Concert Review: Jeffrey Steele – Franklin 4 the Cure Benefit – September 15, 2012
12 years ago Liv Carter Comments Off on Concert Review: Jeffrey Steele – Franklin 4 the Cure Benefit – September 15, 2012
(Photo: Liv Carter/UCN)
On Saturday, September 15, 2012, Jeffrey Steele performed at the Franklin for the Cure benefit, a very worthy cause raising funds for Vanderbilt University’s Monroe Carrell Chidren’s Hospital. To further help the charity, the evening’s host, GAC’s Storme Warren, helped auction off a signed acoustic guitar halfway through the show – an auction which brought in a further $10,000!
Starting with everyone sat down in neatly lined-up chairs, the evening ended with people on their feet, chairs pushed aside, and a full dancefloor. Steele kicked off with rocker ‘Your Tears Are Coming,’ and built the show out of his seemingly endless supply of top country hits – running just over 2 hours, this was a short set by his standards. Joining him was his three-piece band with Tom Hambridge on drums, Steve Cirkvencic on guitar, and Tommy Mac on bass.
As always, he treated his audience generously. We got the “extended deluxe version” of ‘Gone,’ and audience requests were granted where possible. For a quieter interlude, he sat down at the piano for a duo of Rascal Flatts hits, ‘Every Day’ and ‘What Hurts the Most.’ He threw in a fast-paced medley of #1 hits, teasing the crowd as he kept them guessing as to which one he would play in full. Settling on one of his Montgomery Gentry smashes, ‘Hell Yeah,’ the show ended with a sampling of old-school rock ‘n’ roll hits as he invited each of his bandmembers to “take me back when the music first hit you.”
Steele is one of the most successful songwriters Nashville has seen, yet he conducts himself with humility and shows he is thankful for every last person in the audience. Even though he can be confident people know the words to his many hits, each time he pauses and the crowd sings his lyrics back to him, he flashes his big, genuine smile in gratitude. Not merely an entertainer, but a true artist, he is in total control of his vocals as well as his audience. He remains the most engaging performer I have had the privilege to watch.
To paraphrase a saying about the city of London – if you are tired of watching Jeffrey Steele sing, you are tired of life. Keep an eye on jeffreysteele.net for future tour dates and add one to your calendar as soon as possible.
To find out more about Franklin 4 the Cure, please visit franklinforthecure.org. To support the Monroe Carrell Chidren’s Hospital, donate via www.childrenshospital.vanderbilt.org.
Liv Carter
She holds several certificates from Berklee College of Music, and a certificate in Positive Psychology from UC Berkeley.
Her main influences are coffee, cats, and Alexander Hamilton.
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