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RONNIE MILSAP ANNOUNCES FINAL NASHVILLE SHOW

Star-Studded Tribute Concert to Feature More Than 30 Artists

October 3, 2023 at Bridgestone Arena

Tickets On-Sale Friday, June 9 at 10 a.m. CT

Nashville, Tenn. (June 6, 2023) – Country Music Hall of Famer Ronnie Milsap has announced his final Nashville performance with a star-studded lineup coming together to pay tribute to the legend on October 3, 2023 at Bridgestone Arena .

The once-in-a-lifetime tribute event will feature performances by Kelly Clarkson , Little Big Town , Parker McCollum , Justin Moore , Scotty McCreery , Tracy Lawrence , Randy Houser , Sara Evans , Lorrie Morgan , Neal McCoy , BRELAND , Phil Vassar , Terri Clark, The Band of Heathens , Charlie McCoy and more. The evening will honor Milsap and his 50-plus year career, his celebrated catalog, and his lasting influence on country music. More artists will be announced soon.

Tickets go on-sale Friday, June 9 at 10 a.m. CT via t icketmaster.com . The event is promoted and produced by Outback Presents .

“I’m so excited about my last show in Nashville at Bridgestone Arena and the amazing lineup of artists,” says Milsap. “This night will be so special for me and all the fans. I love Nashville and the amazing career my fans have given me. ‘I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.'”

“We are thrilled to host the Ronnie Milsap Tribute concert,” adds Bridgestone Arena Chief Venues Officer David Kells . “With over 50 years of music and 40 #1 hits, this celebration is going to be something special. Thank you to the Outback Presents team for curating such an amazing event.”

About Ronnie Milsap Country Music Hall of Famer. Forty #1s. Five decades of charted singles. Creating a new way of recording (being blind his hyper-attuned hearing led him to create/build what is now known as Ronnie’s Place), he broke genre rules and became one of the biggest pop/AC and even R&B artists of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s.

Six Grammys. CMA Entertainer of the Year and four Album of the Year Awards. The first country video played on MTV (the ironic “She Loves My Car”). An early champion of NFL star Mike Reid, who wrote many of Ronnie’s #1 hits and who’d go on to write Bonnie Raitt’s second most enduring classic, “I Can’t Make You Love Me.”

Always chasing the music, always hungry for the songs, he is now an inspiration for a new generation of country stars from critical standard setters Kacey Musgraves and Little Big Town to CMA/ACM Entertainers of the Year Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean, as well as a standard-setter for friends like Dolly Parton, George Strait, Willie Nelson, Steven Curtis Chapman and even groundbreakers Leon Russell and Billy Gibbons.

About Outback Presents Outback Presents is the leading independent, full-service promoter of live entertainment. Based in Nashville, Outback Presents produces thousands of music and comedy shows, tours, and festivals annually across North America, connecting its diverse roster of artists with their fans. Previous events include Kenny Rogers: All In For The Gambler; Playin’ Possum! The Final No Show: A Tribute To George Jones; A Heroes & Friends Tribute to Randy Travis; Charlie Daniels Volunteer Jam; The Life & Songs of Kris Kristofferson; Merle Haggard: Sing Me Back Home; 35 Years of Friends: Celebrating The Music of Michael W. Smith; An All Star Salute To Lee Greenwood.

Country Legend Ronnie Milsap Plays His Final Show In Nashville With Star-Studded Tribute

A fitting send-off for a country music legend.

Ronnie Milsap was one of the first big crossover artists of his time, with his music resonating strongly with both pop and country fans at the time. This dual-genre fanbase gave him enormous popularity on the back of songs like ““Smoky Mountain Rain,” “Any Day Now,” “I Wouldn’t Have Missed It For The World,” “Daydreams About Night Things,” and of course, “Stranger In My House.”

Over the course of his storied career, Ronnie managed to rack up 35 #1 hits (fourth to only George Strait, Conway Twitty and Merle Haggard), 6 Grammys, 4 ACMs, 8 CMAs and 35 million albums sold. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2014, and has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1976.

And he did all of it despite being born legally blind.

The 80-year old has performed thousands of shows over the course of his career. But last night at Bridgestone Arena, the iconic artist took the stage for one final time in Nashville, joined by many others to pay tribute to Ronnie Milsap as his career winds down.

Now, Milsap isn’t completely hanging it up: He’ll still record and occasionally perform, but this was the last time he’ll take the stage in Nashville. So there was plenty of star power there to make it a memorable final show.

The show opened with Kelly Clarkson performing “It Was Almost Like A Song,” the title track to Milsap’s 1977 album.

And from there, artists ranging from Tracy Lawrence, Lorrie Morgan and Ricky Skaggs to Justin Moore, Randy Houser and Sara Evans took the stage to perform some of Milsap’s biggest hits and honor the country legend.

There was also a surprise appearance from Keith Urban, who sang “Out Where the Bright Lights Are Glowing,” a more obscure song from Ronnie’s tribute album to Jim Reeves.

