Ronnie Milsap: Live

He's known as a country artist, but Ronnie Milsap's range is considerably broader than that. Born in North Carolina in 1946 (and blind from birth), the singer-pianist played rock, R&B, soul, and sang with Elvis Presley, before the country hits started coming in the ‘70s--a versatility that's apparent throughout this concert, in which Milsap sings everything from “America the Beautiful” to “My Babe” (the Willie Dixon-Little Walter blues classic). Milsap serves up some ‘50s doo-wop, sung a cappella with four of his backing musicians; a medley of his own hits (including "What a Difference You've Made in My Life" and "I'm a Stand By My Woman Man"); another medley of ‘50s rock ‘n' roll and R&B tunes, such as “Blueberry Hill” and “What'd I Say”; and even a stab at jazz standards, including “My Funny Valentine” and “But Not for Me” (not the greatest, frankly--Milsap is a very strong vocalist, but jazz isn't his forte). All in all, both the performance itself and the accompanying interview are recommended both to Ronnie Milsap fans and music fans in general. Aud: P. (S. Graham)