Strait doesn't disappoint

GEORGE STRAIT, BLAKE SHELTON, JULIANNE HOUGH, USANA Amphitheatre, July 17

George Strait played his first concert in Utah in 11 years Friday night, and he did not disappoint.

The King of Country reigned supreme, delivering songs from every era of his magnificent three decade career, and bringing the very large USANA crowd to its feet several times throughout the night.

Strait, who has 57 No. 1 hits, launched into his chart-toppers package with "Write This Down," followed by "I Just Wanna Dance With You" and a magnificent "Ocean Front Property," one of the show's early highlights.

"It's great to be back in town. I love this state," Strait told the crowd.

The 57-year-old Strait's voice was in top form all night. Wearing a blue plaid long-sleeve shirt, blue jeans and a black cowboy hat, Strait's guitar never left him (even during the many songs he didn't play a single note) as he remained the perfect image of the singing cowboy, combining western, swing, honky-tonk, contemporary country and ballads.

Strait's 11-piece Ace In The Hole band was solid all night, keeping the rhythm on songs such as "The Seashores of Old Mexico' and the upbeat "The Fireman" and "Honk If You Honky Tonk."

With as many hits as Strait has, it would be impossible to play them all during a single two-hour concert. But he did a nice job combining his newer material, such as "I Saw God Today," "River of Love," "Troubadour" and "Living for the Night" with his better known older songs such as the sad but brilliant "I Can Still Make Cheyenne," "Check Yes or No" and "The Chair," which may have been his best song of the evening.

"This is for all the lonesome cowboys," he said before launching into "I Ain't Her Cowboy Anymore." Not wanting to leave the ladies in the audience out, Strait followed up with, "How 'Bout Them Cowgirls."

Two large video screens flanked the rear of the stage so even the people on the lawn could see Strait as he dipped deep into his catalog for 1983's "Amarillo by Morning" and "Heartland" from his 1993 movie "Pure Country."

By the end of the show, many members of the audience had abandoned their reserved seats to gather around the front of the stage to get close to their country hero, all of them hoping they wouldn't have to wait another decade for Strait to return to the Beehive State.