But the highlight of the evening was undoubtedly when Ronnie took the stage himself to close out the evening with “Smoky Mountain Rain,” “Stranger In My House,” and “(There’s) No Gettin’ Over Me,” along with his iconic version of “America the Beautiful” before bringing his final Nashville show to an end with his cover of the Rolling Stones classic “Honky Tonk Women” alongside the rest of the artists on the lineup.

It was a fitting tribute to a country music legend – and a hell of a send-off for his final show in Nashville.

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Kelly Clarkson Stuns and Keith Urban Surprises at Ronnie Milsap’s Final Concert

By Joseph Hudak

Joseph Hudak

Ronnie Milsap played what is being billed as his final Nashville concert on Tuesday night at Music City’s Bridgestone Arena. But before he took the stage, a parade of artists from all genres paid him tribute: Keith Urban , Ricky Skaggs , Elizabeth Cook, Los Lonely Boys, and, at the top of the show, Kelly Clarkson .

The pop superstar kicked off the night with a powerhouse rendition of “It Was Almost Like a Song,” the Hal David and Archie Jordan-written title track to his 1977 album. Backed by the house band Sixwire, Clarkson slowly built the song to a dazzling big-note finish. It wasn’t the first time that Clarkson has performed songs from Milsap’s career either. As part of her regular Kellyoke segment on her talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show , the vocalist sang “Smoky Mountain Rain,” “Lost in the Fifties Tonight,” and “I Wouldn’t Have Missed It for the World” — three of Milsap’s finest.

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In 2014, Urban talked to Rolling Stone about the influence of more pop-influenced country music on his own sound. “I grew up playing contemporary country music, not traditional: Ronnie Milsap, Alabama’s songs, Glen Campbell,” he said. “And then the West Coast rock thing was a big influence: Jackson Browne, Fleetwood Mac, Linda Ronstadt.”

Milsap’s final Nashville show marks the end of a career that was unafraid to lean hard into pop music. In fact, some of Milsap’s biggest hits crossed over to the adult contemporary chart. “I didn’t just come into town and start having hit records. You’ve got to study the songs and see if it’s a song that you really want to do,” Milsap told Rolling Stone . “And I guess some of them crossed over. Sometimes that just happens.”

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Ronnie Milsap Brings His Country Soul to Nashville One More Time: ‘I’m Thankful’

Milsap will welcome several guests to tonight's concert, including Little Big Town, Ricky Skaggs and Steven Curtis Chapman.

By Jessica Nicholson

Jessica Nicholson

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“I think we’re going to blow up the Bridgestone. We’re going to blow it up. I’m very thankful for everyone,” Milsap says of the evening.

In 1977, Milsap won entertainer of the year, and over his career has taken home album of the year four times and male vocalist of the year three times from the CMA Awards. He earned Grammy Awards for his Kenny Rogers duet “Make No Mistake, She’s Mine,” and his own “Lost in the Fifties Tonight,” “(There’s) No Gettin’ Over Me,” “Please Don’t Tell Me How the Story Ends,” and “(I’m A) Stand by My Woman Man.”

Several of the artists on the Bridgestone lineup collaborated with Milsap on his 2019 album The Duets , including Little Big Town, with whom he recorded “Lost in the Fifties,” and Chapman, who sang “You’re Nobody” with the singer.

“They’re really good, wonderful people,” Milsap says of LBT. “They are fun to be around. We did that song on [Jimmy Fallon]’s show and they were just wonderful.”

Milsap has an even closer tie with another performer on the bill: since 1976, Milsap has lived in a Nashville residence he bought from Stevens.

“I loved working with Ray,” Milsap says. “Ray wanted to move out of this house because Webb Pierce lived across the street and he was selling tapes and CDs out of his house there and Ray said he wanted out of that. Well, Webb also played music kind of loud.” He adds, “Ray Stevens is one smart cookie, I’m telling you.”

Having a plethora of artists singing his music and feting his work is light years away from Milsap’s difficult childhood. The North Carolina native was born blind and was subsequently abandoned by his mother, who felt her son’s blindness was a kind of divine punishment. He lived with his grandmother from age one, until he was enrolled in the State School for the Blind in Raleigh at age six.

The school had a premier music program, with Milsap learning classical technique. He took up violin at age seven and piano a year later, all the while soaking up sounds of Jerry Lee Lewis, Ray Charles and Fats Domino from the radio. Milsap studied at Young-Harris Junior College in Atlanta, but ultimately turned down a full law school scholarship to chase his dreams of music. His first release came with his 1963 single “Total Disaster.” He first broke through as an R&B singer, earning a top 20 hit on the R&B Songs chart with Ashford & Simpson’s “Never Had It So Good.”

He relocated to Memphis in 1968, working with legendary producer Chips Moman. Milsap was also playing several clubs around Memphis, including The Thunderbird and TJ’s; Presley would bring in Milsap in to play a few of his New Year’s Eve bashes.

