DATE: Sunday, June 15, 1997                 TAG: 9706150035
SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B8   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Music review

SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   50 lines

MONTGOMERY AND SHARP RISE TOGETHER ON CHARTS AND IN NORFOLK CONCERT COUNTRY MUSIC SUPERSTAR AND NEWCOMER KEEP THINGS HOPPIN' AT HARBOR PARK.

John Michael Montgomery and Kevin Sharp are hanging around together - both on the charts and on tour.

The Sharp song, ``She's Sure Taking it Well'' is number seven on Billboard's singles chart, and on its top 12 videos list. On those same charts, Montgomery's ``I Miss You A Little'' rests at numbers six and nine.

They songs were integral parts of Friday night's Harbor Park concert. Sharp opened for Montgomery in a show featuring two strong voices and a lot of good material.

It was the second country concert at the ballpark, but won't be the last. The estimable teen star LeAnn Rimes performed there last year; Tim McGraw is on tap for July.

Presentation-wise, things were improved over 1996. The stage was moved in closer, which worked well. The sound out there was loud and clear. Add to that, perfect outdoor concert weather.

Montgomery wrapped his big voice around some beautiful ballads and outstanding up-tempo pieces, moving easily from romance to rowdy - all good 'n' country.

The encore was a different story. There was no pretense of country during the closing jam session. It was no-nonsense, no-questions-asked rock, with Montgomery's red-and-white ``let's party'' guitar moving from smokin' to blazin' to call the fire department.

When he finished he turned his guitar around - it says ``thank you'' - and walked off without a word, justifiably exhausted.

Mid-show, of course, contained one of country music's best ballads, ``I Swear,'' and one of country music's best up-tempo pieces, ``Sold.''

Montgomery performed his new single - out only about two weeks - ``How Was I to Know,'' a good song with a strong Roy Orbison touch.

His fervid fans joined in on many of the songs, but when he sang ``I Miss You a Little,'' a piece about his late father, Harbor Park was respectfully hushed.

The place was good and rowdy during most of Sharp's set. He bounced around, obviously enjoying being on that stage.

The audience enjoyed the affable performer, cheering decently after he'd been singing for about five minutes.

``They just realized the bald guy is in our town,'' said Sharp, who kids himself about his Yul Brynner look. His cancer is in remission, his career is not.

The superstar and the new guy combined for an exciting evening at Harbor Park.

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