The Angelus Benefit: Day Three, The Big Concert

SATURDAY

Well today was the last big hurrah for this year’s Angelus event, the all day outdoor country concert at Ford Amphitheater. The weather couldn’t have been more beautiful, and the music never stopped all day, thanks to some well organized and hard working stage and sound crew and a stage divided into two sections so that one side was being struck and rebuilt while a band performed on the other side of the stage. Pretty nifty.

There was great music all day. Some of my personal highlights were as follows. The set by Confederate Railroad. Railroad is a fixture at Angelus every year, and Danny and the boys never fail to whip the audience into a tizzy with many of their hits like “Jesus and Mama,” “Elvis and Andy,” and the perennial show closer, “Trashy Women,” featuring an array of young ladies strutting their stuff onstage with the band. Tommy Crain jammed with the band on a couple of tunes, and it was obvious the guys were having the time of their lives. Cody McCarver was there playing with the Railroad, and also delivered his own solo material over the weekend. That cat was busy as a bee. We love the Railroad!

Country star Josh Gracin turned in an outstanding set, as did Lady Antebellum, Halfway to Hazard and of course Keith Anderson, who had the crowd singing along.

Chris Cagle put on a hell of a show, rocking his country to the max and playing hits like “Loredo,” “What a Beautiful Day,” and “Chicks Dig it.” Cagle’s band was tight and the set was seamless.

Mark Chesnutt tore it up as the show headliner, delivering a fine array of classic hits including “Too Cold at Home,” “Brother Jukebox,” and “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing.”

The show would close with the one and only Charlie Daniels Band delivering a full on, hard driving set that included hits “Wooley Swamp,” “The South’s Gonna Do it Again,” and of course, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.” At the end came the all star jam that found Charlie bringing Danny Shirley of Confederate Railroad up to sing “Trudy.” The Sweeny Family, Tommy Crain and The Crosstown Allstars, members of Ghost Riders and many others hit the stage for a jam on “Rolling in My Sweet Baby’s Arms,” and a couple of other classics.

The after party at the hotel got into full swing around 10 pm, with excellent finger foods and adult beverages for those who wished to indulge, and music was provided by The Crosstown Allstars, The Trunk Band, and members of Ghost Riders, among others.

This had been an Angelus event for the books. I spoke to Charlie Daniels before heading back to my room last night, and he asked if I had enjoyed the event. “Always,” I told him, that broad smile of his beaming. “Then I guess we’ll see you next year?” I just smiled, shook his hand and said, “Every year, Charlie. Every year.”

Then and there I made a decision. From here on out, The Angelus is the charity of choice for us at GRITZ. Look for a story in the near future, and by all means, “Be proud you’re a rebel ‘cause the South’s gonna do it again!”

Keep it Real. Keep it Southern.
Buffalo

Special Thanks to Charlie Daniels and to Gar & Tammy Williams for their tireless work for The Angelus... Thanks to my friend Scott Greene for driving and for always being a pal.

PHOTO RETROSPECTIVE

(Pics by Buffalo; Except the one's he's in!)