Milsap calls those Memphis years “magical,” saying, “Everything that happened in Memphis, with Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Elvis … that energy was all over the place.”

Even so, Milsap’s heart was in country music. “I decided I needed to do what I wanted to do, not what everyone else was asking me to do,” Milsap recalls. After seeing him perform in a nightclub, Charley Pride encouraged Milsap to move to Nashville.

Milsap moved to Nashville in 1972 and quickly landed a gig playing five nights a week at a popular Nashville industry hotspot, Roger Miller’s King of the Road Motor Inn. Milsap, who was managed by Pride’s manager, Jack Johnson, recorded a batch of demo tapes, and they took them to then-RCA Nashville label head Jerry Bradley.

“Jerry said, ‘We know about Milsap. He’s down there in Memphis and he plays rock n’ roll and rhythm and blues. He’s not a country singer,’” Milsap recalls. “Jack played him a song I cut called ‘That Girl Who Waits on Tables,’ and Jerry heard that and said, ‘Well, that S.O.B. really is a country singer.’”

Milsap’s slate of hits in the 1970s and 1980s proved Bradley correct. Milsap’s first Hot Country Singles top 10 hit with RCA Nashville was 1973’s “I Hate You.” “That Girl Who Waits on Tables” reached No. 11 on the same chart a year later. In 1974, he earned his first No. 1 there with the Eddie Rabbitt-penned “Pure Love,” launching a string of chart successes that also included the Grammy-winning “Please Don’t Tell Me How the Story Ends,” as well as “Daydreams About Night Things.”

Milsap has earned 35 Billboard Hot Country Songs No. 1 hits, many of them recorded in his own studio, which he purchased from Roy Orbison in 1978 and renamed Groundstar Laboratories. Among the songs recorded at the studio with his then-producer Collins were 1979’s “Nobody Likes Sad Songs,” and the Mike Reid-penned 1983 hit “Stranger in My House,” which netted a Grammy for best country song.

“We cut everything there, as soon as Mike Reid would write a song, I’d get in there and record it,” Milsap recalls. Affectionately known as “Ronnie’s Place,” the studio is now under the ownership of Black River Entertainment.

Notably for an artist who grew up steeped in the soulful sounds of artists such as Charles, Lewis and Presley, Milsap was inducted into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame last year. Recently, he’s spent time recording in his home studio, cutting classics from the Great American Songbook for a project he hopes to release next year.

“It’s not a small studio; it fits like six or seven people in there, but it’s a wonderful studio,” Galbraith says. “We did an album like this back in 2004 [ Just For a Thrill ], but we’re doing other songs and more songs that Ronnie grew up on. We cut [Frank Sinatra’s] ‘Witchcraft,’ [Tony Bennett’s] ‘I Left My Heart in San Francisco.’”

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Ronnie Milsap: The Final Nashville Show

A Tribute to Ronnie Milsap

The final nashville show.

Date Oct 03 , 2023
Event Starts 7:00 PM
Doors Open 5:30 PM
Availability On Sale Now

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Earlier this summer, Country Music Hall of Fame member Ronnie Milsap revealed his final Nashville concert, a special tribute event taking place October 3 at Bridgestone Arena . Milsap today announced eleven additional artists who will join the lineup to salute the musical icon as he closes this chapter of his legendary career. Newly-announced guest entertainers are Trace Adkins , Ricky Skaggs , Steven Curtis Chapman , Ray Stevens , Pam Tillis , The Gatlin Brothers , Hunter Hayes , Mark Wills , The McCrary Sisters , The Los Lonely Boys and Elizabeth Cook . “I’m so excited about my last show in Nashville at Bridgestone Arena and the amazing lineup of artists," says Milsap. "I love Nashville and the amazing career my fans have given me. 'I wouldn't have missed it for the world!' Please join me. It will be a very special night.” Previously-announced performers include Kelly Clarkson , Little Big Town , Justin Moore , Scotty McCreery , Tracy Lawrence , Randy Houser , Sara Evans , Lorrie Morgan , Neal McCoy , BRELAND , Phil Vassar , Terri Clark, The Band of Heathens and Charlie McCoy . Sixwire will serve as the house band. The evening will honor Milsap and his 50-plus year career, his celebrated catalog and his lasting influence on country music. Ticket holders can expect several special surprise guest performances. Tickets are on-sale now via t icketmaster.com . The event is promoted and produced by Outback Presents and Conway Entertainment Group. About Ronnie Milsap Country Music Hall of Famer. Forty #1s. Five decades of charted singles. Creating a new way of recording (being blind his hyper-attuned hearing led him to create/build what is now known as Ronnie’s Place), he broke genre rules and became one of the biggest pop/AC and even R&B artists of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. Six Grammys. CMA Entertainer of the Year and four Album of the Year Awards. The first country video played on MTV (the ironic “She Loves My Car”). An early champion of NFL star Mike Reid, who wrote many of Ronnie’s #1 hits and who’d go on to write Bonnie Raitt’s second most enduring classic, “I Can’t Make You Love Me.” Always chasing the music, always hungry for the songs, he is now an inspiration for a new generation of country stars from critical standard setters Kacey Musgraves and Little Big Town to CMA/ACM Entertainers of the Year Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean, as well as a standard-setter for friends like Dolly Parton, George Strait, Willie Nelson, Steven Curtis Chapman and even groundbreakers Leon Russell and Billy Gibbons. For more information, visit ronniemilsap.com .

