Johnny Lee
Story and photos by Mary Jane Farmer — Click on link at the bottom for photos
Johnny Lee kept ‘em on the dance floor, and they, aka ‘em, kept him busy with handshakes and knuckle bumps and singing “Happy Birthday” and more. It was about interaction and mutual admiration between the classic country superstar and the uncountable number of fans at Gilley’s/Durant Friday night. (Nov. 30)
Lee brought with him five outstanding musicians: artists on fiddle (Kelly Farmer), steel guitar, keyboards and horn, bass, drums, and electric (or lead) guitar. There was also one woman who sat in with tambourine and some backup harmonies on one song. Harmonies and sometimes-lead vocals also came from the musicians on the keyboards and bass. (Sorry, I don’t have those names — wish I did.) Actually, those two did some songs before bringing Lee onto the stage.The next 90 minutes were filled with Johnny Lee hits from over the years, two Christmas songs, and two new ones he said will be on his upcoming CD, which he’s been working on for a few months and is about ready to release.
And because the fans asked, they performed his signature song, “Looking For Love In All The Wrong Places” twice. And that put him over his required time slot, but Lee and the gang kept on going, well past cut-off time until they ended it all with “American the Beautiful.”“Cherokee Fiddler,” “Pickin’ Up Strangers,” 13th of July,” “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights,” and so on until, near night’s end, they presented a medley of soundtrack songs from the 1970s’ movie, “Urban Cowboy.”
The first of his two Christmas songs, a new one he said he wrote called “Pretty Baby,” is also going down on a recorded track. This was the first time that Lee showed a little bit of displeasure with his band, heard uttering, “If you are going to F… it up…” then his voice faded out. That displeasure came out again on one of the classic songs, when he turned, said, “Oh, no,” and shook his finger at the drummer, like a parent to a disobedient child. The band members just kept on smiling.The crowd never noticed. Too busy dancing.They were dancing to the “Cotton Eyed Joe and fiddler Kelly Farmer’s “Orange Blossom Special,” and there were waltzes and plenty of Texas two-steps, even in Okieland, (Durant, Okla.)
Watch the Scene In Town Live Music Calendar for future special shows at Choctaw in both Durant and Grant, and soon in Pocola, Okla. Charlie Pride and Loretta Lynn are coming to Durant’s Choctaw Event Center Thursday, Dec. 5; Michael Bolton on Dec. 12; and Travis Tritt, Dec. 13. And there’s more.