Collin Raye 'Sticks To It' at UAM

Douglas Boultinghouse
Arts & Entertainment Editor

Photo by Douglas Boultinghouse

That's His Story - Country artist Collin Raye gave a performance at Willis "Leslie" Convoy Cotton Boll Stadium that showcased his hits and some of his new material.

   Country artist Collin Raye performed at the Willis "Leslie" Convoy Cotton Boll Stadium Sept. 3 for a concert in celebration the University of Arkansas-Monticello’s Centennial.

   Raye, introduced by Director of Special Events Steve Davis, took the stage shortly after 7:30 p.m.

   Raye performed for about an hour and a half to a crowd that packed the stands on the home side of the stadium.

   His almost 20-song set delivered a mix of new songs and the hits that shot him to stardom in the 90s.

   While the audience took in new songs such as “Never Going Back” and “You Get Me,” its response to the more-known songs proved triumphant and a delight for Raye.

   The crowd sang along with him on songs such as “I Can Still Feel You,” “I Think About You,” “One Boy, One Girl” and “Little Red Rodeo.”

   And like every performance, some parts stand out as highlights.

   Raye threw every ounce of energy he had into the performance of “That’s My Story (And I’m Sticking To It).” By the end of it, he joked about not being as young as he once was, taking what he called a breather.

   He gave a powerful performance of “Little Rock,” a song about his home state of Arkansas, but showed off even more emotion when he performed the song he wrote for his granddaughter Haley, “She’s With Me,” and received a standing ovation.

   Before the song, he told how Haley has a neurological condition that has yet to be diagnosed and how the family enjoys what time they have with her. He credits writing the song for her to God, saying the words came to him in 20 minutes and he knew he did not write it alone.

   Raye left the stage, but returned for a two-song encore that ended with “Love Me,” the song he said he could not leave without singing.

   After the show, junior Cameron Whitaker said, “It was really good.”

   Sophomore Will Hunter had a similar response by saying “I liked it a lot.”

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