Copaca- bana ' ! At that, Manilow fulfilled the desires of his audience and proceeded to Copacabana. He then followed with more of his past hits and a medley of his commer- cial jingles. One of the new songs he performed, Wouldn ' t It Be Sad Being Lonely All Alone, was a smash hit with the audience. Manilow said that he was surprised and pleased at the crowd ' s response to the new songs. At the finish of the show, the crowd yelled for more. Manilow returned on stage and sang three encores. For one of his encores. entitled One Voice, he was assisted by the thirty-voice youth choir from the West End United Methodist Church. An exciting event of the concert oc- curred after the concert when a large crowd gathered outside of Murphy Cen- ter to get a glimpse of Barry Manilow. The campus police tried to keep the screaming crowd away from Manilow ' s limousine, but it was an impossible task. When the police finally got the crowd pushed back, Larry Gatlin walked out and the crowd ' s frenzy be- came chaos. Finally Barry Manilow emerged and got in his limousine and drove through the lane which the police had cleared. As his car drove by, Mani- low waved at the screaming and push- ing crowd. Girls were arguing over whether Barry Manilow had waved at them or at their friend. This is an exam- ple of the type of enthusiasm which Barry Manilow generated.