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THE BATTALION Page 11
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1977
IfRonnie Milsap could see, he’d have been disap
pointed with the dressing room in G. Rollie White.
Three old chairs, formica floor and nothing to
drink.
But more media persons than last year’s perform
ance here meant more space than his bus could
provide.
Milsap said he has to pace himself while on the
road and although it’s nothing like home, he enjoys
traveling and meeting people.
He must enjoy it. He said he’s been on the road
about 260 days this year.
Tuesday night’s performance was Milsap’s last for
this year. “We couldn’t end up on a better note,” he
said. “This school spirit here is outta sight.”
Milsap said his road to popularity was a long one.
“My musical ability was revealed after testing at
theState School for the Blind in Raleigh, N.C., when
Iwas6years old,” he said, chuckling. “They decided
[was going to learn to play the violin so they stuck me
in that class.”
Milsap endured a classical education in music at
the school, learning to play piano and all the string
and reed instruments.
However, this didn’t stop his interest in country
music, rock-and-roll and blues.
This was the time of Elvis, Lefty Frizzel and other
rock and roll stars,” he explained. “It was the popular
thing. We used to listen to the radio and imitate
' v them.
But the teachers didn’t approve and he was sus
pended for a year from the school’s music depart
ment, for pounding out rock-and-roll once too often.
Significantly, his music became less important
when he enrolled in pre-law courses at Atlanta’s
Young-Harris Junior College. His scholastic per
formance there led to a full scholarship at Emory
University’s Law School.
“I was being persuaded to go to law school,” Mil
sap said. “I decided I loved music more than law and
I didn’t go there.”
He met Joyce, his wife-to-be, at this time. They
now have a six-year-old son, Todd.
Milsap said he and his wife hit it off well from the
start. “My blindness didn’t cause any problems for
us,” he said.
“I’ve always known that if I was sensitive about
being blind, then other people would be sensitive
about it too.
“I have never been able to see anything — no light
perception whatsoever. It is easier on me than for
someone who lost their vision.”
Milsap accepts his blindness stoically and even
jokes about it during his concerts.
In the future, Milsap said, he plans to use more
amplified instruments, and without losing his coun
try audience, he wants to have a wider appeal.
“I don’t want to be known as strictly a country
star,” said Milsap. “Country, rock and pop and all
that — I just like to see it called music. In England,
they have a big top 50 and if you make it they don’t
say ‘this is Ronnie Milsap, he’s in the top 10 and he’s a
country star.’ You’re in there just because of the
music value. ”
At home he spends time with his son, who is more
interested in sports than music.
When he isn t with Todd, he enjoys ham radio, and
with the help of a special rail behind the foul line, he
averages 160 at bowling.
But he doesn’t have much time for his hobbies. “If
you’re in music,” Milsap said, “you’re in it every
waking hour that you have.”
Milsap: C&W plus.
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AN
By STEVE MAYER
Throwing balls and frisbees, wear-
grotesque mask, setting off
resand bombs and playing a piano
nthesizer do not a country and
stern star make.
'irefall plays
ivM concert
Firefall, a rock group, will pres-
a concert sponsored by Town
ill at G. Rollie White Coliseum,
ic. 2, at 8 p.m.
The term distinctive sound is
ed to define the group’s music
1MAN lich combines aggressiveness and
ntle serenity. Their hit song,
ist Remember I Love You,” dis-
gjyi lys this unique combination with
tremendous degree of serious
isicianship.
he group of men composing
is not new to the music
SSiness, but can trace their his-
ies back to earlier rock ’n’ roll
mds. Rick Roberts, writer-
ist-guitarist, is formerly of the
mito Brothers. Mark Andes, the
|oup’s bass guitarist, was a
mber of Spirit and JoJo Gunne.
|Former member of Zephyr, Jock
ley, plays the lead guitar. Larry
rnett, writer-vocalist-guitarist,
jvides many of the smooth, flow-
touches to the group’s music,
mmer Michael Clarke is for-
rly of the Byrds. The sixth
mber is David Muse who con-
butes the sounds of keyboards
K horns.
he first act will be Sanford
wnsend Band. Ticket prices for
xM students are general admis-
m, free with ticket, and reserved,
Non-A&M student dates are
neral admission, $3, and reserved
General public prices are gen-
aladmission, $4, and reserved $6.
