The Farr Side: Rimes one of the greatest of all time

About 10 months ago, I saw LeAnn Rimes in concert for the first time. It was also my first concert since the Pandemic. She was on the road for her highly publicized “The Story … So Far Tour.” She blew me away.

Luckily for me and for all her fans eager to see her, she is still adding dates almost a year later. Last Friday night she performed before a sold-out audience at Blue Gate Performing Arts Center in Shipshewana, Indiana. It was a night people will be talking about for a while to come.

Rimes opened the show with a stirring performance of “Remnants,” a song she performed alone onstage. Her vocals were stunning and so powerful. She definitely prepared the sold-out audience for a memorable evening. The song captures all of the amazing vocal points we’ve come to know and love from the star.

Some people were surprised to see a near-empty stage except for a grand piano, a microphone stand and her acoustic guitar player, Greg Hagen. That’s it, folks. She’s a true vocalist in the purest of forms. There are very few artists out there that would even attempt such bravery.

I love a lot of the glitz and glamour, pyrotechnics and hoopla many artists do to entertain their fans, but there’s something more special when all that is absent. You tend to get the real story behind their artistry and can appreciate the real depths of their talents.

Plus, you get a firsthand account of just how good they really are. It’s more intimate and real. And, man, can this girl sing!

“Life Goes On” came next, but it was her song, “Blue,” that totally bonded the audience. The song is what started it all for her more than 25 years ago. The first notes triggered an outburst from fans as she belted out the track like only she can do.

I was reminded that she was just 14 when the song earned her two Grammys, including Best New Artist and Best Female Country Performance.

Rimes’ show was all about her story, her journey through music, if you will. “Love Line” as a song she wrote for her two stepsons, citing just how much love means even if not your own blood. A very much slowed-down version of “One Way Ticket” received much applause. Rimes said the song has a totally different meaning to her now versus when she recorded the song at 13 years old.

The singer-songwriter also talked of writing her latest album, “god’s Work,” during the pandemic. She then sang the reggae-infused, “If Only.” The uptempo track was a great way to usher in the “Coyote Ugly” tracks “The Right Kind Of Wrong” and “Can’t Fight The Moonlight.” I would argue that these songs are her signature tunes where others would carefully cite “Blue” as her signature song. None of them would be wrong judging from the crowd’s reactions to these great songs. Several were up out of their seats jamming right along with Rimes. You almost forgot that there was not a whole band backing her.

The highlights of the night came when she performed “How Do I Live,” a song that is the sixth most popular single ever on Billboard’s Hot 100. I was in awe of her gorgeous voice over the fanfare from showgoers.

“Crazy” was the highlight for me. It was one of the most beautiful renditions of the song I’ve ever heard. Rimes sat on a stool, accompanied by Greg Hagan on guitar and simply blew the audience away with her vocals on the iconic song. She’s a true lover of Cline’s music, too.

Willie Nelson wrote that classic hit, “Crazy,” for Cline. To pay homage to his 90th birthday this year, Rimes also performed Nelson’s “Always On My Mind.” Again, this was a concert moment I will cherish forever. She did a beautiful job. I’m pretty sure Nelson would agree.

— David T. Farr is a Journal correspondent. Email him at farrboy@hotmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Sturgis Journal: The Farr Side: Rimes one of the greatest of all time