They shared the stage with Stolen Rhodes, which served as their opening act. Stolen Rhodes was able to put on a high-energy and rocking set, thus warming up the stage for the living southern rock legends.
“How are we doing tonight?” lead singer Doug Gray asked the Huntington audience, prior to singing their opener “This Ol’ Cowboy.” The stage featured a backdrop banner of their Long Hard Ride album cover from 1976.
“Thank you for keeping the Marshall Tucker Band around for 45 years,” Gray said, graciously. They immediately broke into “Dog Eat Dog World,” where Chris Hicks sang the soulful lead vocals.
“Thank you very much,” Hicks said, and Gray thanked Stolen Rhodes for opening up for them. The group took their fans on a trip down memory lane to 1973 with “Fire On The Mountain,” which was a neat sing-along for the audience.
They went on to belt out “Take The Highway,” where Marcus James Henderson sang lead vocals and it featured killer flute and drum solos by Henderson and B.B. Borden. This powerhouse vocal earned them a standing ovation.
Gray shared that he just turned 68 years old, and took his fans back to 1974 with “Desert Skies,” as he interacted well with some audience members throughout this performance, thus showcasing his sense of humor. Henderson and Hicks joined him on harmonies. Rick Willis sang the final verse with Gray, and he went on to introduce all of his band members.
Hicks continued with “Midnight Promises” and the sassy and fun “Hillbilly Band.” It was followed by the highlight vocal of the evening, the nostalgic “Blue Ridge Mountain Sky.” Most impressive about this performance was that they dedicated it to this Digital Journalist, in honor of his recent 5,000th career article, which was quite the pleasant surprise to receive a shout-out in front of a sold-out venue.
They closed with such southern rock classics as “Heard It In a Love Song” and “Can’t You See,” which were well-received with standing ovations.
The Verdict
Overall, The Marshall Tucker Band gets better with each and every live performance. Their passion and love for their craft is infectious, hence their 45-year longevity in the music industry. There was a great feeling of nostalgia in the venue, as they sang all of these classic hits. Their live show at The Paramount garnered 5 out of 5 stars.
