Country star LeAnn Rimes brought good tidings to Table Mountain Casino on Wednesday night for her Christmas concert. It was an endearing gift to an intimate country crowd: her only holiday show and her last performance this year.

Rimes performed centerstage in a glowing red dress beside her guitarist and a piano in the acoustic show.

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Holly Jolly Start to the Evening

The holly jolliness began with the classic “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” She followed with “I Still Believe in Santa Claus” and “All I Want for Christmas is You.”

 

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Then she went back to her roots by belting out the hit that put her on the map — “Blue” — to the delight of the crowd and segued into a soulful interpretation of “Blue Christmas.”

Rimes transitioned to another of her classics with “One Way Ticket.” Everybody clapped along with what she considers her favorite Christmas song, “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.”

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Unplugged Renditions of Fan Favorites

The songstress went back to her discography with the jam “Can’t Fight the Moonlight” from the “Coyote Ugly” film soundtrack, and the audience sang the chorus with her. Next was another popular tune, “I Need You.”

These live versions were different from what we might remember. Hearing the songs unplugged and stripped down made them resonate on an emotional level.

Rimes has the voice of an angel. She was made to sing country. You can hear the twang along with the soul and passion.

She showed appreciation to country legend Patsy Cline for inspiring her career by singing the seminal track “Crazy.”

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Emotional Connection with the Audience

Rimes got sentimental with the crowd detailing how her single “Something Better’s Coming” can help those dealing with grief and sadness and that she cries every time she sings it. The audience clapped to the beat through its entirety, and I bet tears were shed.

She also shared how the song “Spaceship” is the favorite among those she’s written. It holds sentimental meaning for her she explained because of the struggles in her life.

Grand Finale and Encore

The ballad “How Do I Live” is her career-defining hit. The arrangement had a mix of vocal crescendos and pitches that made it unique — as if you were hearing the song for the first time.

The night ended … or so we thought.

Rimes came back for an encore, playing the piano and singing “There Will Be a Better Day” to a standing ovation.