11th Outlaws festival gets off to a fine start on Back Porch in Abilene

Mark Powell must be living right.

Better, credit his wife, Meredith. She has most pull in the family.

You couldn't have asked for a more perfect start Friday to the annual Outlaws & Legends Music Festival at the Back Porch of Texas in northwest Abilene.

The temperature was in the mid-80s and a light wind, which was due to pick up a bit Saturday. Still, after recent bouts of chilly weather and high wind, it was a darn good night to be listening to Kentucky Headhunters, Brent Cobb and the double act of Sammy Kershaw and Aaron Tippin.

The Headhunters, back in town after 32 years, had fans singing along to hits such as "Dumas Walker," "Oh, Lonesome Me" and "Walk Softly On This Heart of Mine." They wanted to play more, said lead singer Richard Young after the show, saying they had "The Ballad of Davy Crockett" and "Spirit in the Sky" ready to go. But the show must go on.

Cobb was joined by Zane Williams, who was tipi guest artist after main festival music ended.

"It's a privilege to be here," Cobb said, adding that playing after the Headhunters never was on his bucket list "but I'm glad to be here" after their show.

Kershaw, who hails from Louisiana, said he always has had success in Texas.

"I was hoping y'all would secede and I'd move here," he said, to loud applause. Texas flags flew at the site, and a man wearing a "Let's Go Brandon" T-shirt planted a U.S. flag near the front of the stage.

Kershaw said he was building Walmart Supercenters and living in Arlington when his got his first record contract. He had been looking for a good one for 20 years but found it when he didn't expect it.

He did "Cadillac Style," his first hit, and dusted off a 1970s-era classic, "Third Rate Romance."

And thanks to a radio DJ in Dallas, who played "She Don't Know She's Beautiful," he got his first, and only, No. 1 hit.

Kershaw said Tippin, who had a few more, consistently reminds him of that.

What fans may remember most about Tippin is the size of his arms. Those still are massive. His hits include "That's As Close As I'll Get to Loving You," "Kiss This" and "You've Got to Stand for Something."

On Saturday, the only female act this year, Cross Plains' own Ariel Hutchins, was on stage around noon. She followed Shane Terrell, an Abilenian who won his spot into the event lineup.

Host Powell was due on stage in the evening, before the return of Robert Earl Keen. REK has announced he is retiring, so his Outlaws show likely would be his last in Abilene.

? Go to reporternews.com to view our Outlaws & Legends photo gallery.

Greg Jaklewicz is editor of the Abilene Reporter-News and general columnist. If you appreciate locally driven news, you can support local journalists with a digital subscription to ReporterNews.com.

This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: 11th Outlaws festival gets off to fine start on Back Porch in Abilene