May 1996
Sawyer Brown
Living in Sawyertown
By Catherine Macko
Sawyer Brown burst onto the stage of Freedom Hall in full glory on Thursday May 2nd, with all the style everyone expected. A moving conveyor belt carried Mark Miller out from back stage, down a ramp, and through the doors on the "Tunnel of Love" in "Sawyertown" while the crowd cheered and the music jumped into high gear.
There are not many bands out there who can entertain quite as well as Sawyer Brown, or who seem to have as much energy and stamina: not only for the concerts themselves, but also for sustaining life in the world of Country music. Since the early 1980's Sawyer Brown has consistently produced hit after hit, and given audiences everywhere top-rate performances.
Perhaps the thing that hits you most when they are out on stage is the overall professionalism with which they perform. As a group they are so together it is hard to imagine them separately. Each member brings to the group his own strengths, and over the years those have fused together to make a perfect unit. No one person is Sawyer Brown, just as no single description accurately portrays their music.
Only this band could have successfully redone George Jones hit "The Race Is On" and made it even bigger, and turned the Country music world upside down with the release of "The Walk" which was considered to be so "un" -Sawyer Brown. But as a group they have not missed a beat, and the evolution in their music is only a representation of their growth as musicians, and proof of their talent.
But, it is in their concerts where they truly shine. Almost everyone can remember watching Sawyer Brown move up through the ranks of Star Search more than a decade ago, and just as it was their performances that won them recognition then, every audience member will tell you it is the same now. From their fun and crazy approach to the music, (including having a couch on stage!) to their seriousness when playing a love song, they keep everyone up on their feet and involved in the show.
The music of Sawyer Brown is like an old friend you always knew, and everyone seems to know the words. The band doesn't ignore this, and more then once during the show they let the crowd take over. This is always a great experience for artists and audience members alike. The tables get turned, and you get to sing to the band the words you love to hear them sing to you.
For Sawyer brown fans this was a concert that fulfilled every expectation of what this band was like live. And, just as Mark Miller pointed out toward the end of one of their number one hits, some girls don't like boys like them but Kentucky girls do!
© Copyright 1996 by Stonesview Industries with all rights reserved.