Casino Scene: 3 tuneful reasons to head to country
It's country night in Tunica's casinos Saturday as a trio of honky tonk heroes, representing three generations of music, take to area stages.
Leading the pack is the man often billed as "the Greatest Living Country Singer," George Jones, who plays Sam's Town River Palace Entertainment Center at 8 p.m.
George Jones has racked up stellar woes -- and an incredible 14 No. 1 songs
A hitmaker of the '70s and '80s, Kenny Rogers is riding the comeback trail.
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No. 3 on Country Music Television's countdown of the Greatest Men of Country Music and No. 43 on Rolling Stone's list of the greatest singers of all time (both times he came in behind Johnny Cash and Hank Williams Sr.), Jones is one of the most iconic figures in the genre, having lived a life as drama-filled as any of the country weepers for which he is so well-known.
Over his 55-year career, Jones has persevered through decades-long, well-publicized substance abuse problems and three trouble-filled marriages, including one to famed duet partner Tammy Wynette. Along the way, though, he racked up an incredible 14 No. 1 songs, including signature tunes like "White Lightning" and "He Stopped Loving Her Today," as well as countless more that charted.
Now 78, Jones has found some peace in recent years, having kicked his addictions and settled into a long, stable relationship with his fourth wife, Nancy. All of this has allowed him to enjoy late-in-life honors such as his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame and the prestigious Kennedy Honors.
Over at Gold Strike Casino's Millennium Theater, Kenny Rogers, one of the biggest country performers of the '70s and '80s, will perform at 10 p.m.
Rogers' career is almost as long as Jones', with Rogers starting as a child performer in a doo-wop group. He went on to play in jazz combos, the folk group the New Christy Minstrels, and the rock band First Edition before going solo in the '70s.
Through hits like "The Gambler," "Coward of the County," and "Lucille," Rogers defined country music for an entire generation. He sold more than 105 million records in the process, becoming the eighth best-selling male artist of all time. (Rogers was also able to parlay his music success into an acting career and, for awhile, a chain of chicken restaurants.)
Absent from music for much of the '90s, Rogers has staged a comeback. His 2000 single, "Buy Me A Rose," put him at the top of the charts for the first time in more than a decade. His 2007 album, Water & Bridges, won County Music Television's Album of the Year award.
Rounding out the country lineup is Gary Allan, performing at 8 p.m. at Horseshoe Casino's Bluesville.
Though not nearly as well known as Rogers or Jones or even contemporaries like Tim McGraw or Toby Keith, Allan has, nevertheless, proven a consistent hit-maker through his 14-year career, logging 18 top 40 country singles and three No 1 hits: "Man to Man," "Tough Little Boys" and "Nothing On But the Radio."
Last June, Allan released "Today," the lead-off single to his eighth studio album, Get Off On the Pain, which is scheduled for release March 9.
Tickets for the George Jones concert are $45 and $55 and are available at the Sam's Town box office and through Ticketmaster. Sam's Town is at 1477 Casino Strip Resorts Blvd. For more information, call 800-456-0711 or visit samstowntunica.com.
Tickets for Kenny Rogers are $69.95 and are available at the Gold Strike Gift Shop or call 1.888.24K.PLAY. Gold Strike is at 1010 Casino Center Dr. For more information, call 888-245-7529 or visit goldstrikemississippi.com.
Tickets for Gary Allan are $55 and are available at the Bluesville box office and through Ticketmaster. Horseshoe is at 1021 Casino Center Dr. For more information, call 800-303-7463 or visit horseshoetunica.com.
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