Collin Raye

It’s refreshing to see a lead singer as a bass player, and Collin Raye walked on stage at his show, holding his bass, and sat himself down at the stool centre stage. Raye is an incredible singer/songwriter, and brings country music to life in a time when there is such an abundance of the genre, and he breathes a breath of fresh air into its sails.
He opened the show with Love Me, singing the first few lines just accompanying himself on the bass, before his stellar country band kicked in behind him. They had everyone hand clapping and foot stamping from start to finish, and Raye encouraged everyone by putting his hands in the air and signalling for the crowd to join in. With a back catalogue of so many hits and awesome albums, I wasn’t sure what Raye was going to pick, or indeed how he was going to chose a set list. He chose to play a selection of his older hits, as well as his lesser known but newer tracks. It was all great and of a very high standard.
Raye’s vocals are incredible, and you would only know in the experience that he has been playing for over 20 years, he is strong as ever. His dedication to the performance was contagious, and he had the audience on his side from the start. It was a brilliant show, with such a showcase of talent as well as great songs.