2 Worlds, 2 Voices Part 1: The KC and Reebs

Photo by Douglas Boultinghouse

Together - Kelly Clarkson and Reba McEntire perform on a "2 Worlds, 2 Voices Tour 2008." The singers performed a variety of songs from different genres.

Staff Writer

      The genre-crossing vocal duo Reba McEntire and Kelly Clarkson performed to a sold out crowd at the CenturyTel Center in Bossier City, La.  The 15-city limited engagement known as the “2 Worlds, 2 Voices Tour 2008,” stopped in the casino town only to be greeted with thousands of screams. 

   Every show needs a good opener to get the crowd pumped.  McEntire’s television castmate Melissa Peterman performed stand-up comedy before the show began.  Peterman, widely known as Barbara Jean on the hit show “Reba” delighted every ticketholder with tears of laughter.

   After the brief intermission, at roughly 8:45 p.m. the arena lights went down, an illuminated curtain with alternating colors covered the stage.  From behind the curtain, McEntire sang the opening notes of Patsy Cline’s classic “Sweet Dreams.”   It wasn’t long before the music shifted and Clarkson took control showcasing her massive pipes with the introduction to “Sweet Dreams” by The Eurythmics.

   The curtain lifted, Clarkson and McEntire, (KC and Reebs as Peterman named them) facing one another atop a set of stairs, jumped right into the song known by all.  Once complete, they moved right into McEntire’s “Why Haven’t I Heard From You” followed by Clarkson’s “Walk Away.”

   The pair switched things up this time instead of alternating verses.  Clarkson stepped back and let McEntire take the reins while she harmonized on “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia.”  They traded places for Clarkson’s “Behind These Hazel Eyes.”

   Together again, they performed “The Fear of Being Alone” and “Beautiful Disaster.”  

   Bantering between songs brought out the comedian in both stars.

   “Kelly’s gonna play Faith Hill on this one,” McEntire said introducing the song she recorded for her duets album with Hill titled “Sleeping With The Telephone.”

   “Yeah, I kinda look like her. Gorgeous ... blonde,” Clarkson replied to be met with triumphant laughter from McEntire.

   “You weren’t supposed to laugh that hard,” Clarkson teased.

   Clarkson started the song while McEntire chimed in later.  Sadly for Hill, Clarkson put her to shame.  Her vocals hit every note effortlessly better than Hill could even dream of hitting.

Photo by Douglas Boultinghouse

Country/Rock Duo - Kelly Clarkson and Reba McEntire took turns showing off their vocal prowess as they performed for the audience.  The energetic duet performed to a packed house.

   Who knew that at the heart of the country queen was a hard-core rock chick?   McEntire provided backing vocals and parts of the chorus for Clarkson during “Miss Independent.”  Her fire red hair serves as a glimpse to the fire inside her.
 
   A change of pace followed as the women sat on stools before the crowd and performed some of their favorite songs and took time to chat with the audience.

   The songs included McEntire’s “The Greatest Man I Never Knew,” “Cathy’s Clown,” “How Blue” and “One Promise Too Late.”  Clarkson’s song “Be Still” was also added into the set.

   The idea for this tour formed after McEntire and Clarkson joined forces for the Country Music Television (CMT) Crossroads show back in 2007. 

   “We only sang seven songs on that show; we had to do more,” McEntire told the audience.
  
   The highlight of the laid back set came when a cover of Patty Griffin’s “Up To The Mountain” was performed.  McEntire mentioned how Clarkson always sends her music to listen to, and  when she heard this song, it had to be in the set.
  
   Clarkson sang lead while McEntire sang a verse in the middle.  Both artists sounded great, but Clarkson’s vocals were superb, possibly the best she’s ever sounded.
 
   The show picked back up with McEntire’s “Love Revival” before McEntire and Clarkson took turns singing harmony for each other on the songs “Never Again” and “And Still.”  “Breakaway,” “Does He Love You” and “Is There Life Out There” followed.
 
   The theme song from the show “Reba” came next.  Before the pair began, Melissa Peterman returned to the stage for more comedy that had the audience rolling.  The duo performed “A Moment Like This” before exiting the stage.
  
   Apparently people do not attend concerts enough to know that 99.9 percent of the time, an encore follows.  A majority of the audience left during the three-minute break.
  
   McEntire and Clarkson returned to the stage for a three-song encore.  Clarkson’s smash “Since U Been Gone” came first.  They followed it immediately with their single “Because of You,” in which they received a well-deserved standing ovation.   McEntire’s signature song, “Fancy” closed the show.
  
   The “2 Worlds, 2 Voices Tour” wraps this weekend.  For the second installment of my coverage of the tour, including a more detailed look at this special moment in music history, check in next week when I will cover the tour from Jonesboro.

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