Robert Earl Keen

Robert Earl Keen came to town last night to play his perennial favorites as well as some bluegrass tunes off his latest album, "Happy Prisoner," which was released last year. Keen and his band came onto the stage dressed sharp in Depression era suits and walked right into three bluegrass numbers. Keen, of course, accented his dapper threads with a maroon tie. The band was solid and tight, and I appreciated the Australian mandolin player, whose instrument appeared to be bigger than a didgeridoo.

The crowd sang along when Robert Earl Keen and Company played the tunes that most folks knew by heart, songs such as "Feelin' Good Again," "Amarillo Highway," "Gringo Honeymoon," and "Corpus Christi Bay." To end the set, the band played a protracted solo-swapping version of "The Road Goes on Forever." For the encore, REK played "Merry Christmas from the Family" solito, and the band joined him for "The Front Porch Song," which is always a crowd pleaser.

Simply stated, it was a nice, pleasant show. But then, any time you have the opportunity to sing "I don't wear no Stetson / But I'm willing to bet, son / That I'm as big a Texan / As you are" at the top of your lungs can be nothing but country music bliss. If I were a therapist, I would advise my clients to click the link below and holler the aforementioned lyrics "fortissimo." I am positive that everyone would feel much better.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw-VIlPy0yI