Tillis melts hearts at Bangor concert > Country stars get warm welcome

Although snow covered the cowboy hats and boots of many of those who entered the Bangor Auditorium on Sunday afternoon, it quickly melted as three of country music’s hottest artists performed during a nearly four-hour show.

Headlining the concert was Pam Tillis, the Country Music Association’s 1994 Female Vocalist of the Year.

Tillis began her show on the auditorium floor and mingled with audience members as her Nashville-grown voice belted out its first tune.

“It’s so great to be here. Y’all wanna get down with us?” Tillis asked the approximately 3,500 fans in attendance.

The perky singer, wearing a sparkling black-sequined jacket, quickly took the auditorium stage and proceeded to deliver many of her country hits. Tillis kicked up her heels to uptempo numbers such as Mi Vida Loca (My Crazy Life)” and Cleopatra, Queen of Denial.” She also delivered tunes with a more traditional country sound, including the ballads Let That Pony Run” and Maybe It Was Memphis.”

“I got a feeling you all like old-fashioned country music up here,” Tillis said. I’m carrying on a family tradition,” she added, referring to her legendary father, Mel Tillis.

A highlight of the vocalist’s performance occurred when she brought a daring little girl from the crowd onto the stage. Tillis and the youngster performed a duet on “Don’t Tell Me What To Do.”

“A star is born,” Tillis said as the excited girl bounced off the stage.

Opening for Tillis were country stars Collin Raye and Lee Roy Parnell. The high-energy Raye proved he is a hard act to follow during his nearly 1-hour performance.

Raye covered a wide vocal range during a 17-song set, belting out both the tender ballads he is best known for and several driving, upbeat numbers.

With sweat often dripping from his forehead, the enthusiastic Raye jumped and danced around the stage as he delivered the slightly rock ‘n’ roll-flavored songs “I Want You Bad and That Ain’t Good,” “My Kind of Girl” and “That’s My Story.”

“You see, That’s My Story’ is supposed to be an audience participation song,” Raye said, sparking a sing-along with the crowd.

One of the few interruptions during Raye’s entertaining performance occurred when a few drops of water leaked from the Bangor Auditorium ceiling onto the concert stage.

“You see if this was a Garth [Brooks] show you’d all think this was a visual effect,” the singer joked. I call it an electrocution waiting to happen,” he added with a grin.

During Raye’s rip-roaring encore, which included Chuck Berry’s “You Never Can Tell” and the country artist’s own signature ballad, “Love, Me,” the singer donned a “Maine” baseball cap and threw towels to excited audience members. He left the stage to a barrage of camera flashes and a near-deafening standing ovation.

A laid-back but likable Lee Roy Parnell opened Sunday afternoon’s concert with an eight-song performance including his hits, “A Little Bit of You” and “When a Woman Loves a Man.”

Although Parnell’s performance included few fireworks, he did keep many audience members mesmerized with his flare on the electric guitar.

“Can you tell we’re having a really good time tonight?” Parnell said before playing his final number, On the Road,” and heading back to his tour bus.

“Thank you for coming to support country music,” he added before stepping off stage.