MO PITNEY

Sunday June 6, 2021

@ Music City Bar & Grill in Nashville, TN

TCM Single Review: "Local Honey"

www.mopitney.com

There are music related things that happen around Music City that can only be dubbed as “Nashville Moments.” There are surprise appearances by artists during big arena shows, an artist unknowingly getting invited to join the Grand Ole Opry after they play a set on a Friday night in the hallowed circle, and artists who have already arrived going back to their honky tonk roots to play on small stages all over town.

The latter is exactly what a standing room only crowd experienced when Curb Records recording artist Mo Pitney performed an hour and a half set at the Music City Bar & Grill.

Having never even performed with most of the players on stage with him, Pitney and his crew of top-notch players delivered a jam session that invited the audience to know who Pitney’s major influences are, gave a glimpse of him as a family man, and unraveled a good idea of who the man behind the guitar truly is.

“Is there anybody out there?” Pitney asked as the band fine-tuned their instruments.

He was met with only a few claps and whistles.

“Maybe a better question then…does anybody out there like country music?” he asked as the crowd erupted in a rousing cheer as the band pushed into their opening song, a cover of Merle Haggard’s “Big City.”

“For the rest of the night we really don’t know what we’re gonna be doing,” Pitney stated with a big grin on his face. “But yeah, so we started there and we’re gonna need some prayers from y’all for the rest of the night.”

The rest of the aforementioned night included a healthy dose of his classic country influences which were accented by the prominent fiddle and steel - two casualties of the modern country movement, which only made them that much more refreshing to hear as they brought the “real” country sound to life.

Haggard’s “If I Could Only Fly” and “The Farmer’s Daughter,” Roger Miller’s “Invitation To The Blues,” “Chug-A-Lug,” and “(And You Had A) Do-Wacka-Do,” Don Williams’ “If Hollywood Don’t Need You,” and George Jones’ “Bartender’s Blues,” are just a few of the songs that caused the audience to cheer in approval.

Whereas his cover of Johnny Cash’s “Redemption” absolutely brought us to church, it wasn’t the only time in the set that did. After Pitney and his wife Emily (adorned on stage by their two very young daughters) delivered an incredible cover of Jessi Colter and Waylon Jennings’ “Storms Never Last,” Pitney’s oldest daughter (4 years old) wanted her time in the spotlight to continue, so dad lifted her up to the microphone where she sang “I Can Hear My Savior” – earning her an incredible ovation.

Pitney, skillfully though, allowed his own original material to slide into the set at all the perfect moments throughout the night, just enough to give the audience a taste of it, but to also leave them wanting more. From the toe-tapping “When I’m With You,” to “I Met Merle Haggard Today” and “Ain’t Bad For A Good Ol’ Boy,” Pitney showcased just how much those classic country influences show up in his own music as his original material fit in perfectly alongside the solid country gold.

FULL SET LIST

1. Big City (Merle Haggard Cover)

2. If I Could Only Fly (Merle Haggard Cover)

3. Behind This Guitar

4. I Met Merle Haggard Today

5. Am I All Alone (Or Is It Only Me) (Glen Campbell Cover)

6. Don’t You Ever Get Tired (Of Hurtin’ Me) (Ray Price Cover)

7. When I’m With You

8. Last Thing I Needed, First Thing This Morning (Chris Stapleton Cover)

9. Invitation To The Blues (Roger Miller Cover)

10. The Farmer’s Daughter (Merle Haggard Cover)

11. Storms Never Last (Waylon Jennings/Jessi Colter Cover)

12. King of the Road (Roger Miller Cover)

13. If Hollywood Don’t Need You (Don Williams Cover)

14. Borrowed Angel (Mel Street Cover)

15. Chug-A-Lug (Roger Miller Cover)

16. (And You Had A) Do-Wacka-Do (Roger Miller Cover)

17. Ain’t Bad For A Good Ol’ Boy

18. Redemption (Johnny Cash Cover)

19. Bartender’s Blues (George Jones Cover)

20. ‘Til I Get Back To You

21. Get Rhythm (Johnny Cash Cover)

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