Iditional information and tickets
nbe obtained at the MSC Box Of-
e, 845-2916.
Well then, maybe Ronnie Milsap
isn’t just C&W.
He had the Aggies screaming and
standing Tuesday night while he
Review
proved he can entertain with more
than his voice.
Before the concert, I thought of
last year’s. Anyone who listened to
the “Ronnie Milsap Live” album
knew exactly which songs would be
played, in which sequence, and
could tell Milsap’s jokes before he
did.
If last year’s concert was exactly
like the “Live” album, how would it
be this time?
It would be a great time. Oh sure,
two or three jokes were repeats. Like
a band member telling Milsap there
were 20 feet to the edge of the stage,
when in fact there were only two.
Milsap, with his powerful voice,
control over the piano and rapport
with the audience, brought the
Town Hall crowd to its feet more
than once.
They heard “Pure Love,” “(I’m a)
Stand By My Woman Man” and his
biggest hit, “It Was Almost Like A
Song.” Most of the songs were coun
try, but he added a pop-music touch
to some, and a piano synthesizer to
others. Steve Holt, the drummer,
joked with Milsap about the wild
noises the synthesizer produced.
“Don’t you ever feed that thing?” he
asked.
Milsap’s singing and piano-playing
imitations of Elvis Presley, Fats
Domino, The Platters and Jerry Lee
Lewis were new this year, and sim
ply helped demonstrate the talents
of the Country Music Association’s
Entertainer of the Year for 1977. The
Lewis imitation involved Milsap’s
jumping, unassisted, onto the piano.
The biggest reaction of the night
came when he took off his sequined
shirt to reveal a t-shirt which read,
“Beat the hell outta t. u. ” The crowd
stood for 10 minutes, bringing Mil
sap back for two encores.
Asleep At The Wheel, which
played before Milsap, started out
un-enthused.
The western-swing band’s only
expressions were occasional quirk
smiles to each other. It’s not that
“Route 66,” “Texas, You and Me”
and “Miles and Miles of Texas” were
not entertaining, rather the effort
put into them made me wonder if the
performers could care any less.
Some fast-fiddling in “Take Me
Back To Tulsa” and antics in “Bump,
Bounce, Boogie” brought good re
sponse from the crowd. Asleep At
The Wheel finally had fun with the
songs, and that made the rest of their
performance fun for the audience.
Slogan Contest!
Write the winning slogan for Your Opti
cal Shoppe in 5 words or less and win
$100 and a free pair of glasses.
Bring your entry to
Your Optical Shoppe
Manor East Mali 779-1509
by Thursday Dec. 8.
9:00-6:00 Monday-Saturday
ENTER AS MANY TIMES AS YOU LIKE
Winner to be announced Dec. 10 at Grand Opening.
Name
Phone #
Slogan
PEWTER FOR CHRISTMAS
SOON THE 1977 AGGIE BONFIRE WILL BE
A FLICKERING MEMORY . . .
Yet you can hold the memory of
the bonfire — you were a part of
— forever in a Wilton-Anna tel
beer mug cast exclusively for
and sold only at the Curiosity
Shop.
KEY CHAINS
COLLECTIBLE BOXES
BOOKENDS
AND FIGURINES
Time stands still at our distillery where we still make Cuervo Gold by hand.
For centuries we’ve wound
our clock by hand.
And for centuries we’ve
made Cuervo Gold by hand.
At the Cuervo distillery iCs almost as if time has stood still.
Our Blue Magueys are nurtured by hand, picked by hand?
and carried to the ovens by hand, as they have been since 1795.
It is this continuing dedication to tradition that makes
Cuervo Gold special. Any way you drink it Cuervo Gold will
bring you back to a time when quality ruled the world.
Cuervo. The Gold standard since 1795.
lu&rcc
Bonnet 1
START YOUR CHRISTMAS
SHOPPING THIS FRIDAY
Bluebonnet Jewelry by Paula
10% OFF ON ALL JEWELRY
PURCHASES THIS FRIDAY
Brass and Pewter Miniatures
Aggie and traditional Christmas Cards
Candles and Holders • Music Boxes
TheftueEormetPaich
Ty
Handmade
Ornaments
& Dolls
We will be
closed all day
Saturday
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
NEW YORK l
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