Rimes, White to bring country to center

Since being built, The Bryce Jordan Center has brought some of the biggest acts in country music to the area, but few have been hyped as much as LeAnn Rimes, who will share the stage with Bryan White at 7:30 p.m. tonight.

A 15-year-old singing sensation who currently has three albums on the Billboard Top 200 chart, Rimes has, in just two years, established herself as one of country music's most lucrative acts. Her music has transcended the bounds of country, and her startlingly mature voice can be heard on Top 40 and adult contemporary stations as well as standard country formats.

"She is charted on the country, pop and also gospel charts right now," said Polly Wogg, program director of Froggy 98 -- WFGY-FM (98.1). "She's not just one of the biggest-selling country artists right now, she's one of the biggest-selling artists in all of music. That's how wide her appeal is."

Rimes very well may be the hottest artist in country right now, but White's accomplishments are not to be overshadowed.

White signed his first record deal with Asylum in 1994, but his career was not to take off until 1996, when his album Between Now And Forever produced the No. 1 hit, "I'm Not Supposed To Love You Anymore." That hit was followed up by another successful song, "So Much For Pretending." Later that year, White won the Country Music Association's 1996 Horizon Award.

With his youthful appearance and promising talent, White is one of the most popular country acts among the genre's teen-aged crowd.

"He's described as the country heartthrob, and the girls seem to ga-ga over him," said Bernie Punt, marketing representative for the center. "He's also a great songwriter. It's great to have someone hot like LeAnn to play along with him."

Wogg said the Rimes/White show is just another great show put on by the center, which in the past has featured shows by such country luminaries as Alan Jackson, George Strait and Garth Brooks.

"All of those shows featured talent you usually would have had to drive to Pittsburgh or Philly to see," she said.

Punt said the reason why the center has been booking so many big-time country acts is obvious -- every time the acts have played there, the crowds have been huge. As a result, the artists and the promoters make money, and promoters are always eager to come back.

With the red-hot combo of Rimes and White playing tonight, a capacity crowd is expected. And the center's country-friendly reputation will continue to grow, Punt said.

"We're considered the Nashville of the north," he added.