By Anna Marie Bolet, Jacksonville/St. Augustine Correspondent
Review: Jamey Johnson with Whiskey Meyers and Reyna Roberts-The Amp in St. Augustine, July 10, 2021
The long-awaited Jamey Johnson graced our St. Augustine Amphitheater Saturday night, July 10. With a powerful line up that included Whiskey Myers, it was the amazing Reyna Roberts that made the oldest city in the US her “Stompin’ Ground” for the evening.
Owning the stage like a Country Music Diva, Ms. Roberts has the majestic presence of given her name. She is, indeed a queen. With power house vocals ranging several octaves, Reyna Ruled as she belted out “Don’t Tell Me’”and “100”. Named one of CMT’s 2021 Next Women of Country Class, it’s no wonder. I felt like I was watching a seasoned star, like something big was happening. The beautiful Reyna Roberts is in the same class as the pioneering black women of country who paved the way the likes of Anita Pointer and Tina Turner.
Whiskey Myers blazed on stage with a commanding ensemble led by Cody Cannon. Mesmerized by the powerful John Jeffers’ guitar shredding in “Frogman” paying homage to our active and retired military, I almost forgot what I was there to do!
It’s no secret that I am personally a huge fan of Southern Rock and this group, with songs like ‘Bad Weather’, complete with harmonizing female voices make it easy to compare them to Lynyrd Skynyrd. Of course they won me over completely and hopelessly with their song “Anna Marie” when it was released in 2011. A dear friend of mine dedicated that song to me with this one phrase “everything about this song is you, Anna Marie”. My friend is no longer with us, but it goes without saying how powerful a connection music can be.
This band has the ability to take you on a ride with ballads like “Bury my Bones”, where Cody Tate’s musical talents were in full force during his solo on the electric mandolin, to the high energy “Gasoline” and then back again to the heartbreaking and beautiful “Stone”.
The talent and musicianship of the boundary bending Whiskey Myers is here to stay. Their latest, self-titled and self-produced album, Whiskey Myers, hit Number One on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart, debuted at Number Two on the Billboard Rock Charts and Number Five on the Billboard 200 All-Genre Chart. Check them out in Paramount Network’s Kevin Costner hit TV series, Yellowstone, as this group was featured performing in several episodes, propelling them up the charts in the process.
Country singer, songwriter Jamey Johnson’s smooth and stellar voice did not disappoint and neither did his ensemble band. His baritone vocals have been described as an “earth shaking rumble” and his lyrics traveled through the atmosphere like a crooner on Saturday night.
Pulling in a sold out show, he gave his audience a musical experience with favorites “High Cost of Living” and “Anything Goes”. It was “Place Out by the Ocean”, complete with a horn section that kept the crowd on their feet from beginning to end. What a challenge it was to know where to look on stage from the percussion section, back up vocalists, slide guitar and the piano on stilts, this group spared nothing.
Jamey Johnson and Melonie Cannon on backup remind us that Country Music is not hiding in “Give it Away”. Pretty sure these two could sing the contact list off my iPhone and it would drive fans wild, not to mention his command of jumbo acoustic on that song is an experience for the senses.
Jamey Johnson and his legendary group lived up to every expectation, keeping him in the forefront of his genre. He is Country Music at it’s purest and finest.
PHOTO GALLERY
Links to tour dates, music and more:
Jamey Johnson https://www.jameyjohnson.com
Whiskey Myers https://www.whiskeymyers.com
Reyna Roberts https://www.reynaroberts.com
So, I picked up a camera and started taking photos of everything and everyone and became the ‘annoying girl with the big camera’ when it came to vacations, birthdays and Christmas. Eventually, some of my images wound up on the walls of a few galleries too!
Now I take photos of musicians in their natural habitat and it feels like I’m on safari. I LOVE to take an image of someone when they are having the time of their lives!
Thanks for taking the time to read about me.
BIG LOVE
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