Country icon, Tanya Tucker, took to the stage on Thursday night at the Kelowna Community Theatre to give her long-time fans a show to remember.
The theatre was packed up to the stage, and the ruffles of plaid button down shirts and shuffling of cowboy boots filled the room in the moments leading up to seeing the country sensation live.
The lights went down as the curtain came up unveiling a five piece band and a dramatically set stage, only fitting for the singer/actress. The fiddle player led the group in an epic intro with intricate notes and breakneck speeds, even playing behind his back at one point before living legend, Tanya Tucker took to the stage.
The audience lost their minds and probably their voices as they welcomed a member of country royalty to the stage. The recognizable first notes of the rock infused hit “If Your Heart Ain’t Busy Tonight” played, leading to Tucker unleash her golden pipes, which was met by yet another eruption of cheers from the crowd.
It didn’t take long for Tucker to dig deep into the past to pull out even more of her smash hits starting with the 1988 “Strong Enough To Bend” from her album of the same name which followed an electric performance of “Hangin’ In”, a song that showcases a bit more of her classic country side.
Classic guitar twangs, matched by Tucker’s incredible rasp fueled register joined together for a match made in heaven, leaving each audience member feeling like they had been personally serenaded by the woman herself.
Tucker regularly chatted with the audience and cracked jokes at one point even poking fun at her age, “This is my band, they weren’t even born when Delta Dawn came out," chuckled Tucker.
Having been in the music industry since the ripe age of 13, Tucker is a seasoned veteran to the art of live music. In her 19 song set, the only thing that shined brighter than her sass-packed personality was her undeniable talent, as she covered songs from some of the greats, including the late Paul Davis.
Tucker knew just what the audience was after, and in her final three songs, she gave them what they wanted. Starting out with her incendiary hit “Two Sparrows in a Hurricane” from her 1992 album Can’t Run From Yourself, which led into the most emotionally charged performance of the night.
Her own rendition of “Amazing Grace”, had the audience simply seated back in awe at her still mesmerizing vocals, before she dove into the song that skyrocketed her to fame in her teens, “Delta Dawn”.
In a night that audiences will cherish forever, Tanya Tucker proved she is still all sass, rasp and talent.
Opening for Tucker was none other than Kelowna local, Ben Klick, an up and comer and recent Juno Award nominee. With just him, a spotlight and a guitar, Klick's sultry voice made his renditions of country hits new and old instant crowd pleasers, but it was his own music that really raised the hype.
A charmer with blue eyes, and a perfect smile, Klick knew how to wow the crowd with more than just his music and the women in the audience regularly gave their shouts of approval.
His quick wit and humble personality got the crowd laughing and their endorphins up, making him the perfect man for the job of warming the audience.
For more photos of this incredible show, head to KelownaNow Events on Facebook.
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