For enhanced safety and speed of entry, we strongly discourage guests from bringing bags to events. All fans are urged to arrive early and travel light.

If a bag is necessary, the following restrictions and processes apply:

Backpacks of any size are considered prohibited items and are NOT allowed into the arena.
Bags that measure larger than 12”x12”x6” are prohibited and are NOT allowed into the arena.
Bags that measure between 6”x4”x1.5” and 12”x 12”x6” (including clear bags and Nashville Locker Room bags) are subject to x-ray screening and visual inspection.
Bags that measure smaller than 6” x 4” x 1.5” may proceed through express screening lanes for visual inspection.
Diaper bags and bags needed for medical reasons are allowed but will be subject to x-ray screening.
We kindly ask that you reach out to Bridgestone Arena Customer Service ([email protected]) 24 hours prior to your event if you want to arrange for additional accommodations before arrival.

Reminder: Patrons with prohibited items will not be permitted entry to the arena. Bridgestone Arena does not provide on-site storage. Guests are asked to plan accordingly and allow for extra time when arriving at Bridgestone Arena.

Exceptions to this bag policy may be made for extenuating circumstances such as medical needs and diaper bags. Please contact Bridgestone Arena if you require additional information or guidance at [email protected] or 615-770-2000.

Additional Information

Ronnie Milsap

Ronnie Milsap Announces Star-Studded Lineup for Final Nashville Show

by Cillea Houghton June 6, 2023, 12:30 pm

Ronnie Milsap is getting a send-off fit for a legend.

Videos by American Songwriter

On Tuesday (June 6), Milsap shared that he’ll be performing his final show in Nashville at Bridgestone Arena on October 3. But he won’t be doing it alone. He’ll be joined by artists across genres with Kelly Clarkson, Scotty McCreery, Parker McCollum, Little Big Town, Sara Evans, Justin Moore and Tracy Lawrence set to perform at The Final Nashville Show: A Tribute to Ronnie Milsap . Country newcomer BRELAND, Randy Houser, Lorrie Morgan, Neal McCoy, Terri Clark, Phil Vassar, The Band of Heathens and Charlie McCoy are also on the bill, with more artists set to be announced.

“The evening will honor Milsap and his 50-plus year career, his celebrated catalog, and his lasting influence on country music,” a press release described.

“I’m so excited about my last show in Nashville at Bridgestone Arena and the amazing lineup of artists,” the 80-year-old Milsap says in a press statement. “This night will be so special for me and all the fans. I love Nashville and the amazing career my fans have given me. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.”

“We are thrilled to host the Ronnie Milsap Tribute concert,” adds Bridgestone Arena Chief Venues Officer David Kells. “With over 50 years of music and 40 #1 hits, this celebration is going to be something special. Thank you to the Outback Presents team for curating such an amazing event.”

The show will serve as a retrospective of Milsap’s illustrious career that spans more than 50 years. With more than 30 hits to his name including “(There’s) No Gettin’ Over Me,” “Pure Love,” “It Was Almost Like a Song” and “A Woman in Love,” Milsap has been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, won eight CMA Awards and six Grammy Awards, among other accolades. Milsap was born in 1943 in North Carolina. He was born with a birth defect that left him almost completely blind.

Tickets go on sale Friday (June 9) at 11 a.m. ET.

Photo Credit: Mark Mosrie/Courtesy of ©Grand Ole Opry

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Ronnie Milsap Talks Final Nashville Concert, Says It Will Be "A Burner"

Photo by: Andrew Lipovsky/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images

Country Music Hall of Famer Ronnie Milsap promises his October 3 concert at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena will be "a burner."

"We're going to burn Bridgestone down," Milsap said.

Milsap said earlier this summer that the October 3 concert will be a special tribute event that will be his final concert in Nashville. Monday, more artists were added to the star-studded lineup, including Trace Adkins, Ricky Skaggs, Steven Curtis Chapman, Ray Stevens, Pam Tillis, The Gatlin Brothers, Hunter Hayes, Mark Wills, The McCrary Sisters, The Los Lonely Boys and Elizabeth Cook. Previously announced performers are Kelly Clarkson, Little Big Town, Parker McCollum, Justin Moore, Scotty McCreery, Tracy Lawrence, Randy Houser, Sara Evans, Lorrie Morgan, Neal McCoy, BRELAND, Phil Vassar, Terri Clark, The Band of Heathens and Charlie McCoy.

The guest singers will take turns playing Milsap's songs.

