I Finally Had a Date Night with My Husband[Video][Gallery]

AND it was to see the Kenny Rogers Christmas and Hits special featuring Billy Dean at the Horseshoe Riverdome in Bossier Saturday night.  Since I had interviewed Billy Dean on the KWKH Morning Show last week, his record reps kindly offered me 2 tickets and meet and greet passes as Billy's guest to go backstage and  meet Billy and Kenny.

It was really exciting to meet Kenny and talk to Billy again.  I told Kenny the last time I had seen him was at a concert in Huntsville, Al., in the late 80s backstage with a radio station I worked for at the time.  Joking, he said,  "Oh yeah, I remember. You look the same!"

We talked about how Billy's barn had burned down on Thanksgiving Day and Billy said, "yeah, I did an interview with Elaine on KWKH."  Kenny said, "you mean you were working? "  Billy replied, " Yes, you need to pay me for it."

They were really humorous and fun.  And the concert featured Kenny's hits, like "The Gambler,"  "Through the Years," "Ruby,  Don't Take Your Love to Town."  Billy performed his hit, "Billy the Kid," that he wrote, as well as his chart topping remake of "We Just Disagree," and a song he wrote about his children, "Let Them Be Little."

It was really cool when they played videos of regular people singing their favorite Christmas songs on a big screen.  All of sudden three girls I know popped up on the screen singing, "We Wish You a Merry Christmas."  It was sales executives from Townsquare Media,  Casey, Marissa and Melissa! They were instant stars!

After Kenny and Billy each performed his own hits,  the show became a Christmas spectacular with snow scenes,  children,  the choir from Airline High School and three types of Christmas music:  personal,  seasonal and my favorite, the Christmas carols.

The carols talk about the true meaning of Christmas, which is the birth of Jesus Christ in a manger in Bethlehem.

The most powerful song depicting  the real meaning for the season I thought was Kenny's duet with Wynonna Judd, called, "Mary Did You Know?"   That song's lyrics say "Mary did you know.. when you kiss your little baby, you have kissed the face of  God?" It was actually written by Mark Lowery,  a guy I knew in college at Liberty University, who became a gospel recording star and comedian.

Kenny performed it beautifully with a video of  Wynonna in the background singing it with him.http://kennyrogers.musiccitynetworks.com/

Kenny talked about growing up in the projects in Houston, Texas, and that his mother made him go to church every time the doors were open at First Baptist Church in Houston, and how that would affect his life and feelings about Christmas.

He said, "Let me be the first to wish you a Merry Christmas."  He said he wasn't particularly fond of the phrase Happy Holidays because it takes Christ out of Christmas.

After the incredible show,  Wayland and I walked around the Casino where we saw a beautiful Christmas tree and a 1937 Ford Phantom on display.  Since Wayland retired from General Motors in Shreveport I thought it would be funny to take a picture of him standing in front of the classic Ford.

We then finished our date off at the IHOP,  where Wayland enjoyed a big plate of strawberry and banana waffles topped with whipped cream. I couldn't get away with those calories, so I ate a garden omelette.

Then home we went with the Christmas spirit alive and well in our hearts.

A special thanks to Kim Cannon and the other wonderful people at the Horseshoe Riverdome  for making this such a special concert experience for me and so many others who filled the auditorium.

http://riverdome.frontgatetickets.com/