Lee Ann Womack on tour with George Strait, Reba
Written by Vicki L. Kroll | | news@toledofreepress.comIt’s a sizzling ticket: George Strait and Reba McEntire, the king and queen of country music, with special guest Lee Ann Womack.
The trio’s statistics are staggering: More than 115 million discs sold, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. Nearly 90 No. 1 country songs. More than 60 Academy of Country Music Awards and Country Music Association Awards.
The Grammy Award winners will play the Palace of Auburn Hills at 7 p.m. Feb. 19. Tickets are $39.50, $69.50 and $89.50.
“It is kind of fun knowing that you’re part of a little bit of country music history,” Womack said of the big tour. “It’s great getting to watch both of them work, watching their teams, watching the way they do business, and getting to learn some.
“They’ve lived through everything, done everything. You don’t get a lot of the ego,” she continued during a phone interview from Nashville. “It’s never really about them; it’s about those audience members and how they can give them the very best show.
Lee Ann Womack
“With both George and Reba, you get quality stuff, and you just know if you’re watching the show, whether you’re watching it from out front or whether you’re watching it from backstage like we all do, you know that you’re getting quality music.”
It’s obvious Womack, a marquee name herself, is thrilled to be on the bill with two of her idols.
“At this point in my career, it’s kind of weird to find myself back out as an opening act, but what an honor to be able to open up for these superstars,” she said. “I’m between records, and I think this is just a great spot for me to be in right now and to kind of watch where they’ve taken their careers and, again, with their personalities, how they handle themselves.”
Womack is working on a disc she said will be out this year. The first single, “There Is a God,” was released in 2009. And she has a new track, “Liars Lie,” on the “Country Strong” soundtrack.
She also recorded “I’m a Honky Tonk Girl” for “Coal Miner’s Daughter — A Tribute to Loretta Lynn” last year.
“I love that song. I got Buddy Miller to come in and produce it for me,” Womack said. “It’s always fun to take a straight-up country song and just cut it and not get in the way of it.”
She has fun in her opening slot.
“With just 30 minutes, you usually just get the hits. We do ‘I Hope You Dance,’ ‘A Little Past Little Rock,’ ‘I’ll Think of Reason Later,’ ‘Ashes By Now,’ ‘The Fool,’ songs that people want to hear and expect to hear when they see me walk out there,” Womack said.
“I think that most great songs make somebody feel something, whether it makes you feel like you want to get up and dance or it makes you want to cry, it stirs some kind of emotion in you.”
Womack’s music, especially her monster hit, “I Hope You Dance,” has touched many.
“I’m very blessed to have had some songs that people have associated with life-changing events.
“And I’m always very, very proud when somebody says, we played that song at my graduation or when my daughter was born, my sister made me a copy of that song. When you get to be a part of people’s lives in that way, that’s how you know your music will live on forever.”
Tags: George Strait, Lee Ann Womack, Reba McEntire, The Palace of Auburn Hills, Vicki L. Kroll
