Aaron Watson arrives in our country as a good singer, and returns to Texas as a winner, along with the enthusiasm he was shown by the public of Pavillion N°7 of the “Billy Bob’s Texas Country Fair” in Padua. A predominantly young crowd (around the world, country music is a music for young people, see C2C), which has a longing for music itself and not just dance. A competent and knowledgeable crowd, but thanks also to the hard work, that some radio stations (FM or via the web), and some magazines, have done in recent months. “I love my music,” explains the singer from Texas during the press conference. “God has granted me the best fans in the world and thanks to them I have managed to achieve what I wanted.” Surely Aaron Watson, to achieve what he wanted had to work hard. 12 albums, snubbed by the powerful music industry in Nashville which does not like “inconvenient” people, i.e those who want to play their own music and do not fold to the demands of the market, along with hundreds of concerts around the world, are what has led this guy to succeed in what he does. This success, achieved however only recently thanks to the latest Cd, “The Underdog”, which has literally blown away the American music market. As I was saying, Aaron Watson returns to Texas as a winner and thanks to the concert in Padua, he has definitely seized the approval of the Italian public. The show opens with a background song, the powerful “Ain’t No Grave (Can Hold My Body Down)” by Johnny Cash, just to reiterate who the real masters of country music are, and at the same time, veer away from the modern Nashville sound. At around 21.30 the singer from Amarillo appears on stage, in front of what is probably the largest audience ever recorded for a country concert in Italy, electrifying the audience with his most rhythmic and relentless successes.
His music and his lyrics soon carried everybody present to Texas, and the enthusiasm shown by the crowd grows, song after song (often performed without interruptions) into a succession of unforgettable emotions. From “The Look” written and dedicated to his wife, Kimberly, to the famous “That’s Why God Loves Cowboys”, one of the most beautiful pieces of the Cd “The Underdog”. Unforgettable is his version of “Silver Wings”, a tribute to Merle Haggard, leading up to the most touching and dramatic moment, with the beautiful “July In Cheyenne”. After the concert ended, at around 23:00, Aaron, as usual, made himself available for his fans at the Billy Bob’s stand, for the ritual of photos and autographs, proving once again a complete dedication to his audience. Thanks Aaron, not only for your tunes, but for having shown that with your concert, during a manifestation dedicated to music, the protagonist should be … .the music. Maybe if we work hard, we could also be a normal country. (Gianluca Sitta)