Highwaymen Live: Nelson, Cash, Jennings tribute concert slated August 27 in McKinney

Perhaps the greatest country music super group in history, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash came together in 1985. The Highwaymen traveled the world performing country music for millions of fans.

On August 27 at McKinney Performing Arts Center, one of the best tribute acts in the business will bring their audience as close as they will ever come to watching these three legends share a stage.

You'll watch in amazement as each song, one hit after another, is sung just as if you were seeing the original band perform. This 90-minute country music tribute is full of upbeat, honky-tonk hits like Ring of Fire, Dukes of Hazzard, and On the Road Again.

McKinney, Texas native Michael Moore will be the spitting image of Willie Nelson once he steps on stage. His passion for Willies's music came at an early age.

"I can remember hearing his music coming out of my grandmother's old AM radio," he recalls and even then Michael knew that there was something unique about Willie Nelson.

Nelson's voice and unusual style of phrasing are hard to match. Through many years of study and about a million "Whiskey Rivers" later, Moore's ability to capture" the country music legend's voice and style are considered by many to be the best in the world. Michael is also an accomplished guitar player and performs all of the guitar parts played by Nelson in his shows.

When asked what kind of music he likes, Moore said, "Everything from The Carpenters to Metallica."

Michael has performed his Willie tribute show throughout the USA as a solo artist and also with several top tribute shows including Cavalcade Of Stars, Mirror Image, Memories Theatre and Superstars Live in Concert, a BC Entertainment, Inc. production.

Rockabilly Hall of Famer, Rusty Evans and his band Ring of Fire have been burning up the California festival circuit with his rollicking tribute to country music icon Johnny Cash.

With a voice of rolling thunder and a spirit like gentle rain Rusty has been wowing audiences from Nashville to San Francisco with his stunning tribute to the “Man In Black.” His weighted drawl doles out molasses-coated syllables, putting an upbeat spin on less than optimistic situations. Lending his own touch to world famous songs Rusty honors the Man in Black with soulful honesty and exuberance.

Driving rhythms on his amplified acoustic Martin guitar are augmented by his energetic three-piece band Ring of Fire. A hot rockin' lead guitar, driving bass and drums create the powerful and irresistible Johnny Cash signature sound, a pulse that drives folks right to the dance floor. People often comment on how much Rusty actually looks like the Man in Black. He's honored by the compliment and destined to continue in the spirit of the country music legend he holds in such high regard.

When asked how he first came to sing with such conviction the songs of Johnny Cash, Rusty replies, “I met the Man in Black in the 1960's and was totally inspired, not to mention that Bob Dylan once told me long ago I sounded like Cash.”

Early musical endeavors include performing on Dick Clark's American Bandstand, touring with the New Christy Minstrels, working with renowned producer Phil Spector and producing/recording for CBS, Reprise and Folkway records.

Bob Gill has been singing since his early pre school years and has performed in a varied phases from a one man band show incorporating the use of floor bass, guitar and beat box to a six piece cover country band. He has performed in Nashville and other venues across North America attracting growing audiences along the way.

Gill has several albums to his credit and became interested in Waylon's music when he first heard him in the early seventies and since then has amassed a repertoire of most of the songs ever recorded by Waylon. During his travels, he increasingly became compared to Wayon in both appearance and vocal style.

Since Waylon's untimely death in February 2002, Bob has had an inner desire (and destiny) to focus exclusively on preserving for eternity the music of his idol. When you hear Bod sing Waylon's music and close your eyes, you are immediately positioned in the midst of fans at any one of the late and great performer's concerts. Bob, like Waylon, sings with a style that seems to come from the soul and reflects both the joy and pain of a man who has experienced each.

"There are lots of classic country music fans in North Texas," Michael Moore observes. "They are gonna have a lot of fun watching us get into these characters."

HIGHWAYMEN LIVE
Nelson, Cash, Jennings Tribute Concert
Aug 27 at 7:30pm
Tickets: $26-31
Click HERE for tickets

The Highwaymen Performing Arts Center • Mckinney, Texas Aug 27 2009 7:30P

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