Journal
photo
by
Dale
Guldan
Country
singer Barbara
Mandrell
on
stage
at
the
Riverside
Theater
Tuesday
night
Mandrell
magic
comes
from
heart
By
JANET
PROTASIEWICZ
Special
to
The
Journal
Milwaukee
readily
opened
its
heart
to
Barbara
Mandrell
Tuesday
night
as
the
popular
country
singer
brought
her
"Get
to
the
Heart"
con-
cert
tour
to
the
Riverside
Theater.
Two
capacity
audiences
were
the
recipients
of
highly
polished,
80.
minute
performances
as
well
as
high-
tech
lighting
and
sound
systems.
The
concerts'
professionalism
seemed
at
times
too
rehearsed.
Mandrell
opened
her
show
with
several
of
her
popular
hits
such
as
"I
Was
Country
When
Country
Wasn't
Cool"
and
"Fast
Lane
and
Country
Roads."
Vibrancy
and
an
easy,
flow-
ing
energy
were
interjected
into
each
number.
Mandrell's
love for
her
audience
seemed
to
shine
through
every
mo-
ment
she
was
present
on
the
stage.
This
is
a
performer
who
truly
enjoys
her
work,
and
her
fans
responded
with
warm
applause.
Mandrell's
musical
talent
is
not
limited
to
singing.
She
adeptly
exhib-
ited
her
talents
on
the
harmonica,
banjo,
guitar,
saxophone
and
steel
guitar.
Her
seven-member
band
ac-
cented
her
talents.
As
Mandrell
engagad
in
much
ban-
ter
with
the
audience,
the
crowd
was
receptive,
enjoying
the
give
and
take.
It
is
unfortunate
that
a
bit
more
spontaneity
was
not
injected
into
the
rest
of
her
program.
Each
song
had
a
very
choreographed
flawless
feeling.
From
her
top
hits,
Mandrell
enthu-
siastically
performed
"Angel
in
Your
Arms"
and
"Sleeping
Single
in
a
Double
Bed."
Her
new
release,
"Get
to
the
Heart,"
proved
to
be
one
of
the
most
riveting
songs
of
the
evening,
and
Mandrell
earned
a
standing
ova-
tion
after
"Battle
Hymn
of
the
Re-
public."
Randy
Travis
a
Nashville-based
guitarist
and
singer
with
a
laid-back
style,
opened
the
show.
Trayis
has
a
rich,
resonant
voice
and
only
needs
a
few
more
hits
along
the
line
of
"1982"
and
"I've
Got
No
Reason
Now
for
Going
Home"
to
become
a
front-runner
on
the
country
scene.
We'll
undoubtedly
be
hearing
more
of
Randy
Travis