Walking into the Crystal Ballroom on Monday, May 8th – a venue situated right in the middle of the liberal bastion that is Portland – felt like stepping into Trump country. In Portland the crowd came as a bit of a shocker, but camo hats and cold Coors Lights be damned, this crowd was ready for a night of country music. Interestingly enough, all three acts on the bill are as appealing to hipsters as they are rednecks, but maybe it was better the hipsters sat this one out. Mostly though, this crowd was here to see Jamey Johnson, one of the truest purveyors of outlaw country.
First on deck was Georgia boy Brent Cobb. Though it was clear most in the room hadn’t heard of Cobb, he was well equipped to keep them entertained. With his tight band the long-haired singer eased right into a set of laid back country-rock. Songs about rural living, working in coal mines, and family life struck a proper nerve and by the end of his quick set Cobb had won over everyone who was listening.
Margo Price’s most recent stop in Portland back in the fall was in front of a sold out crowd at the venerable Mississippi Studios. Price was already on the rise after the release of her album Midwest Farmer’s Daughter, but her onstage presence at the Crystal made it clear she has fully come into her own as a true country music entertainer. Price was all smiles and energy as she came out swinging with the rollicking tune “About to Find Out”. “Tennessee Song” – complete with a proggy synth line – served as a forceful fist-pumper of a country tune while the ode to life on the road “Desperate & Depressed” was a savory nugget of cosmic country bliss. Price’s fiery take on Kris Kristofferson’s “Me and Bobby McGee” drew cheers of recognition from the audience, who sang to the chorus while Price swooned with confidence and Luke Schneider stood on his stool and whipped up a frenzy of a dobro solo. By the time Price and her band got to her hard drinking anthem “Hurtin’ (On the Bottle)”, the crowd erupted into a full-on jamboree, further solidifying Price as one of the strongest forces in country music these days.
Jamey Johnson may resemble a viking with his massive beard, long hair and hulking presence, but as an artist he falls somewhere between Willie Nelson and George Jones. Not only in the way he sings and writes, but in the way he seems to have a fatherly godlike presence in front of his fans. When Johnson took the stage he was greeted like a king. Though Johnson hasn’t released an album since 2014, that hardly matters to his fans. Most of the songs in the setlist came from his Grammy-winning 2008 album That Lonesome Song, an instant classic that established Johnson as a potent voice of rednecks and outlaws alike, and his 2010 follow-up The Guitar Song. He calmly made his way through songs like “Lonesome at the Top”, “Can’t Cash My Checks”, and “That Lonesome Song”, all of which were ideally suited for singing along. Backing Johnson was a large band that included brass and saxophone, bringing to mind the work of contemporaries like Sturgill Simpson, as well as rock and rollers like Bruce Springsteen. At the center of it all was Johnson, who proved to be just as capable of shepherding his band through masterful country ballads as he was at sitting back and letting them lay into blistering Southern rock guitar solos.
The second half of Johnson’s set would be a jaunt through the American songbook, and not just country tunes. He would cover blues legends like Elmore James, jammier acts like Little Feat, and he even brought out Margo Price for a tear-jerking duet of The Band’s “It Makes No Difference”. But in the end, Johnson strongest moments came when he paid tribute to the country masters, taking on George Strait, Willie Nelson, and Don Williams before the night’s end. So many covers was a welcome presence to a crowd who gleefully sang along to George Jones and Willie Nelson songs cranked out of the PA during the set change. Of course, if one was to judge on this performance alone, it would be safe to say Jamey Johnson is doing a damn fine job at carving his own place in the lexicon of country music’s greatest.
8 Responses
Are you really going to call that horrible Christmas cd with 5 songs on it Jamey’s last album. I’m guessing so you can say 2014 was his last year realeasing an album so it’s sounds better then saying he hasn’t released an original album of his own material since 2010 Since the tribute album in 2012 was none of his work. Fuck him. I used to be his biggest fan but since he’s left his fans waiting 7 fucking years and counting to hear a new original album he can go to hell. I’ve moved on to Sturgill, Cody jinks and Chris Stapleton…Those guys won’t let their fans down. Sorry to say but Jamey is already washed up. Sad but true
No Jack, Jamey is true country, not caught up in the crap they call country now days. Watch videos of him and see the respect he garners from the country music greats like George, Willie, and Merle. None of these modern country singer would have gotten invited out on stage to sing with the Hagg.
@Jack
Jamey is not washed up; he’s the real deal. Willie will tell you that, and so would the Hagg if he were still with us. Hell, he said as much before he passed. The problem with country music today is fare weather, band wagon, little-dick, pussy fanboys like yourself.
If you knew what you were talking about, and you clearly don’t, then you would know that Jamey hasn’t released any new material because of the record companies screwing him out of royalties. Assuming that you’re not a deadbeat douche bag just drawing “entitlements” off the backs of us ordinary hard working, blue collar folk, would you continue to work everyday if you weren’t getting paid? No, you wouldn’t.
Jamey gives his fans something better than new albums with two good cuts and shit filler material every two years; he gives his real fans, the fans of true country music, memories to last a lifetime when they see his shows. Where you have erred is thinking the magic comes from a studio, pressed to a disc, and sold on a shelf. For “fans” like you, the belief is you must have something to tangibly hold. Music was never meant to be held; it is meant to be heard.
Neil, thanks for linking my set list to the article. I wanted to make sure that someone documented the set list for other fans to appreciate. Thanks for the great article too. My brother-in-law and I drove 4 hours (from Walla Walla, WA) to see the show and it was well worth seeing. Jamey is as good as it gets in country music right now.
Got that Right Chris !!!
Jamey Johnson is the best !!!
He writes from his soul and always has.
He works his A.. off and it shows in every single song. From
George Jones to George Straight and so many Fan’s , it shows what a Great songwriter and Artist he Truly is !!!! ❤️
You can say what you want about Jamey Johnson but his music says it all. This guy could give a shit about the money he loves music and his concerts prove it. Who shows up to a small venue with twelve piece band and kills it all night long with no earpiece to sing along to??? You won’t see a show like that from any corporate pretty boys it’s all about selling seats and money.
Just to correct the original article… “Give it Away” was written by Johnson for Straight. “Kicked out of Country” was written by Straight and Johnson. “God’s Problem Child” was written by Nelson, Johnson and others. I just saw Jamey Johnson in San Francisco! That was one amazing show!! To Jack’s comment… Too bad your so impatient! I have a feeling we are going to see a new Jamey Johnson album in a year or so! And I’m sure all the JJ fans are going to be blown away! The reason he hasn’t released his own material lately is because he got a bad deal with his publishing company! He’s with a new publisher now, and I’ll bet we’ll see a new album after he gets done touring! Hey Jack, tell me, would you work for someone for free? Cause that’s basically what JJ was doing! To the real JJ fans get ready, new stuff is coming!!