Tribute artist sings ‘for my team, for God and for Ronnie Dunn’

Friday, Sept. 21, 2007 | 7:09 a.m.

WHAT: "Country Superstars Tribute "

WHEN: 7 p.m. Thursdays through Mondays

WHERE: Fitzgeralds Showroom

TICKETS: $39.95

INFORMATION: 388-2400

When Ronnie Lee Keel sings tribute songs, he visualizes the popular country performer Ronnie Dunn there in the room with him.

"I sing for my team, for God and for Ronnie Dunn ," said Keel, who fronted a heavy metal band before he had a conversion and turned country. "I pretend every night he's in the back row and I hope to do him proud."

The fledgling "Country Superstars Tribute" show at Fitzgeralds is certainly nothing Ronnie Dunn would be ashamed of. It's an energetic production that features tribute artists backed by an equally talented five-piece band, which is in itself unusual in this day of taped music.

Keel is the Dunn half of the Brooks and Dunn tribute team. Eric York is Kix Brooks. Both have striking resemblances to their counterparts. Keel's vocals are incredibly close to Dunn's, especially when he sings the heartfelt No. 1 "I Believe."

He clearly understands the essence of country. He opens his show with tapes of rural and patriotic scenes, rodeos and trucks.

In addition to Keel and York, who anchor the show, the cast includes Dave Hoover as Tim McGraw , Cathy "C.C." Carter as Faith Hill and Shania Twain, and Tim Tracy as Toby Keith

Other country tribute artists drop in from time to time, but those five are the heart and soul of the production, which debuted this summer at the Fitzgeralds Showroom, replacing another tribute show - "Spirit of the King," starring Steve Connolly.

Band members are John "J.D." Degelia on drums; Harvey Sharp on pedal steel guitar; Mark Kotaska on bass; Sam McCaslin on keyboards, acoustic guitar and harmonica; and his twin, Dan McCaslin, on lead guitar. Keel also serves as musical director and band leader.

The Nashville resident is former frontman for the ' 80s rock group Keel, but he is no newcomer to country music. His father played for Hank Williams Sr. and Ernest Tubb, and Keel grew up listening to Johnny Cash and Merle Haggard.

"I've always had a love for country music because it's built around the voice and the lyrics and the stories that you can tell," he said. "You can sing about stuff that's real, love and heartache and mom and God and your truck and your dog and all that stuff."

He started doing tributes as a hobby, "to step out of my own shoes, sort of a play on Halloween," Keel said. "I'd come off the road for a couple of months and mess around with it. Then one day a company called me to do a country and western show in Laughlin, Country Music USA. I just loved it. The response was great."

That was in October 2005.

York played Brooks to Keel's Dunn.

He decided to produce his own country tribute show, not knowing that a duo is a tougher sell than a solo artist. "A lot of corporate bookers go for whatever's cheaper and it's cheaper to hire singles."

Apparently, ignorance may be an asset in some cases.

"I didn't know any better," Keel said. "But I saw my ignorance as an advantage. I didn't know how to fail."