Nashville trio: Frankie Ballard, Craig Campbell, Randy Houser

Mary Jane Farmer | December 20, 2015 | Reply

Randy Houser

For more Randy Houser photos, click here.

For more Frankie Ballard photos, click here

For more Craig Campbell photos, click here

Nashville’s finest – although not necessarily their most-award-winning — singers stomped the Grand Theater stage (Choctaw Casino, Dec. 15, 2015), each with his own unique style and talent. Randy Houser, Frankie Ballard, Craig Campbell — each played sets with their individual bands, and a stage crew made sure those breaks between bands didn’t last long at all.

Craig Campbell opened. He didn’t sing his 2011 recording of “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” but he did perform his comedic “(My Girl Just Loves To) Fish.”

And it has to be said — he’s grown even more since he sat in on an open mic years ago at Love & War in Texas. He was on radio tour then, and only a couple of people in the audience even knew who they were listening to. A fine performer and songwriter.

Frankie Ballard

Frankie Ballard, the newest to the Nashville experience, could also be called “The Guitar Man,” judging from his expertise on electric guitar. He electrified his stage presence, as well, mixing in a lot of his own guitar work into his songs. On stage, one could see influences that could include Elvis and Billy Gibbons (that ZZ Top man). And if James Dean had been a singer, he could have been an influence. And throw in some Kid Rock to that stage presence. Almost as if he’d been studying and emulating North Texas’ Kyle Brooks (Rhythm & Beards)

And then, there was Randy Houser. Keeping country in country music, Houser has had numerous charted hit songs, including “How Country Feels,” most of which he performed for the enthusiastic days. Only three days before his 40th birthday, Houser’s stage presence was somewhere between Craig Campbell’s and George Strait’s, — lots of movement on stage without any jumps or gyrations. Well, there was one lope across it to be with his bass player once, but just that once.

Craig Campbell

Next up at the Grand Theater is New Year’s Eve, when Clay Walker and Restless Heart will performing, beginning at 8 p.m. Click here to link to that Website for ticket purchases.