Jarrod Morris entertains enthusiastic crowd at Breckenridge’s National Theatre
By Carla McKeown/Breckenridge Texan
Singer/songwriter Jarrod Morris brought his band and his self-described “goofball” personality to Breckenridge’s National Theatre stage on Friday, March 8.
Morris’ playlist included many of the songs he’s written himself, including “West of East,” “One Pack a Day,” “If You Ever Wonder Why,” “Truth Like a Lie” and the newly released “Cowboi Nitemare.” He also included some covers, including Billy Idol’s “White Wedding,” Tears for Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” and the Allman Brothers’ “Midnight Rider,” which Morris blended with some of his own lyrics from “I Didn’t Think About Rain.”
About midway through the concert, the band took a brief break and Jarrod Morris performed several songs solo, including Marty Robbins’ “El Paso,” a favorite of Morris’ grandfather. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
A farrier from Decatur, Morris wrote “Anvil Stand” about the horseshoer’s anvil stand that’s been passed down to three generations and has its own spot on the stage, behind Morris. He also performed several Marty Robbins songs, including the ballad “El Paso,” which he said he was singing for his grandpa.
Morris engaged the crowd throughout the concert, commenting, “This is fun; y’all have a good vibe in here.”
At one point in the show, Morris called attention to the Air Jordan sneakers he was wearing instead of boots. He explained that he wears boots when he’s shoeing horses, but that the sneakers are much more comfortable. He wrote “When You’re Coming Down” after getting heckled at concert for not wearing boots. “Be yourself, do your own thing,” he told the Breckenridge audience.
Click here to see the Breckenridge Texan’s Photo Gallery from the concert.
The concert was part of the National Theatre’s 2023-24 Performance Series, which will wrap up next month with Brett Taylor and Friends. Taylor, along with some songwriting friends from Nashville, will perform on April 26. He is a Texas native but has been living in Tennessee for the past 15 years.
Taylor is one-third of the folk group Shadowlands and also writes songs for other artists in the country, folk and gospel genres. The show will consist of a 45-minute set of Taylor and his friends performing original music “in-the-round.” And then, after intermission, he will take the stage with his full band playing a mix of original songs and a few covers. Advance-purchased tickets will cost $20 for adults (age 18 and older) and $10 for students (age 17 and younger). Click here to make reservations online. If seating is still available, tickets will be sold at the door for an additional charge.
Also coming up on the National Theatre’s schedule will be a free screening of the 1987 movie “Dirty Dancing” on March 16. In deciding which movie to show next, the theater organizers asked for input on the National Theatre’s Facebook page. After receiving more than 30 suggestions, the theater narrowed it down to the 12 movies that they can get a license to show and then used an online spinner to choose which movie to show. “Dirty Dancing” will be shown at no charge to attendees at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 16. Although there will be no charge to attend the movie, seating is limited. Also, snacks will be sold at the theater’s concession counter.
In June, the Missoula Children’s Theatre will return to Breckenridge for a week-long children’s workshop, ending with a production of “Treasure Island,” an original adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s epic novel. Registration details will be announced at a later date.
Jarrod Morris and bass player Mariano Cordero entertain the crowd at Friday night’s concert. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Cutline, top photo: Jarrod Morris and his band perform for an energetic crowd at the National Theatre in downtown Breckenridge on Friday night, March 8. Click here to see more photos from the show. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
