(May 23, 2005) — Country music stalwart Alan Jackson did not win anything at the 40th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards on Tuesday, but he clearly stood apart from his high-gloss country-pop contemporaries.

On Saturday night he stopped at Darien Lake's Six Flags Amphitheater as part of a tour to promote his latest album, What I Do.

For such a humble singer, the concert began with a curiously mawkish spectacle, with two giant video screens flanking the stage displaying a montage of Jackson highlights from past music awards shows.

Nevertheless, a near-capacity crowd cheered.

Jackson and his expert eight-piece band, The Strayhorns, kicked off with "Gone Country," and then slid into tight, crowd-pleasing versions of "Livin' On Love" and "Little Bitty."

About halfway through the 90-minute show, overcast skies turned into a cold, steady rain, drenching the people camped unprotected on the grass hill. Few fans, however, left for shelter.

With a total of 21 video screens lined up behind the band and next to the stage, Jackson's show was colorful, professional, slick and impressive. His singing was excellent, and his band was stellar throughout.

Song highlights included "Too Much of a Good Thing," a cover of Hank Williams' "Hey Good Lookin'" and an Aerosmith "Walk This Way" guitar teaser that segued into the rousing anthem "Don't Rock The Jukebox."

In the opening act, Sara Evans was equally entertaining and energetic during a lively 40-minute set. Evans looked great, sporting a washboard stomach, a feat not easily achieved by a mother of three young children.

Evans and her versatile six-piece band had an easy, playful command of the stage and performed songs charting her 10-year career.

The Wrights — married singer/songwriters Adam and Shannon Wright — also performed six songs from their just-released debut album, Down This Road. Adam is Jackson's nephew, and the album is available on Jackson's independent record label, ACR (Alan's Country Records).

Jackson is more than just a first-rate country singer and clever songwriter: He's the spiritual leader of a traveling road show that performs excellent concerts for family audiences. And to the dismay of some fans, Jackson wore jeans without holes Saturday night. Yet he did cheer those hard-core fans by wearing that white, good-guy cowboy hat.

Craig Curtice is a freelance entertainment writer.