DATE: Monday, September 1, 1997             TAG: 9709010085

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY ROY A. BAHLS, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                    LENGTH:   52 lines

MUSIC FESTIVAL GOES COUNTRY TANYA TUCKER HAS THE FANS STOMPIN' IN THE SAND.

The Oceanfront took on a country flavor Sunday afternoon, as people braved heavy Labor Day traffic and packed parking lots during the fourth day of the American Music Festival.

Country stars Tanya Tucker and David Lee Murphy performed on the main stage at Fifth Street. Other groups offering a musical mix Sunday on the nine other stages strung along the Boardwalk included The Producers, Taylor Dayne, America, Average White Band, Kansas, War and more.

Overcast skies and a cooling breeze off the ocean kept the crowd of more than 20,000 comfortable. But the strawberry blond Tucker, clad in black leather shorts and jacket, got the crowd heated up.

Her prancing, pointing and playing got her fans dancing and clapping. People packed hotel room balconies overlooking the stage and waved from boats anchored just off shore from the stage.

Gil Williams, originally from Oklahoma, was there with his big black cowboy hat, blue jeans and boots. He and a handful of his buddies had staked out a swath of sand close to the stage as soon as the gates opened at noon.

``We just came down for the country music,'' said Williams, a 22-year-old sailor stationed aboard the John C. Stennis. He had just caught Murphy's show for the first time and was waiting for Tucker.

``I'm just having a great time,'' Williams said. ``David Lee Murphy is about my favorite singer. Tanya is going to be great, too,'' he said. ``I grew up listening to her music.''

Max and Gabrielle Leibacher of Switzerland, both 50 something, had their spot along the Boardwalk for their view of the main acts.

``We wait and wait and wait for Tanya,'' Gabrielle said.

The couple, halfway through a year of traveling around America, liked what they saw and heard.

Recently, they had been in New Orleans and heard plenty of jazz.

The concerts they had heard over the festival weekend were ``sometimes too loud,'' Max said. ``Instruments sometimes louder than the singer - but we like, very nice.''

Event promoter and president of Cellar DoorEntertainment, Bill Reid, calls it a success.

``This has been fabulous, flawless,'' Reid said while watching Tucker on stage.

Today's headliners Kool & the Gang, Wilson Pickett and The Commitments wind up the festival weekend. ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]

STEVE EARLEY

The Virginian-Pilot

Yvonne Dungee and Richard Weldon...

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