by Amannda G. Maphies
The 25th anniversary of 9/11 was a somber day in many ways. However, with a quarter century of healing, the show must go on. And go on it certainly did with opening bands, Clay Clear Band and The Record Company. These country rockers knew their assignment and adequately showed up to prime the pump for the well-known and highly regarded Whisky Myers to take center stage.
The famed headlining band, Whiskey Myers, certainly did not disappoint. The diamond-studded black velvet sky hosted an evening of rock, country, even a bit of jazz and blues thrown in, along with the camaraderie of thousands of fans with one collective love for soul-searing, eye-tearing, heart-palpitating music.
The myriad of fans at a concert is always a pleasure to observe. From the young couple on a third date to the much older married couple looking to enjoy something different than the daily; to the small group of girlfriends that desire to muster up a little trouble on the town to the young men finding their way, feeling the bass level of freedom reverberating through their testosterone-filled veins. The people-watching is nearly as entertaining as the live performance on-stage!
Lead singer, Cody Cannon, of the band Whiskey Myers, along with John Jeffers, lead guitar and vocals, Cody Tate, lead guitar and vocals; Jeff Hogg, drums, Jamey Gleaves, bass, and Tony Kent, keyboard and percussion, all came out in full force. Cannon’s grade-A energy encouraged an already rambunctious crowd to their feet. After a few hard-rocking, fast-paced sets, the band slowed the rhythm. The familiar first melodies of the epic song, Broken Window Serenade, accompanied by Cannon’s hauntingly melodious harmonica, invited audience participation unlike anything I have ever seen. Cannon started the tune and fully turned it over to the audience. Every member, young and old, hard rocker to boot-and-spur country fan, took the first verse and ran with it.
“Broken Window Serenade”
Lay a couple of pretty flowers Is what I brought to you I saw you through a broken window With a different point of view You had signs of depression From a long line of sin And your face tells a story ‘Bout the places you have been
What a rare treat, to be surrounded by thousands of strangers, all humming, chanting, singing and performing the same words from every square inch of a sold-out stadium. Words of heart, hurt, and deep soul-searing pain. The outdoor amphitheater was on fire with a deeply collective emotion that seemingly rang true for every last fan. Cody Cannon, lead singer for Whisky Myers, joined in on the first ‘I love you so….’, encouraging a spiritual moment akin to a crowd-enhanced religious experience.
The undeniable magic of hearing a song you have heard countless times, yet experiencing it live for the first time, just somehow hits differently. Sixteen-year-old Liam DeBoef, my son, quoted a line from the third verse of Broken Window Serenade, ‘I could buy you a diamond, but I cannot change the world.’ Experiencing those words to the melody of a crowded amphitheater translated to a whole new meaning.
Live music, a diamond for all ages, may not be the sole collective change our world desperately needs, but it sure does bring joy, nostalgia, romance, and unflinching freedom to so many. Which may, in fact, be the closest dance in which we engage to changing this ole world, one live music concert at a time.
Whisky Myers’ arguably second most popular song, Stone, arrived in the second half of the concert. From the pit, I stood with my oldest son, along with hundreds of die-hard fans. There was barely an ounce of floor space to be found. Beer cans in the air, phones blasting photos and recordings, the crowd shouting familiar lyrics at the top of their strained lungs, and swaying in sync with their partner, stranger, and the mystical blast of magic from the stage. It was truly an experience to behold.
The concert gods could not have ordered a more perfect evening. From the faint edge of summer’s last days to the beauty of a star-filled mid-September evening, the weather was clearly showing off for the main event. In full cooperation with Whiskey Myers and openers, Clay Clear Band and The Record Company, the weather, hospitality crew, beverage servers, and concert attendants undeniably brought their A-Game on the eve of September 11th. For a date which holds such heartbreak and past fear, to reclassify it with a collective love for music, country, and freedom of expression is a true blessing to behold.
Cheers to another evening of music, laughter, people watching, breaking in boots, allowing the freedom of music to wash over the confines of daily life and feel, for two hours and 26 minutes, the magic of true serenity. Congratulations to yet another night of musical history in the making for loyal concert goers at Ozarks Amphitheater in the heart of the Ozarks, Camdenton, Missouri.
BIG love and LIVE music.
For Whisky Myers upcoming tour dates, see: https://www.whiskeymyers.com/band. For upcoming concerts at Camdenton’s Ozarks Amphitheater, check out: https://ozarksamphitheater.com/about/.
