Music, by George, is what the audience wanted and music —by George Jones that is — is what they got, on Saturday, Oct. 10 at the Cranbrook Rec Plex It was probably the only opportunity that the vast majority of Cranbrook residents will ever get to hear the aging country music legend. He celebrated his 78th birthday on September 12th and this tour had all the ear markings of a farewell tour. I could be wrong but at 78 years of age the rigors of the road must be beginning to tell. George, with his crackerjack band, the Jones Boys delivered his well known hits with that “good ole boy” accent and charm. They were all there, “I Always Get Lucky With You”, “He Stopped Loving Her Today” and “One Woman Man”, “I Don't Need No Rocking Chair”, “Who's Going to Fill Their Shoes” (complete with a film montage of country greats on the overhead), the Gospel Tune “Me and Jesus”. George shared the stage with Brittany Allen on “Golden Ring” in an obvious tribute to Tammy Wynette. The band got an opportunity to step it out with Jerry Lee Lewis' “Whole Lot of Shaking Going On” and a fiddle extravaganza “Black Mountain Rag”.

It was George's show and that's what the audience wanted but the opening act of Mike Goochie, Brent Shindell and Linda Kidder was not easily overshadowed. These three Canadian musicians delivered a set of “hurtin'” country songs that were true to the Nashville tradition and delivered in a stripped down trio style. Mike is coming off a 17 year hiatus to try and make his mark on the country scene. His guitarist, Brent Shindell now works out of Vancouver but started his musical life strumming guitar in the Cranbrook Pentecostal church. The lady with the gigantic five string bass was Linda Kidder, also out of Vancouver. Both of these musicians have musical lives out side of the Country Music circuit. They both perform in other bands and have musical credentials and solo careers that would fill multiple pages on their resumes. Together with Mike they were a tight band with nice tight arrangements and close vocal harmonies. Mike was fighting a cold but with the help of “Fisherman's Friend” he had no trouble delivering a fine performance. My favourite line from one of Mike's songs is “I cried when it was over but they were tears of joy”. I told you they were hurtin' songs.

With the ice just under the boards it was cold down on the arena floor but the Cranbrook crowd of 1200 didn't seem to mind. I guess Canadians are used to that. Not so the Nashville sound crew who were in culture shock, or is that weather shock, in having to travel and work in unseasonably cold weather and in a cold building.