Lyle's style makes Utahns smile

LYLE LOVETT in concert at Deer Valley Resort, Aug. 24, 7:30 p.m.; One performance only.

No wonder Lyle Lovett calls his group the Large Band. Sure it's got a lot of musicians -- 17, including five background vocalists -- but not only did the group play "big band" swing, it also played Texas swing, folk, country, blues and jazz.And it was all led by Lovett's laid-back, dry humor and earnest vocals.

Lovett last came to Park City in 1996. The band and the man played Wolf Mountain and didn't fill the seats. This year, people were packed on the Deer Valley Resort mountainside, whooping and swinging to such hits as "That's Right (You're Not From Texas)," the lanky "Long Tall Texan," "She's No Lady" and the inverted reasoning of "Here I Am," complete with dry, "Far Side" comic-like narration.

Some of the newer songs Lovett played were remakes of older Texas folk tunes: Steven Fromholz's "Bears," Townes Van Zandt's "Lungs" and Walter Hyatt's "Teach Me About Love," all from the double album "Step Into This House, Girl" were played with unwavering conviction.

Audience favorites such as the dream-anthem "If I Had a Boat" and the heartbreaking "North Dakota" were both empowering and thought provoking. And longtime Lovett vocalist extraordinare Francine Reed also got to strut her stuff with "Wild Women Don't Get the Blues" and "What Do You Do."

Lovett opened the show with "Penguins," and slipped into his own remake of Tammy Wynette's "Stand By Your Man."

More remakes included Michael Martin Murphey's "West Texas Highway" and Van Zandt's "Flyin' Shoes."

The band not only filled in but took over the stage as cellist John Hagen peppered out a Copland-inspired solo, which was preceded by stand-up bassist Viktor Krauss' sassy rumbles. Then mandolin king Sam Bush flecked and picked some ear-tickling works as Buck Reid's steel pedal took over.

Lovett's charisma and dry humor won the skeptics over, but his musicality, timing and southern disposition were the highlights of the show. Let's hope he returns sooner than another three years.