Shelley King
Rockin’ the Dancehall (Lemonade) With a proverbial trunk full of instant hits and yet-unheard classics, Shelley King could’ve taken the studio route for her third CD. Best known for her full-throttle vocals and a string of tunes made famous by Toni Price (“Tennessee Whiskey,” “Who Needs Tears,” “Call of My Heart”), King takes center stage with both at Texas’ oldest dance hall, Gruene Hall. By planting her crowd-pleasing compositions right where they belong – in front of a live audience – the 14 songs burst into blooms of every color, from blues (“Rainy Daze”) to blacktop (“The Highway”). The shuffle of waltzing feet is almost audible on “Things You Do,” and the only thing missing from “One Shot at a Time” is the clink of shot glasses toasting. King’s talent lies not just in her fine songwriting (“Running Out of Blue,” “One Way Ticket to Austin”), but also a comfortable rapport with the audience that comes through in the well-oiled machinery of the Shelley King Band: Perry Drake, Bonnie Whitmore, Kyle Judd, and Kris Brown. King keeps their motor revved with a nonstop schedule of touring and performing, and their proficiency is evident on tracks such as “High on a Mountain,” “Summer Song,” and “Soul Searching.” Too often, live LPs are a way of filling gaps between studio releases or fulfilling contracts. In the hands of Shelley King and her band of cross-country gypsies, Rockin’ the Dancehall is an exuberant breath of air.
This article appears in January 30 • 2004.