Coolidge conquers Courthouse crowd

By Don Fowler
Posted 6/30/16

I have been to hundreds of concerts over my lifetime, but I can count on one hand entertainers who have held an audience in the palms of their hands as they begged for more…and got it.

Rita …

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Coolidge conquers Courthouse crowd

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I have been to hundreds of concerts over my lifetime, but I can count on one hand entertainers who have held an audience in the palms of their hands as they begged for more…and got it.

Rita Coolidge came to nearly sold out West Kingston’s Courthouse For the Arts, bringing her talented band for a highly anticipated concert and book signing.

She did not disappoint. In fact, she overwhelmed the appreciative audience with her vocal talents, storytelling, and a sincerity that had her intimately connected to her audience.

“This isn’t West Kingston,” she said, “This is BEST Kingston!” finishing her set and coming back for encore after encore.

“We never do this,” the two-time Grammy award winner told her adoring audience, spending the next hour mingling with her fans, signing her new book and programs, and repeatedly commenting on “the best audience ever.”

And we were! Thanks to her warmth, talent and ability to connect with her audience.

She sang her hits, plus cover songs by some of her contemporaries and favorite songwriters, weaving stories of her life throughout the performance.

Grant Maloy-Smith, a singer/songwriter of American Roots music, set the tone for the evening with a great set and a unique voice that had twinges of Willie Nelson. The difference was that he was a better singer than Willie.

The Courthouse of the Arts is a volunteer driven operation, dedicated to bringing quality entertainment to the historical building.

West Kingston may be a quiet country village, but they know how to make some noise when it comes to entertaining folks. Just past the Kingston train station on Route 138, it’s a short ride down Route 2, past Shartners Farm, offering a scenic ride to 3481 Kingstown Road.

Check them out at www.courthousearts.org. Their phone number is 782-1018.

We told you some of the events coming up for the rest of the summer. They are already booking acts for the fall, including Aztec Two Step on September 24 and R-Rated hypnotist Frank Santos Jr. on October 15.

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