THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, October 25, 1994 TAG: 9410250058
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E7 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Music Review
SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines
HAVE FAITH and ye shall be glad.
And such was the case Sunday at the Rhinestone Cowboy in Newport News. Faith Hill, who has one of the most powerful voices in country music, and the stage presence to complement it, put on an exciting nightclub performance that will not be soon forgotten.
She has Olympian energy, excellent audience rapport and a sensuous approach to ballads. Even with all that star quality, Hill has the warmth of your next-door neighbor.
Hill spent about 10 minutes introducing the members of her fine band. ``The Lord put us on Earth for a very short time,'' she said, ``and we should try and be happy every day.''
That was a natural lead-in to one of her hits, ``Life's Too Short to Live Like That.''
Hill's professional life has moved swiftly. The Star, Miss., native, who worked as a receptionist for country singer Gary Morris until somebody heard her sing, was voted Top New Female Vocalist for 1994 by the Academy of Country Music.
Album No. 1., ``Take Me As I Am,'' yielded several hits.
On Sunday, Hill sang what she hopes will be a future hit, ``Bed of Roses'' - not the Statler Brothers song. It will be a single from album two. She was testing audience reaction, and, as expected, it was positive.
The performer and her fans have a strong mutual admiration. There were roars of approval for such hits as ``Piece of My Heart'' - her reprise of the Janis Joplin song, and ``Just Around the Eyes.''
Hill reprised some songs from the '70s and the '50s, such as ``Seven Lonely Days,'' a bouncy piece befitting her personality.
Randy Dorman enjoyed the show, too. Dorman, Kenny Rogers' guitarist, was in the audience previewing what he will be hearing this Christmas when Hill opens some shows for his bearded boss.
The best thing, though, is to catch her not as an opening act, but when she has 90 minutes to herself.
The Mann Sisters, who opened for Tracy Lawrence on Saturday at Willett Hall, performed Sunday, offering their combination of fine harmony and high energy. The Rhinestone Cowboy show offered a fairly unique touch - an all-female cast of characters. ILLUSTRATION: CONCERT REVIEW
WHO: Faith Hill, The Mann Sisters
WHEN: Sunday at the Rhinestone Cowboy in Newport News
by CNB