Alan Jackson: Crazy About Some Country

------------------------------- Concert review

Alan Jackson with Clint Daniels and The Wilkinsons, Friday night, Tacoma Dome. -------------------------------

TACOMA - You don't have to be a diehard country-music fan to recognize this popular Alan Jackson song:

". . . If I had money, I'd tell ya what I'd do - I'd go downtown and buy a Ford truck or two. Crazy about a Ford truck. Yeah, I'm crazy about a Ford truck. . . "

And at first, the cleverly changed lyrics made country fans chuckle. Then it made them cringe. Now they hear it and scream "No, it's `Crazy about a Mercury! Crazy about a Mercury!' "

But to no avail.

In a region where corporate sponsorships seem to take over most forms of entertainment - from Safeco Field to the new Boeing Imax Theater - it wasn't surprising that Jackson's concert Friday was "presented by your local Ford Dealer in association with PPG Automotive Finishes."

However, it was disappointing that the country megastar changed the last verse of his foot-stompin' encore song to reflect it. And if that wasn't enough: Ford pickups were used in several videos projected on big screens throughout the concert.

That aside, Jackson delivered nearly two hours of good-ol'-fashion country entertainment, mixed with the latest lighting and videography that money can buy.

The tall, 40-year-old Georgian, with shoulder-length blond curls and a signature white hat, gave fans a large mix of honky-tonk barn-burners and deep, baritone ballads - from the upbeat "Chattahoochee" and "Summertime Blues" to the heartbreaking "I'll try" and the highly romantic "I'll Go On Loving You," a recitation of a Kieran Kane song, and the first single on Jackson's latest album "High Milage."

Opening for Jackson were Nashville newcomers Clint Daniels, and The Wilkinsons.

Daniels, 24, of Florida, performed a handful of songs from his self-titled album that have yet to make him a household name. But his lead single, "A Fool's Progress" and his up-tempo "Any Better Than This," definitely have promise.

Unlike Jackson, he doesn't wear a cowboy hat. And he's got a striking resemblance to "Beverly Hills, 90210's" Jason Priestley, with thick eyebrows and long sideburns.

Following Daniels was The Wilkinsons, a Canadian trio made up of father Steve Wilkinson, daughter Amanda, 16, and son Tyler, 14.

With the exception of their debut single, "26 CENTS," a ballad about leaving home, most of their songs are energetic, with the Faith Hill-potential to be pop crossovers. It was a refreshing act, which no doubt will soon be seeking its own corporate sponsor.