September 7, 1997
Country star needs more heart and sass with that big voice

Teenage country music sensation LeAnn Rimes saved her best for last during the first of two nearly sold-out shows at Massey Hall last night, marking her Toronto debut.

After barely working up a sweat with a poised and polished performance running under one hour, Rimes returned to the stage for an encore to dedicate a song "in the memory of Princess Diana."

And it was a whopper -- a stirring a capella version of Amazing Grace, for which the big-voiced 15-year-old from Texas hardly needed a microphone.

The emotion didn't come a moment too soon given yesterday's televised funeral for the princess in London, which weighed heavily on almost everyone's mind.

Initially, Rimes' chirpy disposition, big smile and waves to the crowd made you wonder if she had even been affected. She is, after all, the same age as Diana's oldest son, Prince William.

"Y'all ready to party!" Rimes shouted as she made her entrance in a brown velvet blazer and pants and joined her six-piece band on stage.

The audience responded by clapping and hooting through her opening number, One Way Ticket (Because I Can) from her No. 1 debut album, Blue, although they remained low-key for the rest of the show.

Not even Rimes' yodelling during Cowboy's Sweetheart could get them to "yell and scream" as she requested.

Despite her impressive voice, Rimes gives off an unfortunate vibe, like she's the latest product off the country music factory assembly line.

And although she looks and sounds twice her age -- Rimes is often compared to Patsy Cline -- her speaking voice is still chipmunk-like, making for an odd juxtaposition between songs.

Still, the audience was appreciative of such familiar covers as You're No Good, Unchained Melody, I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry, and You Light Up My Life, the last song off Rimes' new album, Inspirational Songs, due in record stores Tuesday.

They also liked the big hits like Blue, her first No. 1 single, and How Do I Live, which has also been recorded by Trisha Yearwood.

But Rimes, who has already won two Grammys and boasts sales of four million in the U.S. and 400,000 in Canada, needs some road time to acquire the sass of say, Tanya Tucker, another country singer who started in her teens, or the heart of Reba McEntire.

Rimes did eventually display some personality beneath those technically perfect pipes -- it just took her until the end of the concert to do so.

She's up for a Canadian Country Music Association Award tomorrow night in Hamilton where Blue is nominated for best selling album.

JAM! Rating: 3 out of 5