Ronnie Dove Concert Pictures 5/23/03
If you ever have the chance to see Ronnie Dove live, take it! He puts on an even better show than even I could have imagined. He interacts with his audience alot, and takes time to speak with anyone who comes up to him. He spoke with me quite alot throughout the night.
The concert began at 9:00 with Ronnie's backup band doing a few oldies and country numbers. Ronnie came out at about 9:25 and started talking to some people, my friend Bob and I included...at that time I showed him a picture of me sitting on my sofa with all of my Ronnie Dove records, cassettes, cds, pictures, etc positioned around me, and Ronnie replied "Damn!".
He had been announced at 9:30 exactly, but he kept talking to Bob and me, and did not take the stage until 9:34. I cant really say that he took the stage, because for most of the concert he was actually out in the audience walking around. This was the first concert he tried to do without his cane, which he uses because of his knee (he has gone through a few knee surgeries in the past year or so), though he did have to use it a few times.
He started off the show with Old Time Rock And Roll, and i am being biased but I prefer his version over Bob Seger anyday.
Second, he did Say You. Then he went into Hello Pretty Girl, which is the song that got me hooked on him in the first place (it was very cool hearing that one live...i know Ronnie does change his song lineup for almost every concert, though he has those songs that are staples of all of his concerts).
After that, he did Right Or Wrong. Then he went on to say that the next song was for a friend of his who he promised to sing it for. That song being You Touch Me Inside (which was recorded in the early 70s but not released until the late 90s).
During every concert, Ronnie sings Happy Birthday to everyone who has a birthday that day. This night there were two ladies having their birthdays, and so he sang happy birthday to them both.
The next song they sang, the band had never performed before....they had never heard it, apparently. Anyhow, they started playing in the key of A, and after 1 verse, Ronnie stopped them saying it didnt sound right, so he asked them what key they were in, they said A, and Ronnie wanted to do it over, the band said "What key?" and Ronnie replied "Whiskey!". Then he mentioned that he always sings in the key of C.
After that, he did Someday (You'll Want Me To Want You) and I couldve sworn i was listening to my old vinyl album with the song, thats how good his voice still sounds. He then did One Kiss For Old Times' Sake.
Next up, he called my friend Bob to the stage. He had Bob talk about his entire record collection from around the world. Then he went on to talk about how Bob spent $300 on an original copy of Lover Boy on eBay. Ronnie mentioned how he wished he'd saved a few copies so he could sell them for $300 each. Anyhow, while he mentioned Bob's big collection, he said to me, "You've got a big collection too, dont ya, Tommy?" and i shouted back "Yup!" He then went on to say, "Bob and Tommy used to bid against each other on ebay but recently theyve joined forces and that will save both of them a hell of alot of money!" Anyhow, he went on to sing Lover Boy at that point, and at the very end, pointed directly at me. That probably had to do with the fact that when Bob and I were talking to him before the show, I mentioned that that was my favorite song that he has done, and asked if he was going to be singing it in the concert.
After Lover Boy, Ronnie got the entire band to join in singing along with him to God Bless The USA. Then there was a small intermission here where Ronnie's backup band was performing some more, while Ronnie sat down (at my table, as a matter of fact), to talk to people and to sign autographs. I went to his wife at the merch table and purchased 4 photographs, 2 of each that he has for sale, and after i purchased them i gathered up my 3 picture sleeves for Happy Summer Days, the picture of me with my entire Dove collection, my 4 photos that I had just purchased, and my ticket stub, and Ronnie signed them all without hesitation. On the flip side of the picture of me with my Dove records was a picture of my old cat who had decided to lay down on top of my piles of Dove 45s. Ronnie then signed that side of the picture too.
During the intermission Ronnie also had the time to go change his shirt. Then the second show started. He started off with a song called Woke Up In Love With You (originally a hit for Exile)...he never recorded it, up to that point.
Next, he sang Just Call My Name. Ronnie was selling copies of the cd that song was available on. From the stage, he asked his wife "Did we sell any cds? I know we sold four photographs!" in a reference to the 4 pictures I bought and had him sign.
Then Ronnie went into a story about his friend, singer Tom Jones...and how the security at Tom Jones concerts is so tough, that NO ONE can get to see him after his shows....except Ronnie Dove. Ronnie said Tom ALWAYS lets him and his gang go backstage. Later in the night after the concert was over, I was listening to Ronnie tell a story on how he and Tom got arrested and jailed in the mid 60s for shooting up a hotel room. Being from outside of the country, Tom couldnt get his gun back, but Ronnie got ahold of it, and to this day still has both of their guns. Then he dedicated his next song to all of the friends he's had in his life who have passed away, and went on to sing The Green Green Grass Of Home, which he said he will record for his next cd. Also singing lead on a part of that song was Erin James, a member of the band backing Ronnie that night, who looked wonderful that night.
Ronnie was still feeling sentimental after that song, and dedicated his next song to another deceased friend of his, Conway Twitty. The song...It's Only Make Believe. The song should've been Ronnie's.
Then he did American Trilogy, saying that he should have recorded it, but his friend Elvis begged him to let him record it. He then said he might still record it someday...the live performance was a good version of it.
Next up, he offered Ruby Baby. I don't know when this was originally recorded by Ronnie (sometime in the late 1960's i'd guess), but it first appeared on a Japanese cd in 1988....first time release anywhere in the world.
Then he sang Lovin' On Backstreets. After that, Rise and Shine, by request.
Then he did another Tom Jones song, Never Gonna Fall In Love...and at this, mentioned his 5 children.
After that, he did God Bless The America, with the whole audience standing, and the whole band singing along.
By this point, it was about 1:05, and Ronnie was supposed to be done by 1:00. Then someone in the audience shouted "You forgot 'Save The Bay!'" So he did that one next. After that he said "Well, I just did Save The Bay, I cant leave without doing Maryland Memories!" And so, he ended the show with that song. It was about 1:15 at that point. Then he signed more autographs, and then was standing around talking to people, myself included. He took another photograph with Bob and me, and before we left he gave me a gigantic bear hug. Thanks for the memories, Ronnie Dove. You truly are my absolute favorite singer of all time.
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