Walker Wows Crowd At Country Jam 2001
review by Aaron Phillips, Desert Wind Promotions

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You can picture the scene.   A Western Colorado tradition.  125,000 country music fans enjoying the heat, the sounds and each other.  It's all part of Country Jam USA in Grand Junction.

And that's where the road took Walker Williams on the weekend of June 23 and 24.  Playing the Alamo Saloon side stage during intermissions between acts, Walker played to a packed, loud and enthusiastic crowd.

Seeing familiar faces in the crowd from Eagle, a group from Denver who proudly displayed a sign saying "Hello from the Grizzly Rose" and a lot of locals from Grand Junction where Walker once made frequent tour stops, Walker immediately made note of the crowd of Walker Stalkers in attendance by joking, "It's good to see y'all.   But please stop hanging around outside my house.  You're scaring my family."

Then it was on to the music.   Showcasing his new lineup on stage, the band immediately had the crowd dancing and kicking up the dust.

The familiar favorites from his "Just Like That" CD stood out to the Walker faithful, but so did potential new CD tracks like "Can't Get Arrested", "I Wouldn't Know", and "Love Never Hurt Nobody".

The Country Jam crowd is a rowdy bunch.  They come to have fun, drink and get loud.   And Walker not only did not disappoint, but gained a legion of new fans in the process.   The "rockin set" which includes the songs "A Little Less Talk And A Lot More Action" and "Hooked On An Eight Second Ride" had the dance floor so packed, getting in front of the stage to take pictures became impossible.

Being a Grand Junction native, I have attended nearly every Jam over the last ten years.  I have seen a number of bands play and I've seen a lot of the crowds they attract.    What I have never seen was the constant rush of people flooding the Saloon like they did every time Walker played.   Fans were coming out of the privileged VIP section just to watch the Walker sets.

Without a doubt, this is the most fun I have seen Walker have on stage.    The new band members add a great mix of energy, excitement, vocal and instrumentation quality that Walker feeds off of.    I was impressed with Toby Cushing's harmony vocals and featured vocals on songs like "All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down" that bring a new vocal dimension to the line up.  

In addition, from Dave Parkin's steady drum beats to Mark Farris' great work on the keys, this is the most rounded sound I have heard in my five years of following the band.

Then there's Walker and the fans.    When a Clay Walker encore lasted 40 minutes on the main stage, delaying Walker's set, an impatient crowd had already gathered.   When Walker finally took the stage with the sarcastic delivery, "Hey!! how about Clay Walker???   Yea, he's one of my favorites.   Who does he think he is holding up my show?"   To which the crowd laughed and cheered.

As the weekend neared the end, and Walker said goodbye after his final song, the crowd roared and chanted "Walker!! Walker!! Walker!!", bringing Walker back for the only known Alamo Saloon curtain call.   And before Walker broke into his beautiful rendition of "Wildfire", he told the crowd, "What the hell.... if Clay Walker can play a forty minute encore, I guess I can play one more."

There's no doubt, Walker can capture, hold and captivate a room.   Countless fans rushed the stage after each set to talk with Walker, get tour information, buy a CD or just say "great job".

Hopefully what everyone in the Alamo Saloon knows will become common knowledge with people who run events like Country Jam.   Walker's performance overshadowed many of the acts who had their moment on the main stage.   Thanks to all fans for your overwhelming support.  Be sure and spread the word about the band.

The Walker Williams Band - June 2001

"I just know George Strait started this way", Walker seems to be thinking as he irons a shirt before his performance.    Time on the road leaves little time for domestic duties, so one is "pressed" to find time whenever possible.