concert

But what will the duet be?

By SEAN DALY
Published June 14, 2007

Lyle Lovett and K.D. Lang: They look like they could be related, an American-Canadian Gothic. They have distinctive faces, working-class faces. And the songs they write and sing country, folk, yearning saloon blues - oh, those voices are distinctive and real as well, no pop fluff for these two.

Lovett, 49, and Lang, 45, make for an inspired double bill. And although their solo sets tonight will be full of funny stories, sublime music (Lovett is bringing his Large Band) and a whole lot of honesty, the real thrill will be if, and when, they perform together. (They have to duet, right? Right?)

Maybe at the end of the show they'll come together, leaning into the same microphone, his low nuanced croon, her seamless skyward mezzo-soprano. Maybe they'll even do Roy Orbison's Crying, which Lang once recorded with ol' Roy himself. You haven't heard sad until you've heard that sucker.

Lyle Lovett and K.D. Lang perform at 7 tonight at Ford Amphitheatre, Interstate 4 at U.S. 301 N, Tampa. $31-$66. (813) 740-2446.

Sean Daly can be reached at sdaly@sptimes.com or (727) 893-8467. His Pop Life blog is at blogs.tampabay.com/popmusic.

[Last modified June 13, 2007, 16:36:36]