Suzy Bogguss, Terri Clark and Pam Tillis visited the H. Ric Luhrs Performing Arts Center as part of their “Chicks with Hits” tour last Saturday.
Guests packed into the venue, ready to listen to some country songs. Some enthusiastic audience members even wore cowboy hats.
The ladies wasted no time pumping the crowd up for the show when it started.
“We’re going to have the best time, so if anyone here doesn’t, it’s your fault,” Clark said.
Humor played a big part in the performance. The show felt like a combination between music and stand-up comedy. Each woman had her own style — Tillis told stories, Clark quipped about her age and lunch and Bogguss made puns. The crowd laughed after each joke, which helped cement comedy into the performance.
Each of the singers is accomplished in her own right. Thirteen of Tillis’ songs have hit the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Her hit song “Mi Vida Loca” peaked at No. 1 in 1995.
Meanwhile, Clark’s self-titled debut album went platinum and peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart in 1996.
Bogguss sold more than four million records in the 1990s. Along with Tillis and Clark, she was an instrumental part of making country music so enjoyable during that period.
One fan told Tillis that she played her hit song “Shake the Sugar Tree” every night at work. She then told Tillis that the woman was a stripper, much to the crowd’s amusement.
The singers showed off their musical versatility by playing multiple instruments while singing throughout the show. Some of the songs they sang included Tillis’ “Let That Pony Run,” Clark’s “Girls Lie Too” and Bogguss’ “Drive South.”
At times it seemed like all three performers were having just as much, if not more, fun than the audience.
The singers were surrounded by many instruments, which added onto the musicality of the show.
Tillis made sure that the look and feel of the Luhrs Center did not go unnoticed.
“We appreciate great venues like this,” Tillis said. “It makes us want to sing all night.”
The audience was not afraid to yell in delight after each song. Many others took pictures and videos as souvenirs of the memorable experience.
After the final song ended, the women stood up and addressed the crowd one more time.
“God bless you. We love you, Pennsylvania!” Tillis said to a standing ovation.
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