DATE: Sunday, May 4, 1997                   TAG: 9705020253

SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER      PAGE: 10   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JOHN-HENRY DOUCETTE, CORRESPONDENT 

                                            LENGTH:   48 lines

LITTLE TEXAS, MINDY MCCREADY CLOSE OUT THE MUSIC WEEKEND

Two hot new country recording artists wrap up a weekend of entertainment at this year's Chesapeake Jubilee when they share the bill at the main stage May 18 at Chesapeake City Park.

Mindy McCready, riding high on a fast-selling solo debut, starts things off at the main stage at 3 p.m. She will be followed at 4:30 p.m. by Little Texas, a band that has produced enough chart-toppers in the decade since their first show (to an audience of 10) to put out a greatest hits package.

Local favorite Wildheart is the opener at 1:30.

Though the peak of their popularity came with 1993's platinum ``Big Time,'' which was the highest-selling group country album of the following year, Little Texas continues to pump out the hits. Their latest single, ``Bad For Us,'' has such cross-over appeal that Warner Brothers has released it to adult contemporary stations.

Their next single debuts May 5. It is called ``Your Mama Won't Let Me,'' and is the second off their self-titled latest release.

The band is guitarist Porter Howell, guitarist and vocalist Dwayne O'Brien, bassist Duane Propes, drummer Del Gray, keyboardist Jeff Huskin and singer Tim Rushlow.

All the members sing. Their style is loosely based on that popularized by groups such as Alabama and the Eagles.

While playing the grueling Texas club circuit in the early 1990s, they penned their first Top 10 hit, ``Some Guys Have All The Love.''

Then they had a second hit in ``First Time For Everything.''

But no record. Warner Brothers quickly released an album, and six years and a handful of albums later later they had Greatest Hits.

Mindy McCready, on the other hand, is just at the beginning of her popular career, though she has been singing since the age of three.

``My uncle had one tape in his truck,'' said McCready, ``and that was Alabama's `Feels So Right.' We listened to it all the time. At our house I listened to Amy Grant, Sandi Patti and Twila Paris. I was influenced by all of it.''

She cut her teeth by singing karaoke to women country performers with first names such as Reba and Crystal. A producer heard a demo of her, and her debut ``Ten Thousand Angels,'' a pop-country hit that includes a collaboration with Richie McDonald of Lonestar, playing the Jubilee the Friday before Mindy's show. ILLUSTRATION: Photo

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