Concert review: Chubby Checker pulls the crowd in
Published 12:18 am Thursday, August 2, 2018
- Chubby Checker performs during the second night of Grandstand entertainment Wednesday at the Freeborn County Fair. - Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune
“Show me what ya got” became the running theme of rock ‘n’ roll dance icon Chubby Checker’s set Wednesday night in the Grandstand of the Freeborn County Fair.
You’d never know the singer was 76 years old after seeing him dance across stage, walk up and down seating aisles to sing with the crowd and dance with his adoring fans.
The South Carolina native said he loved fair settings, as they remind him of his own rural roots — growing up picking cotton with his father and growing tobacco in a small town. He first realized he wanted to sing and entertain when he went to a county fair at a young age with his mother and saw musicians performing.
Checker was backed up by the Wildcats Wednesday night at the Freeborn County Fair. – Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune
Checker sang a mix of his own hits as well as covers of other music legends — Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, the Temptations and Marvin Gaye, to name a few. He told the crowd about his time meeting Elvis and how starstruck he was — even though “The King” made him wait over an hour to meet him, Checker said laughing.
He was backed up by the Wildcats — comprised of guitar and bass players, a saxophonist, a drummer and a keyboards player.
The singer never let the crowd take a break, between getting those in attendance to sing along with such songs as “Hooka Tooka,” “Loddy Lo” and “Mary Ann Limbo,” and then getting the crowd to dance — either in their seats or up on stage with him. Checker came out into the crowd a number of times during such songs as “Good Golly Miss Molly” and “I Saw Her Standing There,” going so far as the Grandstand seating to get people on their feet and dancing.
Over a dozen fans went up onstage to dance with Chubby Checker during “The Twist.” – Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune
The music legend capped off the night singing his most-known hits, “The Twist” and “Let’s Twist Again,” bringing fans up on stage to dance with him.
“This song has been with me most of my life,” he said before breaking into “The Twist,” which is the only song to hit the No. 1 position twice in two different years. The song in 2008 was named the No. 1 song of the Billboard Hot 100’s first 50 years.
“I wish all of Albert Lea could be up here,” Checker said, before dancing with everyone he brought up on stage in one big grand finale.
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Checker brings a fan on stage to dance Wednesday at the fair. – Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune
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Chubby Checker dances during his set Wednesday in the Grandstand. – Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune
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Checker walks out into crowd seating to sing and dance during his set Wednesday. – Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune
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Chubby Checker walks out into crowd seating to sing and dance during his set Wednesday. – Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune
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Chubby Checker walks out into crowd seating to sing and dance during his set Wednesday. – Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune
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Checker was backed up by the Wildcats Wednesday night at the Freeborn County Fair. – Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune
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Chubby Checker dances during his set Wednesday in the Grandstand. – Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune
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Checker gets the crowd to sing with him during his Wednesday performance at the Freeborn County Fairgrounds. – Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune
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Checker dances with fans up on stage while singing “The Twist.” – Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune
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Checker sang a mix of his own hits as well as covers of other music legends Wednesday night. – Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune
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Checker was backed up by the Wildcats Wednesday night at the Freeborn County Fair. – Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune
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A fan takes pictures of Chubby Checker as he comes down into the crowd during his performance Wednesday. – Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune
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Over a dozen fans went up onstage to dance with Chubby Checker during “The Twist.” – Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune
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Chubby Checker performs during the second night of Grandstand entertainment Wednesday at the Freeborn County Fair. – Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune
About Colleen Harrison
Colleen Harrison is the photo editor at the Albert Lea Tribune. She does photography and writes general-assignment stories.
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