LYLE LOVETT – CAPITOL CENTER FOR THE ARTS’ CHUBB THEATER
By Crystal Valerie
Lyle Lovett is on the final dates of his short 2025 tour with his Acoustic Group, which covered 31 locations and wraps up in early May, just ahead of his upcoming 39-date tour with his Large Band this June. Stopping by the Capitol Center for the Arts’ Chubb Theater in Concord, NH, Lovett gave the crowd quite a show on Sunday, April 27.
Starting the night off on a quiet note, Lovett took the stage for a somber “She’s Already Made Up Her Mind”, as the crowd sat silent and mesmerized in the dark. You could probably have heard a pin drop in the 1,300-seat theater, which was full of longtime fans and close friends of the band. After an impressive showcase of musical talent during an instrumental jam session, Lovett returned to the stage to introduce his team of accomplished musicians.
Lyle Lovett‘s Acoustic Group features Lyle Lovett (vocals and guitar), Jeff White (acoustic guitar and mandolin), Leland Sklar (bass), Jim Cox (piano), Luke Bulla (fiddle), and Russ Kunkel (drums). Following the introduction, Lovett segued into “Here I Am” with entertaining asides pondering the great mysteries of life.
Lovett mentioned coming to Concord, NH, in the fall of 1983, saying it was the first time he’d been to this part of the country, saying “You know, I got it immediately. I’d never seen colors like that in the trees, and that first impression still stays with me.” Anyone who has visited New England during foliage season knows what a visual treat it is to see the vivid shades of yellow, orange, and red—making it all the more delightful to hear Lovett’s first impressions.
The show was speckled with conversations between Lovett and audience members, including early in the show when Lovett introduced his close, personal friend, Jim Rooney, and asked if anyone else had traveled from Vermont as his friend had done, getting quite a response from those who had proudly trekked the distance. Lovett then performed a song from his first album, “Cowboy Man” with impressive dexterity.
Afterwards, the audience had a rare treat in witnessing Lovett’s close personal friend, Jim Rooney, perform a couple of songs on his upside-down, backwards guitar, something we don’t see often from such a prominent figure in the music world. Rooney is a pivotal figure in American roots music, known for his multifaceted roles as a producer, performer, and writer. He began his career during the 1960s folk revival, and his early collaborations with banjo player Bill Keith led to influential recordings and performances that helped shape the bluegrass genre. In the 1970s, he co-founded the band Borderline, blending folk, rock, and country influences.
As a producer, Rooney moved to Nashville in 1976, working with Jack Clement before producing acclaimed albums for artists like Nanci Griffith, Iris DeMent, John Prine, and Hal Ketchum, even earning a Grammy Award for his work on Griffith’s Other Voices, Other Rooms. Beyond producing, Rooney has authored several books, including his autobiography In It for the Long Run: A Musical Odyssey. His contributions to Americana music have been recognized with lifetime achievement awards from the Americana Music Association and the International Bluegrass Music Association, and he continues to influence the genre through his radio program In It for the Long Run on WFVR-FM.
The entire concert felt like old friends getting together to reminisce, with Lovett steering the conversation onstage into a tell-all about each musician’s first on-air experience–in radio or television early on.
Luke Bulla has been performing since childhood, touring with his family band from age four and picking up the fiddle at seven. While most of us are attending elementary school and dealing with school yard drama, Luke Bulla shared that he was performing fiddle alongside his sister on a television program at the age of ten. He won the National Fiddle Contest six times in multiple age groups and became the youngest Grand Champion at sixteen. Bulla has recorded and performed with Lovett, as well as Ricky Skaggs, Brandi Carlile, Alison Krauss, and Bela Fleck, among many others. He’s incredible to witness and makes it look easy, which I know not to be the case with such an instrument.
I have a child who took violin in the third grade, and let me tell you, after a year, she never got out of the ‘sounds like a cat being tortured’ phase of learning, which gives me the added level of appreciation of Bulla’s talent. Bulla also performed playing the fiddle as you would a ukulele, further showcasing his versatility and skill.