"Kelly Clarkson, I think, is going to sing 'It Was Almost Like a Song,'" Milsap said. "I look forward to that."

Milsap explained that he had known Morgan "a long time" and that she was "really good."

Milsap, 80, has charted more than 40 No. 1 songs throughout his five-plus-decade career. An ace singer and piano player, Milsap, who was born blind, developed a masterful command of multiple genres, including country, rock, pop, funk and rhythm and blues. He ushered in the country-pop movement in the late 1970s and early '80s with hits including "It Was Almost Like a Song," "Stranger in My House," "No Gettin' Over Me" and "Smoky Mountain Rain."

"I'm so excited about my last show in Nashville at Bridgestone Arena and the amazing lineup of artists," Milsap said. "I love Nashville and the amazing career my fans have given me. 'I wouldn't have missed it for the world!' Please join me. It will be a very special night."

Milsap said he still looks forward to playing concerts with his band and that he loves opening his shows with "Prisoner Of The Highway." He doesn't know if there is anything left he wants to do – he said it "depends on what opportunities come up."

More than anything, Milsap wants "people to know I did exactly what I wanted to do."

Tickets start at $46.50 and are on sale now at ticketmaster.com. The event is promoted and produced by Outback Presents and Conway Entertainment Group.

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Ronnie Milsap joined by Kelly Clarkson, Keith Urban, more for 'Final Nashville Show'

A capacity-filled bridgestone arena celebrates five decades of the "smoky mountain rain" vocalist's extraordinary, boundless songcraft.

If Donny and Marie Osmond were "a little bit country and a little bit rock n' roll," then it was made clear at Bridgestone Arena for Tuesday evening's "A Tribute To Ronnie Milsap: The Final Nashville Show," that the star being honored was a lot of both.

Twenty-nine artists performed 30 songs celebrating 50 years of the 2014 Country Music Hall of Fame inductee's work in Nashville, which, according to event hosts The Big 615's Storme Warren and WSM 650's Bill Cody, ended onstage at Bridgestone Arena. Yes, Milsap will continue to record songs and occasionally play gigs, but none, they said, will ever occur again in Music City.

Videos from Clint Black, Luke Bryan, Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton celebrating Milsap's heroic, humble legacy as a performer were highlighted. Nashville mayor Freddie O'Connell -- himself the son of the writer of Johnny Cash's "A Singer of Songs," Thomas O'Connell -- declared Oct. 3, 2023 as "Ronnie Milsap Day." Tennessee governor Bill Lee added an official proclamation honoring the artist's "Final Nashville Show."

The slate of performances, Milsap's show-closing quintet included, celebrated the vibrant legacy of Milsap's influences upon the 1950s and early 1960s rock on country's adult contemporary crossover era between 1973 and 1983.

Rare is the show where a catalog of work is at such an pinnacle of that it reveals where other artists' vocal craft exists on the spectrum.

This was the show where BRELAND sang Milsap's 1982 hit "Any Day Now" and his vocal lineage to 1950s teen hitmaker Frankie Lymon (of "Why Do Fools Fall In Love" performers Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers fame) became apparent. Moreover, acts like Trace Adkins, Randy Houser and Scotty McCreery (who performed "She Keeps The Home Fires Burning," "Don't You Ever Get Tired (Of Hurting Me)," and "Pure Love") showed that a barrel-chested and full-throated delivery worked best as a fail-safe when attempting to deliver Milsap's impeccable finesse.

Plus, the presence of stars like Keith Urban, central Texas-born, "Texican rock" performers Los Lonely Boys and contemporary Christian icon Steven Curtis Chapman (who offered a stirring rendition of "What a Difference You've Made in My Life") as well as Band of Heathens' offering of the Don Schlitz and Paul Overstreet-penned "Houston Solution" highlighted the genre-agnostic and global appeal of his work.

Notably, five other moments stood out at Bridgestone Arena.

Kelly Clarkson performs 'It Was Almost Like A Song'

Conversations that do not place Kelly Clarkson in the top tier of vocalists with Nashville stardom are suspect, at best. Milsap himself said he felt Clarkson was the best overall performer on the lineup who was vocally equipped to handle his material.

Milsap was correct.

Clarkson opened the event with a rendition of the Country Music Hall of Famer's 1977 classic.

Iconic songwriter Hal David co-wrote the song. Delivered by Milsap, it's a soul ballad delivered with finesse that allows the song's countrypolitan composition to share the weight of lifting its lyrical power. However, the American Idol winner power-lifted the song's craft to impressive heights with seemingly effortless ease. The final 45 seconds of her work saw a stunning upper register reached that, had it been the show's opening and close, could've likely satisfied many in attendance.

Sixwire's backing band work

Few bands are as adept at celebrating the alchemy that makes countrypolitan-style music feel soulful and rocking in equal measure than Nashville-based session players Sixwire. Couple them with Country Music Hall of Famer and "Nashville A-Team" member Charlie McCoy and Milsap's longtime saxophonist and steel guitarist John Heinrich, and the band left little to be desired.

