Publication: Richmond Times-Dispatch
To the strains of "Rocky Top" and the glitz of a rotating crystal ball, Conway Twitty emerged onstage at the Mosque last night. His hourlong set showcased 19 hits, showing the career of one of country music's true legends.
The Richmond audience cheered at the first notes of each song, clapped in time to "Don't Call Him a Cowboy," "Don't Take It Away" and "You've Never Been This Far Before."
Before "The Rose," a fan screamed, "I love you, Conway!" and Twitty replied, "I love you too, darlin'." Twitty is a masterful country music hit-maker, with the emphasis on hit- maker. His three-decade career epitomizes Nashville country music. He whines, he pleads, he accuses, and he begs throughout his songs such as "I'd Love to Lay You Down," "Hello, Darlin' " and "Lost in the Feeling."
The audience loved his performance of these melodramatic tunes, despite the incredibly poor sound mix for the first half of Twitty's show. Too, the audience didn't seem to mind that Twitty controlled his band with the air of a puppeteer. His mechanical performance seemed ludicrous in light of the emotional content of his songs. Yet he has so many devoted fans in Richmond that he didn't have to take chances by being innovative. His fans wanted to sing along with the songs they have memorized without being challenged with something new.
Something refreshing appeared before Twitty's show in the sets by Dan Seals and Michael Johnson. Johnson should get the Most Courageous Artist Award of the evening, for he had to face the crowd primed for Twitty . . . alone. Armed only with a nylon string guitar (which he referred to as "the band"), Johnson won the audience over to his folk-oriented ballads such as "Give Me Wings" and his 1978 hit, "Bluer Than Blue." His wit, his guitar playing and especially his singing captured the attention of the audience. His songs come from the heart, not from the tear duct. Sandwiched in between Johnson and Twitty, Seals offered a respectful helping of country, boogie and ballad. He blurs the distinction between rock ' n' roll and country and western. "Rolling Fever" had a swamp rock feel, while "Guitar Man Outta Control" evoked Dave Dudley's "Six Days on the Road." Both Seals and Johnson worked hard to gain the respect of the Mosque audience. They both deserve that respect.