Behind Bulla, Jim Cox provided the keys for Lovett. Cox himself has a long resume, providing piano for movies like Joker: Folie à Deux, Moana 2, Hop, and Markmaduke, to name a few. He began playing honky-tonk piano in pizza parlors around Oroville, California, while still in elementary school. Cox’s first tour was in 1979 with Leslie Uggams, and he later joined Mark Knopfler’s rock tour in 1996, and has collaborated with artists like Elton John, Aerosmith, Pink, and Barbra Streisand. He’s also toured with James Taylor, and has played a key role in providing the distinct soundtrack to the hit 80s TV series Airwolf.
On stage with Lovett, Cox delighted the crowd with an improvisational piece and shared his humble roots, noting that his first on-air performance was on a small local broadcast of the Awards for Cable Excellence (ACE), where he provided the evening’s soundtrack.
After giving the spotlight to Cox, Lovett turned the question to guitarist Jeff White. The acclaimed bluegrass flatpicking guitarist, singer, songwriter, and producer began his musical journey in Syracuse, NY, and found his footing after his family moved to Indiana. Initially drawn to folk and pop, White’s passion shifted to bluegrass during college, eventually leading him to co-found The Suburban Grass and later The Johnsons, who won the 1979 KFC Best Bluegrass Band in America contest.
White delighted the crowd with a deep cut from his career, including a rendition of “I’m Head Over Heels in Love” by Flatt and Scruggs before Lovett turned his attention to Leland Sklar on bass to get a taste of his extensive resume.
Sklar is a musical chameleon, having worked with artists such as Hall & Oates, Cher, and Toto, and has played bass on over 2,000 albums. Joining Lovett’s tour is just another milestone in his prolific career, which began with piano lessons at age five—earning awards from the Hollywood Bowl Association. By age twelve, however, he felt burned out and later shifted his focus to upright bass in high school, performing in the marching band.
When the Beatles hit the scene, Sklar transitioned to electric bass—a move that launched him into a career working with some of the biggest names in music. Sklar even published a book, Everybody Loves Me, featuring photos of friends in the industry flipping him off—a humorous reminder of the importance of not taking yourself too seriously.
Last but not least, Russ Kunkel answered Lovett’s question and provided a brief glimpse into the early days of his musical journey, which includes working on Stevie Nick’s album Bella Donna. Kunkel has also provided the percussion on albums like James Taylor’s Sweet Baby James, James Browne’s Running on Empty, and Carole King’s Tapestry.
The eclectic style of this drummer isn’t to be understated; he has amassed quite the discography and has toured, done session work, produced and/or written hit songs with Steve Winwood, Linda Ronstadt, Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Bob Seger, Simon & Garfunkel, Carly Simon, and Jimmy Buffett, to name a few (but the list goes on!).
It’s refreshing to see an artist as established as Lovett celebrating the talents of the musicians sharing the stage. His career began in 1986, and he’s since accumulated 4 Grammy Awards, 14 albums, and 25 singles, so one might assume an arrogance with that type of resume. Lovett, on the other hand, is so passionate about sharing his love of music that he recognizes when to give credit where it’s due. Given the resumes of Bull, Cox, White, Sklar, and Kunkel, one would be reminisce not to share the spotlight.
After the showcase of impressive talent, Lovett returned to the rest of the show, starting with favorites like “Pants Is Overrated”, “Don’t Touch My Hat”, and an emotional “Are We Dancing?”. The rest of the show provided friends, old and new, a chance to enjoy Lovett’s signature vocal stylings and reminisce with the artist as he treated them to tunes like “She’s No Lady”, “If I Had a Boat”, and “12th of June”, bringing the show to a close with “That’s Right (You’re Not From Texas)” and “North Dakota” after a rousing call for an encore from the audience.
Each song offered a glimpse into the long, storied career of an artist whose work spans decades, drawing on bluegrass, folk, country, and more—without ever fully committing to a single genre.
As the group finishes their 2025 tour, they’re not losing steam, giving the crowd a memorable live experience with an intimate feel. If you haven’t gotten out to see Lyle Lovett, I recommend marking some of his upcoming tour dates on your calendar so you don’t miss the chance to witness these talented musicians in action, even if country or bluegrass isn’t your thing.
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