Songs Of The Heart Patty Loveless Will Bring Her Sound To The Gorge And Silver Mountain

Patty Loveless fans are in hog heaven this summer. Their favorite country singer has two weekend gigs in the area, a mega-show with Vince Gill Sunday at The Gorge and an intimate affair on Silver Mountain Friday.

True-blue Loveless fans can do ‘em both, but those who wish to take Loveless on her own terms ought to make a date for Silver Mountain.

That’s where Loveless’ jewel-like songs of the heart will play best.

Loveless has touched people’s lives with such songs as “You Don’t Even Know Me” and “How Can I Help You Say Goodbye.” They’ll play well in the intimate confines of the mountaintop amphitheater.

The Kentucky-born singer’s career has done nothing but soar since she moved back to Nashville in 1985 and hooked up with producer Emory Gordy Jr., now her husband.

Currently, Loveless is riding high on the success of her last two records. In 1995, “When Angels Fly” was named Record of the Year by the Country Music Association, only the second time a woman had won the top award. She also took down the Female Vocalist of the Year award.

That album and a single, “You Don’t Even Know Who I Am,” were Grammy nominees.

The new record, “The Trouble With The Truth,” is a wide-ranging effort that finds Loveless at home with a variety of styles, from hillbilly to Cajun, from rock to mainstream country.

But at its heart, it’s consistent with Loveless’ two previous major-label releases; it’s a record about emotions.

To Loveless, that’s what country music is all about - and that’s why one becomes a singer.

“When I was a little girl,” she told an interviewer, “I used to listen to the Opry with mom on Saturday night. She’d put me up on the table with the chairs while she was washing the kitchen floor, and we’d listen to the radio. Even then, there was something about those songs… . I knew how intense those feelings were even if I didn’t always understand what the songs were about, and that was something I wanted to experience.”

Now that she’s all grown up and little girls listen to her, Loveless gets to return the favor.

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MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: CONCERT Patty Loveless will perform Friday at Silver Mountain Amphitheatre. Homeward Bound opens the show at 7 p.m. Tickets are $29.50 and $22.50, available at all regional G&B Select-a-Seat outlets or by calling 325-SEAT.