Shenandoah Live in Concert

Shenandoah Ticket

My Dad is a very loyal listener of the local radio station in Sidney, Ohio and as such is always attempting to win in their many live contests. His luck finally hit and he landed a pair of tickets to see Shenandoah. Who is this you may wonder, well lets take a stroll down memory lane.....

The year is 1988 and a new country band is sweeping America with their number one hit "Mama Knows" and the years that follow are also just as fruitful. In 1989 three of their singles hit number one, of them includes the ballad "Two Dozen Roses". The year 1990 is when Shenandoah reach their climax with another three number one singles including the smash hit "Next To You, Next To Me" which stayed number one for 3-weeks. From there things began to slow down for Shenandoah. After 1990 five of their singles reached number one, the last being in 1994. A few more CD's were cut but a majority of which consisted of previously released material. Their hay-day quickly began and just the same quickly ended. Their journey included being named by the Academy of Country Music the Vocal Group of the Year in 1991, receiving a Grammy Award with Alison Krauss for "Somewhere In the Vicinity of the Heart" in 1995, many nominations for Country Music Awards, 16 CD releases, and 17 Top-Ten Singles.

My Dad invited Kristy and I along to the concert as not only did he win a pair of tickets but had previously purchased a pair. I had great expectations of the concert but did not consider the fact that the music business is prioritized by the here and now and not the then and there. The arena which was prepared for this Grammy Award winning band was actually a poultry barn normally used for the county fair. Even worse was the fact that the printed tickets for the show misspelled the bands name. To top it off the seating capacity was probably around 500, however, only half the seats were filled.

I had remembered the band from back in my high school days. I remembered especially being fond of the song "Next to you, next to me" and in fact still find enjoyment in hearing it now. I was really looking forward to enjoying it and their many other hits live in concert. In some way I almost felt embarrassed by the poor turn-out from my Dad's town for what I considered worthy celebrities. However, as the concert began I soon understood something about music I hadn't prior to this concert.

Just as in our life, music also has a pattern in it's development. From birth to growth and then to death, there is a natural pattern. Shenandoah had a good ride, some bands fame last longer and some never come close, I think this band enjoyed their day and now just stick around for the music it self. They obviously love the music, it was their motivation for starting and now it is their motivation for staying. They put on a good show, a fun show, a worthy show and in the end they thanked the audience and walked off stage.

Kristy and I, along with my Dad and his wife all enjoyed Shenandoah once again.

To learn more about Shenandoah go to
www.shenandoahband.com