By Dave Parsons
In a night that blended nostalgia with timeless musical talent, Lionel Cartwright and Charlie McCoy graced the stage of the historic Capitol Theater in Wheeling, West Virginia on April 25, 2024, and delivered a performance that left the audience transported to another era.
The theater, steeped in history, was Cartwright’s literal training grounds, when he was the music director of the Wheeling Jamboree while he was still in college. For this particular performance, the audience bought tickets to sit ON the stage, providing the perfect backdrop for an evening of classic country, folk and rock music in the most intimate of settings.
Lionel Cartwright kicked off the evening with Old Coal Town, Leap Of Faith and Sleep Walking, accompanying himself on piano and guitar and letting his rich vocals set the mood for what was to come. Lionel introduced the legendary Charlie McCoy who joined Cartwright center stage and charmed the crowd with his masterful harmonica playing.
A living legend in the world of country music, McCoy led the crowd through a medley of songs he played harmonica on, which included classics like Always On My Mind, and The Boxer.
Throughout the evening, Cartwright and McCoy shared stories and banter, inviting the audience into their creative world of how songs and records are created. It was clear that both artists respected each other and were enjoying the evening. Lionel offered a few more of his hits including Give Me His Last Chance and In My Eyes.
Another medley offering a sampling of songs McCoy played on included The Candy Man, Delta Dawn, He Stopped Loving Her Today, I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool, Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon Wine and Pretty Woman. This was just a sample of the songs that Charlie McCoy has played on in his career. The stories between the songs were both nostalgic and educational.
Cartwright finished the show with his breakthrough hit I Watched It All On My Radio, only to call McCoy back up for a mesmerizing version of Orange Blossom Special using TWO harmonicas at the same time.
As the show finished it was evident that the concert had been a resounding success. It was more than just a night of music. It was a journey through time, in the most intimate of settings, making you feel like you were in their living room. Running through 7 decades of music that these two men had put their hands on, was an evening well spent. One can only hope the theater has plans for a similar setting and show in the future, although it will be hard to top this one.
Photo Gallery : Lionel Cartwright and Charlie McCoy – Capitol Theater (04.25.2024)
