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The night Collin Raye came to town
Dan Eakin/Staff Photo - Collin Raye performed before a packed crowd at the McKinney Performing Arts Center on Friday night in downtown McKinney. The 52-year-old country singer has released five Platinum albums and 15 No. 1 singles.
By Dan Eakin, deakin@starlocalnews.com
Several years ago, Johnny Cash recorded a song entitled, "The Night Hank Williams Came to Town."
The song tells how, sometime around 1950, about 1,000 people gathered in the gymnasium in Grapevine, Texas to hear the man who at the time was the world's most famous country-western singer.
At that time, the population of Grapevine was only 1,854, so most of the residents of the small town were at the gym rather than staying home to see the debut of "I Love Lucy" on television.
The radio announcer who had promoted the Hank Williams event had apologetically announced that it would cost "a whopping $1.50" to get into the show. However, he promised the people that they would get their money's worth within the first 15 minutes.
Hank Williams may have never performed in McKinney. However, someone in McKinney could easily write the song, "The Night Collin Raye Came to Town."
Last Friday night, the McKinney Performing Arts Center's Courtroom Theater was packed to capacity, even in the galleries.
More than 400 people had paid a whopping $35 a ticket to hear the man who over the years has had five Platinum albums and 15 No. 1 singles. Probably most, if not all, would say they got their money's worth within the first 15 minutes.
Following a great opening act with vocalist Imaj Thomas of Frisco and guitarist Ron Grimes of Lewisville, Raye and his five-piece band came on stage with a bang. They immediately loaded the room with music that had the audience clapping to the rhythm.
Then Raye told the crowd, "I've never performed in a courtroom before, but I've been in a lot of courtrooms."
The crowd laughed, but Raye added, "but only as a spectator."
He praised the people of McKinney for transforming the old courthouse into a performing arts center and said others should follow McKinney's lead rather than demolishing old courthouses or other historic buildings.
The crowd obviously included a large number of longtime fans of the 52-year-old singer. Many called out, "We love you," and he responded, "I love you, too."
Raye is best known for songs like "Love Me," "In This Life," "What the Heart Wants" and others with deep messages.
However, he admitted that, at least in his earlier years, he recorded some songs with lesser messages. One was entitled, "That's My Story and I'm Stickin' to It."
Many people in the audience knew that song by heart and sung it with him. At times, Raye would stop singing it, aim the microphone at the audience and let them finish the lines.
Raye's band included one musician from Canada and another from Chattanooga, Tenn. He said he "stole" one band member from Dolly Parton and got another from Pam Tillis.
He sang one song after another, almost non-stop between 8:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. Quite the showman, he was sometimes playing his guitar while down on his knees and at other times dancing on one foot to the rhythm.
He told the people goodnight at 10 and he and his band left the stage. The standing audience refused to leave, demanding more. Not one person headed toward an exit.
Raye came back out with his band and said, "Are you sure?" and the crowd screamed in unison, "Yes."
The first encore song had the people standing, clapping and stomping to the music. The wooden floor quivered, and for a minute, it felt like a mild earthquake had just struck downtown McKinney.
Then for his finale, Raye got serious and closed with an inspirational song, "Give Me Jesus."
Prior to the concert, a reception was held for Raye at the Spoons Garage on the southwest corner of the downtown square. Raye shook hands with people, hugged many of them and posed for photographs with anyone wanting a picture with him.
The reception proved that his charisma shines through, whether he is on stage or with people on a one-on-one basis.
People who attended the reception and/or the concert will likely never forget "The Night Collin Raye Came to Town."
The song tells how, sometime around 1950, about 1,000 people gathered in the gymnasium in Grapevine, Texas to hear the man who at the time was the world's most famous country-western singer.
At that time, the population of Grapevine was only 1,854, so most of the residents of the small town were at the gym rather than staying home to see the debut of "I Love Lucy" on television.
The radio announcer who had promoted the Hank Williams event had apologetically announced that it would cost "a whopping $1.50" to get into the show. However, he promised the people that they would get their money's worth within the first 15 minutes.
Hank Williams may have never performed in McKinney. However, someone in McKinney could easily write the song, "The Night Collin Raye Came to Town."
Last Friday night, the McKinney Performing Arts Center's Courtroom Theater was packed to capacity, even in the galleries.
More than 400 people had paid a whopping $35 a ticket to hear the man who over the years has had five Platinum albums and 15 No. 1 singles. Probably most, if not all, would say they got their money's worth within the first 15 minutes.
Following a great opening act with vocalist Imaj Thomas of Frisco and guitarist Ron Grimes of Lewisville, Raye and his five-piece band came on stage with a bang. They immediately loaded the room with music that had the audience clapping to the rhythm.
Then Raye told the crowd, "I've never performed in a courtroom before, but I've been in a lot of courtrooms."
The crowd laughed, but Raye added, "but only as a spectator."
He praised the people of McKinney for transforming the old courthouse into a performing arts center and said others should follow McKinney's lead rather than demolishing old courthouses or other historic buildings.
The crowd obviously included a large number of longtime fans of the 52-year-old singer. Many called out, "We love you," and he responded, "I love you, too."
Raye is best known for songs like "Love Me," "In This Life," "What the Heart Wants" and others with deep messages.
However, he admitted that, at least in his earlier years, he recorded some songs with lesser messages. One was entitled, "That's My Story and I'm Stickin' to It."
Many people in the audience knew that song by heart and sung it with him. At times, Raye would stop singing it, aim the microphone at the audience and let them finish the lines.
Raye's band included one musician from Canada and another from Chattanooga, Tenn. He said he "stole" one band member from Dolly Parton and got another from Pam Tillis.
He sang one song after another, almost non-stop between 8:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. Quite the showman, he was sometimes playing his guitar while down on his knees and at other times dancing on one foot to the rhythm.
He told the people goodnight at 10 and he and his band left the stage. The standing audience refused to leave, demanding more. Not one person headed toward an exit.
Raye came back out with his band and said, "Are you sure?" and the crowd screamed in unison, "Yes."
The first encore song had the people standing, clapping and stomping to the music. The wooden floor quivered, and for a minute, it felt like a mild earthquake had just struck downtown McKinney.
Then for his finale, Raye got serious and closed with an inspirational song, "Give Me Jesus."
Prior to the concert, a reception was held for Raye at the Spoons Garage on the southwest corner of the downtown square. Raye shook hands with people, hugged many of them and posed for photographs with anyone wanting a picture with him.
The reception proved that his charisma shines through, whether he is on stage or with people on a one-on-one basis.
People who attended the reception and/or the concert will likely never forget "The Night Collin Raye Came to Town."
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