Aaron Tippin headlined a USO concert July 9 at J.D. Legends in Franklin, Ohio, as part of All-American Weekend.
This year marks 25 years since Aaron Tippin released “You’ve Got To Stand For Something” in 1990.
J.D. Legends, an entertainment complex with a bowling alley, restaurant, sand volleyball court and more, has been bringing national acts to the area for several years. The national concerts are held outdoors as fans watch from a large outdoor patio and the sand volleyball courts.
The venue is a great location to host a performer like Tippin.
It would have been easy for an artist of Tippin’s caliber to come out, sit on a stool and sing his most significant hits before walking off the stage. However, that is not Tippin’s style.
Instead, he took the stage and commanded it with an energy and fire that is rare to see. One thing I really enjoyed about this concert was Tippin took the time to share stories behind some of his biggest hits with the audience.
For example, he told the crowd that RCA Records was not in favor of releasing “My Blue Angel” as a single. Tippin said they told him they thought the song was too country for country radio. Tippin said he played the song every night and the fans really liked the song. After sharing the story, he thanked the fans for making the song a #1 hit.
It wasn’t the only time of the night that Tippin thanked the fans. In fact, I have rarely seen an artist thank their fans so much during a concert. It is refreshing to know that a star like Tippin still remembers his fans.
Like he has done during concerts since the 1990s, Tippin assembled a children’s bicycle while he was singing one of his songs. After the bike was put together, he donated it to Toys for Tots.
Tippin has honored his father in a lot of songs. He told the crowd that songs like “You Got To Stand For Something” and “I Got It Honest” were about his father. He also told a personal story of people sitting around telling stories of his father after he passed away in 2005. He and his wife, Thea Tippin, wrote the song “He Believed,” which Tippin calls his favorite.
Tippin said the song starts with two common phrases his father used: “Can’t never could do nothing” and “Weight’s what broke the wagon.”
During his encore, Tippin played “God’s Not Through With Me Yet,” which is his current single and available on his “25 Years” CD. He opened a guitar case and revealed a guitar with a flag design before singing “Where The Stars and Stripes and Eagle Flies,” a perfect song for a show to honor veterans. He ended the show with “Kiss This,” another song he co-wrote with his wife.
After the show, Tippin took time to sign autographs, take pictures and meet with his fans.
Stephen Kelly Hunt and Alexis Gomez opened for Tippin.
Gomez appeared last season on American Idol. She is from Ohio and she is a graduate of Wright State University. Like on American Idol, Gomez performed barefoot. Gomez met fans following her performance.
Hunt is originally from Kentucky and now lives in Nashville. He said he regularly plays in Nashville.
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