Cowboy boots and vintage country music t-shirts were the apparel donned on Saturday night in downtown Owensboro as country music fans of the 80’s and 90’s made their way to the Riverpark Center. It was a great crowd for Confederate Railroad and Kentucky Headhunters in Cannon Hall as nearly every section was full of concertgoers for a late winter jam.
Confederate Railroad play at Riverpark Center in downtown Owensboro
The show opened with the classic country mixed with southern rock sound of Confederate Railroad. The 4-man band entertained fans for over an hour with their hits such as “Queen of Memphis,” “Jesus and Mama,” “She Never Cried,” and wrapped up the set with what band leader called their most controversial song, “Trashy Women.” The 90’s supergroup also paid tribute to their past in music with tributes to Johnny Paycheck, David Allen Coe, Lynyrd Skynyrd and even a tribute to Dr. Hook with “The Cover of the Rolling Stone.” After the set, the band invited fans to their merchandise booth in the lobby for autograph signings and picture opportunities. If you missed Saturday night’s show, the band has several remaining concerts in Kentucky in 2023 including Benton in April, Shepherdsville in May, Glencoe in June, and Greensburg in July.
The Kentucky Headhunters perform at the Riverpark Center in Owensboro
The smell of popcorn lingered in the building and drew concert goers to the lobby for refreshments during the break as the Kentucky Headhunters crew set up their equipment including their drum set featuring an old school design paying homage to the Metcalfe County High School Band. The grammy winning group opened with “It’s Chitlin’ Time” the title track of off of their 1991 album titled It’s Chitlin’ Time. The band also covered hits such as “Oh Lonesome Me,” and “Walk Softly On This Heart of Mine.” The hour and a half set also included songs from their 2021 album That’s a Fact Jack including the comedic holiday song “Let’s All Get Together and Fight.” The set also included a nearly 10-minute solo from original band member and drummer Fred Young which left fans in the crowd mesmerized. The band concluded with “Dumas Walker” which pays tribute to an actual restaurant in downtown Greensburg, Ky that serves (you guessed it) …slaw burgers, fries and bottles of ski. The Kentucky Headhunters have nearly 50 dates remaining on their 2023 schedule including Bowling Green, Columbia, Paintsville and the Kentucky State Fair in August.
Do yourself a favor and purchase your tickets to see these music legends this year!
