www.patty-loveless.net || Patty Loveless Net

PATTY LOVELESS CONCERT
WOLF DEN
FRIDAY, JULY 30, 2004
Review by Barbara & Photos by Bob J.
Bob left work early, picked me up at home, and we were on our way to our first Patty concert of the year! It was great to see Cindy and Bob again; they kindly held our places in line, so we were very close to the front of the line since they arrived there at 3:00PM or so for an 8:00PM concert! Thanks, Cindy and Bob! Cindy was telling us that there was a guy going up and down the line asking if they were with the PLN, so we figured it was Mike D. Bob hunted down Mike and we chatted for a while before we made our way into the “Den”. When we were shown to our table it was the second table center stage!! We could not have asked for better seats, we were right in front of Patty. (I had to make sure to tell Bob to breathe, breathe slowly because he was so psyched about being so close to the stage). Just before the show, we noticed Chrissy arriving with her friends. It was nice to see Chrissy again. After we settled into our seats, Mike and Bob talked with Shane, who was setting out water on stage and taping down the set list. They talked to Shane for a bit and he gave them some guitar picks which they shared with Cindy and Bob. Bob and I were not there for sound check, but Cindy gave me the list of songs:

On Your Way Home
Lovin’ All Night
If My Heart Had Windows
Draggin’ My Heart Around

We talked with Martin Parker, Patty’s drummer, who reassured us that Patty was feeling much better. Martin said that touring stops October 16, at which time he plans to be relaxing in his house in the Outer Banks. My very shy husband (yeah, right!) introduced himself to Deanie Richardson and showed her his neat shirt. He made us shirts with our signatures from the Patty-Loveless.net site, which Cole kindly made for us. Thank you, Cole! If any of you are at a Patty concert and see two people with white T-shirts on which there are matching pictures of Patty with the names Bob J and Barbara on them, and the words “Live to Ride- Ride to Live” underneath, it’s us!! Before the show began, Bob saw Chris and bought two great Patty shirts.
8:00 pm. The band took their places, and Deanie and Garry opened the show. Patty came out in jeans with a pretty blue, white and black shirt over a black top. She was wearing a lovely cross pendant and hoop earrings. “Tear Stained Letter” was the opening number, followed by “You Can Feel Bad”. Marcia, on keyboard, played the introduction to “Nothin’ But the Wheel”, one of my favorites. Garry and Marcia did a great job on vocals. During the show, someone gave Patty a Yankee Candle bag. Patty talked about going back to 1997, when she and George Jones won the CMA Vocal Event of the Year, a nice intro to “You Don’t Seem To Miss Me” with Garry. The very svelte and talented Deanie played mandolin on “Trouble With the Truth”. Patty spoke about Jedd Hughes, her former guitar player, who has an album coming out in August on MCA, and she asked us to support Jedd and other young artists. In introducing her new guitar player, Guthrie Trapp, Patty explained how they met. It seems she was walking on Broadway in Nashville and went into Robert’s Bar. Listening to the band, Patty’s eye and ear were caught by the guitar player. She had a cold beer while waiting for the set to finish, and when it ended she saw the young man coming over to her. She said she felt a pick up coming on, so she introduced herself and asked him if he’d like to play with her band. To paraphrase another country song, he said yes. So, you might say that Patty picked him up!! Guthrie then treated us to some great guitar playing which led into “Halfway Down”. Guthrie, Garry and Deanie did some great picking on that one! Patty then introduced the band.

Garry Murray-acoustic guitar, fiddle, mandolin, vocals
Travis Toy-steel, electric, Dobro, and other instruments; comedian of group
Martin Parker-drums. Patty says she loves every inch of him!
Jimmy Johnson-bass. Patty said he’s like the Energizer Bunny.
Marcia Ramirez-acoustic guitar, mandolin, keyboards, vocals
Deanie Richardson-fiddle, mandolin, guitar. Deanie has been with Patty for ten years, and Patty calls her the best fiddle player. (We agree with Patty!)

From her most recent record, Patty then sang “Draggin’ My Heart Around”. Deanie did a fiddle intro and Patty hummed the beginning of “Nothin’ Like the Lonely”. Then Patty spoke about a song from her “On Your Way Home” album, which takes us back to a more simple time. She told us about Homer Cochran, grandfather of Emory Gordy, Jr. who is of course Patty’s husband and record producer. Grandpa Cochran lived to age 92 and believed in living a simple life. His picture, in overalls and next to his mule, is on the sleeve of the album. Patty then sang the touching “That Ain’t the Grandpa” which always chokes me up. Deanie ended the song playing “Amazing Grace” on the fiddle, and we gave Patty a standing ovation.

Deanie’s fiddle segued to Bob’s favorite in this set, “On Your Way Home”. He loves it when Patty hums part of a song! She held the notes well, but it seemed that air was a problem; maybe because we know she has bronchitis. Then Patty got us all involved, up on our feet and clapping while she taught us the words to “Blame It On Your Heart”. I think we did quite well when she pointed the mic at us and we belted out the chorus! Patty invited us back tomorrow night, and the entire band bowed. We continued to applaud after they had all filed offstage.

Some of us hung around and talked with band members. We spoke with Deanie, Travis, Guthrie, Garry, and Jimmy. Jimmy is really looking forward to going back to Hampton Beach, NH in September, as he played there with Roy Orbison every year from 1980 to 1987. We’ll see him there! We chatted with Garry for a while and he graciously invited us to come up and say hello whenever we’re at a concert. When we talked about PLN, Garry said that Nicole’s site should be the official Patty Loveless site! (We agree with that too!)