As a stand-alone act before Milsap took the stage, they also artfully offered a warmly received rendition of Milsap's chart-topping hit "Only One Love In My Life." As the evening's sonic glue, Sixwire more than held together the proceedings.

Gordon Mote performs 'Lost in the Fifties Tonight (In the Still of the Night)'

Ronnie Milsap's 1986-released "Lost In The Fifties Tonight" was so well-regarded that its release included a Nov. 1986 concert at Nashville's National Guard Armory.

Blind gospel vocalist Gordon Mote's 21st-century career has included nine albums and two wins for Pianist/Keyboardist of the Year at the Academy of Country Music Awards. Thus, he's more than adequately gifted to offer a take on Milsap's classic.

It's often noted that the loss of one sense heightens others. Perhaps that's the secret of Milsap's five decades of excellence at toeing the line between country, pop, rock and soul. Similarly, Mote received a standing ovation (one of a dozen in the evening) for his take. Like the icon being feted, he delivered art that proudly defied singular genre classification.

Female vocalists reign supreme

Ronnie Milsap's greatest gift is his ability to finesse gravitas from grit and power from seduction. Err his classics too far in any direction and the songs lose the organic uniqueness the performer provides them.

Intriguingly, the female vocalists chosen -- including, of note, Sara Evans ("Let's Take The Long Way Around The World"), The McCrary Sisters ("Stand By Me," backing on Kelly Clarkson's "It Was Almost Like A Song"), Lorrie Morgan ("(I'd Be) A Legend In My Time"), Terri Clark ("My Love") and Elizabeth Cook ("Nobody Likes Sad Songs") -- all delivered Milsap's songs with a husk and strength of tenor that uniquely offered the blend of sensibilities that makes Milsap's discography so noteworthy.

A group of songs with such tremendous flexibility deserved such significant highlighting.

Milsap headlines his final show

After two hours of hearing his hits redefined, the star of the hour took to the stage.

He's 80 years old and though still recording and releasing music, the wear and tear of almost seven decades of playing music have caught up with him. However, his undeterred performance at Bridgestone Arena was an extraordinary moment frozen in time.

"Smoky Mountain Rain" is one of Tennessee's state songs and was delivered before a Ray Charles-recalling version of "America The Beautiful," plus a cover of The Rolling Stones' "Honky Tonk Women" that felt akin to his 1976 live album version. Along with renditions of "Stranger In My House" and "There's No Getting Over Me," the set was an ideal showcase of all facets of Milsap's memorable Nashville legacy.

'A Tribute To Ronnie Milsap: The Final Nashville Show' Set List, 10/3/2023

Kelly Clarkson -- It Was Almost Like a Song
Hunter Hayes -- He's Got You
Ricky Skaggs -- Let My Love Be Your Pillow
Sara Evans -- Let's Take The Long Way Around The World
The Gatlins -- Back On My Mind Again
Mark Wills -- Don't You Know How Much I Love You
Tracy Lawrence -- Daydreams About Night Things
Ray Stevens -- (I'm) A Stand By My Woman Man
Keith Urban -- Out Where The Bright Lights Are Glowing
McCrary Sisters -- Stand By Me
BRELAND -- Any Day Now
Lorrie Morgan -- (I'd Be) A Legend In My Time
Band of Heathens -- Houston Solution
Scotty McCreery -- Pure Love
Gordon Mote -- Lost in the Fifties Tonight (In the Still of the Night)
Justin Moore -- What Goes On When The Sun Goes Down
Steven Curtis Chapman -- What a Difference You’ve Made in My Life
Phil Vassar (w/Dean Sams) -- Happy Happy Birthday Baby
Elizabeth Cook -- Nobody Likes Sad Songs
Randy Houser -- Don't You Ever Get Tired (Of Hurting Me)
Los Lonely Boys -- All Is Fair in Love and War
Los Lonely Boys -- Prisoner of the Highway
Terri Clark -- My Love
Trace Adkins -- She Keeps the Home Fires Burning
Sixwire -- Only One Love in My Life
Ronnie Milsap -- Stranger In My House/We're An American Band
Ronnie Milsap -- (There’s) No Gettin’ Over Me
Ronnie Milsap -- Smoky Mountain Rain
Ronnie Milsap -- America The Beautiful
Ronnie Milsap -- Honky Tonk Women

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Inside Ronnie Milsap’s Star-Studded Farewell Performance

Musician Ronnie Milsap performs at the Ryman Auditorium on January 16, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Big Hassle)

All of Nashville (and we do mean all ) came out to celebrate the legendary Ronnie Milsap at his last show at Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday evening. We’re talking Tracy Lawrence, Keith Urban, Sara Evans, and SO many more were in attendance.

If you didn’t know already, Ronnie Milsap rose to fame on both the pop and country music charts with songs such as “Daydreams About Night Things,” and collected 6 Grammys, 4 ACMs and 8 CMAs over the course of his career. With 40 #1 Hits spanning across five decades, there’s no doubt that Mr. Mislap earned legendary status when he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2014.

