Larry Stewart

Blog-style story and pix by Mary Jane Farmer

I want to quote song titles here.  “I feel sorry for anyone who” wasn’t at Southern Junction Saturday night (April 6), it was “The Right Place” to be, a dancehall packed with its cowboy boot-bearing regulars mixed with fans of one of the most popular and successful groups ever out of Nashville, Restless Heart.

The band has been through several changes over the decades, as bands generally do, then got back together a few years back in its original configuration, i.e.: Larry Stewart on most lead vocals, Dave Innis on keyboards, Paul Gregg on bass, John Dittrich on drums, and Greg Jennings on lead guitar. Actually, they all belted out some lead vocals and contributed crack harmonies behind Stewart. All told, these guys played hit after hit after hit within an inch of their lives.

Big Gus Samuelson popped the question, Tracy said yes.

And the Right Place for romance… I’ll let Tracy Lester tell you the highlight of her night:  “So in the middle of the Restless Heart concert at Southern Junction in front of at least 700 people….Gus (Samuelson) brings me up on stage….gets down on one knee and proposed. A night ill never forget. I truly am blessed!!!”

Big Gus had pre-arranged a lot of that spontaneous moment, but with all that up-front planning, he was suddenly more nervous than a 16-year-old asking his first girl to the prom. She said yes, through tears and smiles and hugs and kisses, and they danced their first dance as an engaged couple to Restless Heart serenading them with “I’ll Still Be Loving You.” 

Marcus Lindsey and his band of local renown opened and closed the night, and kept dancers in motion through it all, and that “all” included the smiles they wore throughout the night themselves.

I want to repeat something I put down underneath one of the pictures in the collection linked here, and that is — Restless Heart were complete gentlemen, gracious to the nth degree, and fun to be around. They seemed to be having as much fun as anyone during the Meet & Greet session backstage, pausing as long to visit, with rapt attention, with their fans as they could.

For more Restless Hearts and Marcus Lindsey band photos, click here:

For Meet & Greet photos, click here: