I write this blog from Long Beach, CA (which is evident from the top of this blog) but like a lot of people in California, I'm a transplant. I'm originally from Wyoming, and as you can imagine I was raised on country music. Now, I love all types of music and I'm sure to post about it all eventually, but country music is in my blood and I love it to this day. So when I saw that Alan Jackson, a living country music legend, was coming to the Orange County Fair on July 26th I was all over it. I was not disappointed either! I went with my wife and her parents, and some friends of ours. Even though she is from California originally, she also grew up with country music which is very convenient when it comes to country concerts.
The Zac Brown Band opened up the show. Like Jackson, they are from Georgia. I guess I'd describe their music as a mix of country and southern rock. Alternative county without being so far removed from country that they can't find an audience. Think Cross Canadian Ragweed (which I also love) but a little more country. They were so good I bought all 3 Cd's they were selling at the booth. It was probably the biggest crowd I've seen actually come in for the opening act. Their radio single "Chicken Fried" is really everything a country music fan would want in such a crowd pleasing song. Definitely worth checking out at zacbrownband.com.
Alan Jackson, much like George Strait (another living country music legend), basically comes out, stands there and sings--and it's awesome. The sign of a great musician! His new album Good Time is flying up the country charts and currently sits at number 4, and despite promoting the new album he only played the 2 singles from it. With a body of work like his, it's almost hard to make a set list because there are so many fan favorites to choose from. He played a solid mix of his more up beat and rocking songs, with a few slower ones sprinkled in, including my favorite Alan Jackson song "Remember When". So, as hard as it is to boil down his catalogue of songs to just 10, in my traditional fashion, here are my top 10 favorite Alan Jackson songs:
1) Remember When
2) Blues Man
3) Livin' on Love
4) Chasin' That Neon Rainbow
5) Here in the Real World
6) Someday
7) Drive (for Daddy Gene)
8) Don't Rock the Jukebox
9) Gone Country
10) Small Town Southern Man