That being said, the artists had an arsenal of songs to choose from. Kelly Clarkson kicked it off with “It Was Almost Like A Song,” Keith Urban killed it with his cover of “Out Where the Bright Lights Are Glowing,” and somewhere in the middle there were video messages from Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, Clint Black and Luke Bryan. Needless to say, the man is popular.

After over two and a half hours of performances, the 80 year-old took center stage, where he performed fan favorites “Smoky Mountain Rain,” “Stranger In My House,” and “(There’s) No Gettin’ Over Me,” before closing with “America the Beautiful.” The show then came to an iconic end with all of the artists joining Milsap on stage for a cover of the Rolling Stones “Honky Tonk Women.”

Read more about Ronnie Milsap’s star-studded farewell performance here .

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Ronnie Milsap Announces Final Nashville Show

Tickets go on-sale Friday, June 9 at 10 a.m. CT.

Country Music Hall of Famer Ronnie Milsap has announced his final Nashville performance with a star-studded lineup coming together to pay tribute to the legend on October 3, 2023 at Bridgestone Arena.

The once-in-a-lifetime tribute event will feature performances by Kelly Clarkson, Little Big Town, Parker McCollum, Justin Moore, Scotty McCreery, Tracy Lawrence, Randy Houser, Sara Evans, Lorrie Morgan, Neal McCoy, BRELAND, Phil Vassar, Terri Clark, The Band of Heathens, Charlie McCoy and more. The evening will honor Milsap and his 50-plus year career, his celebrated catalog, and his lasting influence on country music. More artists will be announced soon.

Tickets go on-sale Friday, June 9 at 10 a.m. CT via t icketmaster.com . The event is promoted and produced by Outback Presents.

“I’m so excited about my last show in Nashville at Bridgestone Arena and the amazing lineup of artists," says Milsap. "This night will be so special for me and all the fans. I love Nashville and the amazing career my fans have given me. 'I wouldn't have missed it for the world.'"

“We are thrilled to host the Ronnie Milsap Tribute concert," adds Bridgestone Arena Chief Venues Officer David Kells. "With over 50 years of music and 40 #1 hits, this celebration is going to be something special. Thank you to the Outback Presents team for curating such an amazing event.”

About Ronnie Milsap

Country Music Hall of Famer. Forty #1s. Five decades of charted singles. Creating a new way of recording (being blind his hyper-attuned hearing led him to create/build what is now known as Ronnie’s Place), he broke genre rules and became one of the biggest pop/AC and even R&B artists of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s.

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Ronnie Milsap Is ‘Gonna Blow the Bridgestone Up’ at Final Nashville Show [Interview]

Ronnie Milsap is preparing for his final Nashville concert, and the iconic country singer says he's particularly looking forward to one very special performance during an all-star celebration of his career.

The 80-year-old country legend will take the stage at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena in October as part of an all-star lineup that also includes Kelly Clarkson , Little Big Town , Parker McCollum , Justin Moore , Scotty McCreery , Tracy Lawrence , Randy Houser , Sara Evans , Lorrie Morgan , Neal McCoy , Breland , Phil Vassar , Terri Clark , the Band of Heathens and Charlie McCoy .

Trace Adkins , Ricky Skaggs , Steven Curtis Chapman, Ray Stevens , Pam Tillis , the Gatlin Brothers, Hunter Hayes , Mark Wills , the McCrary Sisters, Los Lonely Boys and Elizabeth Cook are also set to take part in the show, which will celebrate the entirety of Milsap's stellar six-decade career with tribute performances from those stars.

Milsap's string of 36 No. 1 hits includes "Pure Love," "Daydreams About Night Things," "(I'm A) Stand by My Woman Man," "It Was Almost Like a Song," "Only One Love in My Life," "I Wouldn't Have Missed It for the World," "She Keeps the Home Fires Burning" and more.

"This is a big, big thing," Milsap tells Taste of Country in an interview ahead of the show. "We're gonna blow the Bridgestone up."

The evening will consist primarily of tributes, Milsap says, but he'll take the stage toward the end to close the show. After performing his own set, he's going to end the night with a cover of the Rolling Stones' "Honky Tonk Women."

There's one singer whose performance he's particularly looking forward to.

"I especially want to hear Kelly Clarkson," Milsap states. "She's gonna sing 'Almost Like a Song,' and I look forward to hearing that."

Though the Tribute to Ronnie Milsap gig is billed as his final Nashville show, Milsap is not retiring.

"I'll be doing more work, I'm sure, in the upcoming years," he tells us. In fact, Milsap has been recording for a new album that he plans to release in 2024. The new project is a follow-up to 2004's Just for a Thrill , which features Milsap's renditions of pop and jazz standards; the album will feature more of his personal takes on the Great American Songbook.

Milsap says he doesn't even have an endgame in mind for retirement.

