LeAnn Rimes Concert at the Ryman Auditorium
With her latest album God's Work, LeAnn Rimes continues to evolve and captivate listeners. Her current tour "The Story...So Far" is an immersive experience that highlights her twenty-five years of making records. I share my thoughts on attending the show and how it exceeded every expectation, resulting in a powerful night of music on the sacred Ryman stage.
Plus, I'll talk about the show's opener, Sean Oliu, who is an outstanding traditional country music artist!
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Thank you so much for joining me today. I've been very fortunate to see many shows at the Ryman, but this show with LeAnn Rimes, it was something so incredibly spectacular. Her current tour is called The Story So Far, and it's a culmination of some of her biggest hits and her latest work.
If you have the chance to go see the show, please do it. You will not be disappointed. I want to talk a little bit about the opening act, and I hope that I'm pronouncing the last name right. I'm really sorry if I messed that up. But Sean Olui, he's very, very traditional country. Which, you know, I love. But this was his first time playing the Ryman, and he was outstanding.
He has a song that's called “Queen of Hearts,” that's his latest release. It was just him and acoustic guitar, sharing stories, singing some great traditional country. He talked about his upbringing, and he felt inspired to play Charley Pride's “Kiss an Angel Good Morning,” and it was such a cool moment at the Ryman.
You could just feel the excitement for him. But ever since I've seen him, I have been watching his stuff on YouTube, and I'll put all of his information in the show notes, but it's Sean, S E A N, his last name, O L U I, go look him up.
I was 8 years old when LeAnn Rimes came out with “Blue.” This was a phenomenon. Everyone was talking about her, every magazine, all the morning TV shows, the late-night talk shows. I remember the first cassette I ever bought myself, it was Unchained Melody: The Early Years, which featured a lot of classic country songs on that. I listened to that tape over and over again.
In 1999, I'm 10 years old at this point, and she releases a cover album, it's a self-titled album. It is packed with country classics like “Your Cheatin’ Heart, her version of “Crazy” is on there. Around this time, there's also a Disney Channel special. I remember watching that, and as a child, you absorb everything around you. I just had no idea at that time how much of an impact these records were making on my life.
My parents, my grandparents, they all listened to country music. And at that age, I wasn't into the older classics, like stuff from the 50s, the 60s. I loved the newer stuff. Reba, Shania, Wynonna, all of those songs from the 90s. But classic country just was not my thing until I heard LeAnn Rimes sing these songs.
That's how they were introduced to me. And now I am 34 years old, and I have a weekday radio show where I play nothing but 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s country music. And there's just no way that I would even have the slightest knowledge or interest without those LeAnn Rimes records in my life at such a young age because that was my introduction to classic country.
This show at the Ryman, it's my first time seeing her. I had tears running down my face throughout most of the night. I've been very fortunate to experience so many concerts throughout my lifetime, but I have never felt the way I felt at this show, it was more than just going to a concert on a Saturday night.
It was an experience, completely immersive, and I just felt like I resonated with everything. I believe there's power in simplicity. She had a drummer on stage, two guitarists, and again, the level of talent between them, just mind-blowing. I won't give the entire setlist away because I want you to go see this show.
She has dates throughout the rest of the year. And of course, songs from her latest album, God's Work, they are featured in this show. “One Way Ticket,” that's one of those songs that connects me to the best parts of my childhood. I was not emotionally prepared for the re-imagined, pure, slowed-down version.
That’s the beautiful thing about the life of a song. The melodies can change, the tempo can change, but the words still remain. For me, the original - it's carefree, it's spirited, but hearing it as an adult trying to navigate life, it's deeply profound. LeAnn Rimes, she is very open about her wellness and mental health journey, and I think that is so beautiful that she feels compelled to share that because I know it's helping so many other people.
She has a candle line, a chant record, and a podcast that goes into her healing journey. I've been on a similar journey myself. I don't know if that's something when you get to your 30s, you realize, “Hey, I've got to fix all the things that happened from basically the time that I was born until now.” I find the stuff that she posts online very relatable and the things she shares.
This show was very intimate. She was very conversational, very open. I remember at one point she mentioned the word “somatic” and I'm like, “Yes!!”, because I know all about somatic therapies, and I just loved her down-to-earth conversation with the crowd. I think we are all looking for ways to overcome our challenges and learn from our past, and I truly believe that what she shares through her music and her blog and on social media, I believe that she is a light for so many.
Other unforgettable moments from this show were definitely the throwback to the Coyote Ugly era. That was a dream hearing “Can't Fight the Moonlight” and “The Right Kind of Wrong.”
Another really cool thing that happened at this show in Nashville is Tennille Arts joined her on stage to sing “Blue.” That was a really special moment. They have a duet out right now, it's called “Jealous of Myself,” so be sure to go listen to that.
I watched the episode of CMT Crossroads where they paired LeAnn with Mickey Guyton, Brandy Clark, Ashley McBryde, and Carly Pearce. They teamed up and they sang some of her hits with her. There was this moment that absolutely broke my heart. The women are having this conversation and LeAnn, she starts to shed some tears because she says she feels like she's forgotten within country music. That was so heartbreaking for me because she has created a legacy. The impact is there. Her musical contributions are so important, but I do believe that they are undervalued and underappreciated within the country music industry.
One of the pinnacles of this show was watching her sing “Crazy” on the very stage that Patsy Cline once stood. When people talk about the magic of the Ryman, it's because of moments like this. I just want absolutely everyone to experience this show. I have seen Kris Kristofferson, Loretta Lynn, Barbara Mandrell, so many larger-than-life figures on that Ryman stage. And that's how I felt about seeing LeAnn Rimes. I was seeing a pillar of country music. I walked away from that show feeling I went to the world's greatest therapy session. She is proof that music is healing, and it is powerful. Her music has always transcended genres and styles. She can go from country to pop to soul to everything in between.
It's encouraging to see somebody let their creativity take them where it goes instead of being stifled and putting up barriers. Just letting creativity go where it needs to go. I'm 34 now, and the way that her music has been embedded into my life.
It really can have a deep impact on your life, and I knew going to the show at the Ryman, I knew that I was in for an outstanding night of music, but I was not expecting such a powerful experience. Was it one of the best shows I've ever seen? Absolutely yes. Would I go see it again? A million times yes.
And maybe you're a casual fan of country music and you haven't really dug into LeAnn Rimes’ catalogue lately you need to check out God's Work, that's her latest album. She has so many fantastic records from the last few years, especially the work she's done with Vince Gill. Lady and a Gentleman - fantastic record. There's just so much to uncover from her catalog. And again, I just want you to go see this show. Truly a fantastic performance. And that's going to wrap up this episode. Again, check out Leanne Rimes website for all her tour dates. She is across the country. It's a show you do not want to miss!