By Shelby Parker
Staff Writer

Vince Gill, Grammy and Country Music Association award winner, brought Nashville to Bakersfield on Oct. 25 at the Rabobank Theater. Along with him was special guest and steel guitar player, Paul Franklin. Back in July, Gill and Franklin released, “Bakersfield,” which is a tribute to the famous Bakersfield sound, covering songs from Buck Owens and Merle Haggard.

About his personal reasons for wanting to record this album, Gill told Bakersfield Life, “I love those guys. They have always been my two favorites, so it made sense that we weren’t just doing something that we thought was a lark. Their music was so ingrained in our childhood. I think we were just trying to interpret what we learned from them and say ‘thank you’ to them and honor them.”

Toni Marie and Brett Michaels, announcers from KUZZ introduced Gill, saying the event was the biggest since the unveiling of the bronze statues at Buck Owen’s Crystal Palace.

Pretty soon, the lights dimmed and Gill took center stage. He started off with one of the songs earlier in his career, “One More Last Chance,” dressed in a black button down shirt, patched with embroidered flowers. It’s like he was channeling the country legends that have come before him or was ready to play the Grand Ole Opry. That also reflected in the music he played; taking the audience back to Country music’s earliest roots, throwing in a little bluegrass, plenty of soulful ballads and of course, adding in a few Owens and Haggard classics.

Gill said he was glad to be in Bakersfield and added, “There’s a lot of great history in this town, and that has not gone unnoticed.” He then went on to play several of his original hits throughout the night, including, “I Still Believe In You,” “I Never Knew Lonely,” “Look At Us,” “What the Cowgirls Do,” “Pretty Little Adriana,” Go Rest High On That Mountain,” and “Whenever You Come Around.”

Just before the intermission, Mayor Harvey Hall walked on stage, with two wooden boxes in his hands. He declared that Gill and Franklin would now have the keys to Bakersfield. While the key might not actually do anything per se, Gill was genuinely touched at the gesture, as he is now an honorary local of the city. He said he has always felt a kinship to this part of California. Being that he’s from Oklahoma, it reminds him of home. Plus, here in town, the Crystal Palace knows how to make a mean chicken fried steak.

Gill had previously told the Bakersfield Californian, “I think Bakersfield is a melting pot, just like Nashville has been. Owens and Haggard sound nothing alike. There wasn’t just a stamp: This is how Bakersfield sounds, bang. This is how Nashville sounds, bang.”

When the show resumed, Gill returned with just a guitar and decided to get a little more personal. He kept asking the crowd if they had anywhere to be, because he was in no rush to finish the show. He told stories of his brother, did impersonations of his dad and the words of wisdom he gave over the years, as well as sang the song he had written about him.

Gill also had a chance to play the rest of the songs from the “Bakersfield” album, including “Together Again” by Owens and “The Fightin’ Side of Me” by Haggard. The crowd was bobbing along to the steel guitar and fiddles, the true heart of country music.

Gill was one of my first influences of what country music truly is. My parents were big fans, and still are to this day, so his songs were always being played around our house or in the car when I was younger. This was my first time seeing him live, and I couldn’t have imagined a better show. He sounds just like he does on his albums, if not better, and that’s what you always hope for in a live event.

The night was more than just a concert. It was a time of storytelling through Gill’s heartbreaking melodies, and laughter from all the reenactments of his father and memories of his childhood. I appreciated his candidness; how open and honest he was about his family, the songs he had written, and how the greats, Owens and Haggard, had truly changed the sound of country music.

Gill mentioned once again, “You’re lucky to live in a place where some of the best, the best, country music has ever been produced.” After hearing the influence that it has had, not only on Vince Gill, but the rest of country music, it makes me even proud to be from this city.

Though Gill didn’t have much production or the bells and whistles that a lot of artists have these days, it was easily one of the best concerts I’ve been to. Gill connected on a personal level with the audience, which is what I loved. He didn’t need anything else because his music spoke for itself. Not only is he known for his distinct tone (joking throughout the years that he sounds like a girl), but he’s also a phenomenal guitar player. Where there were no lyrics, the chords picked right up and filled in for the rest of the song. All night, it was easy to see the passion and love he had for his music, and that’s really what it all should be about.