"I'm sure I will," he says, adding with a laugh, "I'm not gonna retire ... I'm just gonna quit!"

"We're gonna keep doing it 'til I can't do it anymore," he concludes.

The Tribute to Ronnie Milsap concert is set to take place at the Bridgestone Arena in downtown Nashville on Oct. 3. A limited number of tickets are still available .

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Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes

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Ronnie Milsap Preps for Final Nashville Concert as Stars Share Memories of the Legendary Blind Pianist (Exclusive)

Ricky Skaggs remembers nearly running off the road when he looked over and saw Milsap driving his tour bus

At 80 years old, blind piano player and Country Music Hall of Famer Ronnie Milsap is gearing up for his final Nashville, Tennessee, concert following about six decades of music making.

The Tuesday concert is a tribute event featuring guest singers taking turns singing Milsap's hits.

Artists on the bill include Kelly Clarkson , Little Big Town , Parker McCollum, Justin Moore , Scotty McCreery , Tracy Lawrence, Randy Houser, Sara Evans , Lorrie Morgan, Trace Adkins, Ricky Skaggs, Steven Curtis Chapman and more.

For many of the artists, the concert is personal. Milsap knew Morgan's father, George Morgan; Milsap and Skaggs are longtime friends, and McCreery's earliest memories include Milsap's music. He said his mother is a huge Milsap fan, and he remembers the whole family riding around in the car singing "Smoky Mountain Rain."

Related: Ronnie Milsap Drops Lively New Song 'Big Bertha' with Vince Gill: 'He Really Is Just Everything'

McCreery remembers Milsap performed a show near his hometown in North Carolina and that he sat down at the piano and played his hits. McCreery also recalls a video screen behind Milsap that showed the singer's life story and the stories behind the songs.

"It was really an intimate kind of show," McCreery, 29, told PEOPLE. "That concert was a highlight for young Scotty, for sure."

McCreery believes Milsap has "a song for every moment in life" and loves the storytelling and expression the pianist uses in his music.

"You can just tell how much fun he's having singing the songs and how happy it makes him, and how happy it makes the fans listen to his music," McCreery said. "I just always find my way back to his music, even if it's been a while."

Milsap has accumulated more than 40 No. 1 songs throughout his career and bridged multiple genres, including country, rock, pop, funk and rhythm and blues. He was part of the country-pop movement in the late 1970s and early '80s with hits including "It Was Almost Like a Song," "Stranger in My House," "No Gettin' over Me" and "Smoky Mountain Rain."

Related: Kacey Musgraves Duets with Ronnie Milsap in New Rendition of His 1981 Hit 'No Getting Over Me'

Morgan's Milsap memories go back to her childhood, too, when she sat on the roof and listened to his music with her sister. He didn't play country then but reeled her in with his smooth voice and infectious melodies.

"Oh my God, I love him so much," Morgan, 64, told PEOPLE.

When she launched her country music career, she shared a stage with Milsap. She remembers concert organizers once asked her to close the show for Milsap instead of open it. She got mad and swore that out of respect, she'd never close a show for Milsap. Then, he came to talk to her.

"He will always be better than me, and I refuse to do it," she said. "Ronnie came to me, and he said, 'Hey, it's nothing personal. I got to catch a plane in the morning, so I need to go on first.' I was like, 'Oh God, OK. I'll do it for you, Ronnie. I'll do it for you.' But I was so intimidated by that. I said, 'You're going to have to bring your own plane next time, Ronnie, because I'm not doing it again.'"

Related: Ronnie Milsap's Wife Joyce Dies at 81: 'She Was the Love of My Life'

Skaggs, 69, played shows with Milsap in the early '80s, and their relationship is different than the one Milsap shares with Morgan. Skaggs remembers joking with him, telling him he "really loved the red shirt" Milsap was wearing, knowing he couldn't see it.

"He said, 'Ha, ha, ha. No, you ain't going to fool me,'" Skaggs recalled, explaining that Milsap was always very independent and enjoyed doing things himself, like wiring electronics or even driving his tour bus.

Skaggs wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't seen it himself. Milsap and Skaggs were playing shows together and on a particularly long drive. They weren't playing that night but trying to reach a city particularly far away. Their buses traveled together, and Skaggs took a driving shift to give his bus driver a break.

"I'm going down the road, and I see Milsap's bus coming up beside us," Skaggs said. "I didn't slow down, but I looked past Ronnie's bus driver, and there is Ronnie driving his bus. I almost ran off the road when I saw that. I'm just saying how the guy was fearless."

Milsap said, "it's a thrill" to have "these incredibly gifted folks honor my music and me."

"Each one is a great talent in their own right," he said. "I'm humbled by their participation and thankful for their friendships."

The Final Nashville Show: A Tribute to Ronnie Milsap will take place at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 3, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. Tickets start at $46.50 and are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com .

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Read the original article on People .

Frederick Breedon IV/Getty Images for Black & White TV Ronnie Milsap performs in Nashville in October 2018

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