Last night I got to attend the Merle Haggard/Kris Kristofferson concert that was held at the Buell Theatre in in Denver, CO. It was a great show. I wasn't sure what to expect since they both are kind of elderly now.
The last time I went to a concert of a "former" great, I left very disappointed. There is nothing "former" about these two. They put on a great show. When I was leaving, all I heard was positive comments and people wondering how old 
Merle and Kris are now. (According to this morning's Google research, they are 73 and 74 respectively.)
The amazing thing about this experience was that theoretically it could have been defined as a disappointment. Yet, Merle and Kris, took an unexpected negative, acknowledged it, put a humorous spin on it...and the audience left feeling anything but disappointed.
What happened? Something happened to Kris's voice. He had a difficult time singing for any length of time. The plan had been for Merle to sing three songs, and then Kris would sing three, then Merle and so on. Kris did try to sign....just enough. It was clearly not a good night for Kris to be singing. Every once in a while, his "true voice" would come through it sounded great. His attempts endeared him to the audience. Everyone gave him credit for trying. It just made him all the more likeable. It certainly didn't hurt anything that he looked great from my vantage point. Grey hair was very becoming on him.
And then Merle - Merle carried the show. There is a reason that Merle Haggard is frequently called a legend. Last night, Merle demonstrated that he's still got "it." His music was great! Merle is sounds the same live as he does recorded. Merle is a fabulous entertainer, a good story teller and he left us laughing on a number of occasions. His performance reminded me that fancy lighting, smoke and fireworks are not necessary for a captivating performance when you have talent.
The Buell Theater was packed. Everyone really seemed to especially enjoy "The Fightin Side of Me." Merle got the crowd singing "Okie from Muskogee" with him. He also got us thinking about how his songs no longer apply to just one particular war. They apply to our service members in a number of wars.
Now, Merle did harass Kris for not pulling his part. He joked about their rehearsal having been a waste of time. At the end of the show, Merle concluded by remarking that someone that can write songs as good as Kris can shouldn't have to sing them.
The concert could have been disappointing since we didn't get to hear Kris sing much. Yet, because they both had a positive attitude, we, the audience had a great time. We were sad that the concert came to an end. We were wowed by Merle's performance. We were really glad that we went.
In conclusion:
1) If you like country music and get the opportunity - go see Merle Haggard and Kris Kristofferson in concert. You won't regret it.
2) If you feel like you are aging, go see Merle and Kris. Kris makes grey hair look great!!! Merle's energy is inspiring. They both demonstrated that you can still have a lot of fun in your 70's doing what you love.
3) If things aren't turning out how you expected, choose to take a positive attitude and "direct your destiny." (I saw this general idea on someone else's blog earlier this week - but haven't been able to relocate it yet.)
Photographed,
written and posted by
Sondra Meyer CPA/Real Estate Broker
Star View Ranch, Real Estate & Financial Advisory Services
979-575-2700
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