Saturday, July 31, 2004. Well, I thought I would probably incorporate tonight’s review with Friday’s, but of course I should have known better!! Patty Loveless always gives us a fresh, exciting show. First, many thanks to Mike D. who arrived at the Wolf Den at 11:30AM and kindly held our places until we could get there at 4:30PM. As Bob and I were driving to the venue, Bob’s cell phone rang. I answered and it was Cindy. (The night before, Cindy and Bob said they were unable to go to the Saturday show). Her great husband Bob (are all husbands named Bob just really awesome guys???) asked her this afternoon if she wanted to go see Patty again. They were just leaving their home when she called and of course we said we’d save a place for them. We called Mike to let him know that two more were coming! Thanks to Mike D., we were very close to the front of the line, within the taped-off waiting area. We were sweating it out about Cindy and Bob arriving from Cape Cod on time for the 6:30 seating, as all members of your party have to be present then or they will not be seated. No saving seats allowed then. Bob must have broken a few speed limits, but they were there a little after 6!! This time we were seated to the right of the stage, again the second table back. Before I forget, we do have to chastise Mike D. for substituting his attire. He told us on this site that he would be wearing a burgundy shirt, but he was wearing his brand-new Patty shirt. Mike said he was captivated by the picture of Patty! I guess we can excuse him! I bought my first Patty shirt tonight. I have a lot of Vince Gill shirts; now I’ll start collecting Patty’s. I don’t own any other female singer’s shirts, preferring to have men on my chest. (Should I have said it that way! ;) )

Again Shane had kindly given Bob a set list, which was the same as Friday’s. Promptly at 8PM the band came on stage. Patty came out looking fabulous in brown jeans with black leather flowers appliquéd on the lower left leg, and a wonderful shirt which appeared a peachy-pink with flowing cuffs adorned with black and brown lace, white lace at the tops of the sleeves. This shirt was over a black top. She wore a round pendant with what seemed to be a topaz stone, and beaded earrings. I love this woman’s style!!! Her voice sounded much stronger tonight. The power on “Nothin’ But the Wheel” was awesome. Patty said she recognized some faces from last night and welcomed us back. (Of course, we were very happy to be back!) When she asked if there were any winners (or losers) we yelled back that we were only at the casino to see her, not to gamble.

I won’t repeat the songs as they were the same as Friday’s, done as only Patty Loveless and her incomparable band can deliver them. I’ll just add a few notes. Garry had on a terrific shirt. Western style, buckskin color, embroidered front and back yoke. He looks as good as he sounds, and he sure sounds great! Speaking of shirts, when Patty unbuttoned hers to reveal the black v-neck top or bodysuit, a whole lot of cameras clicked! The gal is in great shape! Guthrie also had an interesting shirt on, black with varied size black dots which looked like they might be velour. When Patty introduced the band tonight, she mentioned that Martin has been with her since 1996, and he was formerly Vince Gill’s drummer. She calls Martin “the best friend a girl could have out on the road”. She said that Jimmy was also with Vince. Patty then stated that she was not stealing from Vince, but “the guys say they have a better view now. I hope they’re still there when I get the dropsies.” Marcia Ramirez has played with Pam Tillis and Rodney Crowell, and Patty said she is as sweet as she is talented. And again Patty referred to Deanie as one of the best fiddle players anywhere. There was a lady in the audience with a “Minnie Pearl” hat complete with price tag. Patty put it on briefly, and asked the woman her name. When she said it was Eleanor, Patty said that was her sister’s name. After returning the hat, Patty said to the audience, “In case you don’t know, I’m Patty Loveless and I’m the chick singer of the group”. When she was introducing “That Ain’t the Grandpa”, Patty mentioned that “Emory does just about everything but sing--thank goodness!”. I just love the sweetness of Deanie’s fiddle on that song, and her playing “Amazing Grace” at the end. We gave another standing ovation on that one. I’m sure he probably did it last night too and I missed it, but tonight I noticed Travis playing guitar on “Lovin’ All Night”. Travis sure is talented! My husband got that blissful look on his face when Patty sang “On Your Way Home”. And of course, we all got into “Blame It On Your Heart”.

Again we spoke with some of the band members after the show. Had a nice chat with Marcia, who is doing an amazing job. Patty’s right, she is very sweet. Spoke with Shane, and then I got a chance to tell Garry how much I like that shirt! Deanie came by and we talked for a few moments. She is an incredible musician and a lovely person. I told her that Cindy and I had been saying we like Deanie’s hair, and she said she’s trying to grow it. We think it looks great. David chatted with us for a bit too. Patty has awesome band members, stage workers, and David is simply the best! Everyone is so friendly and you can tell they really enjoy what they do.

Reluctantly we left the Wolf Den, with me clutching my new Patty shirt. We weren’t too bummed out, though, because Bob and I have our tickets for four more shows within the next 5 weeks!!

To continue our tradition, begun after last year’s Patty show, we went to Johnny Rockets and indulged in good old-fashioned burgers, fries, and shakes and saw Kelly again, who is a waitress there for the summer and attends college in St. Augustine, Florida. Back-to-back Patty Loveless shows, Johnny Rockets, meeting great folks from this site: what a perfect weekend!!!