Darryl Worley hit No. 1 on the country chart with the weeper "I Miss My Friend" in 2002. One year and one war later, he returned with a chunk of patriotic bluster, "Have You Forgotten?" ("Some say this country's just out looking for a fight/After 9-11, man, I'd have to say that's right.") With Worley in town Friday, it's a good opportunity to rank the most lunkheaded tunes the war has spawned so far:
· "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue" -- Toby Keith promises to put a "boot in [the] ass" of U.S.A.-haters. Because "It's the American way."
· "The Bumper of My S.U.V." -- In which Chely Wright, rockin' a Marine sticker on her ride, scolds a bird-flipping soccer mom.
· "This Ain't No Rag, It's a Flag" -- "We're gonna hunt you down like a mad-dog hound," declares Charlie Daniels, who once waged a fiddle battle with the devil.
Worley plays the House of Blues (308 Euclid Avenue) at 7 p.m. Tickets are $32.50 and $40; call 216-241-5555. -- Michael Gallucci
Come Try Their John
SAT 8/27
By day, Charlita Anderson-White lays down the law to unruly kids as a magistrate for the Lorain County Juvenile Court system. But on weekends, the Only One John singer becomes as rowdy as her delinquent defendants with her rousing renditions of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Etta James songs, which the quartet debuted at the House of Blues last month. "All our families and friends came out and cheered, whooped, and hollered," says Anderson-White. "A couple from Colorado bought a T-shirt and had us all sign it." And once you see the band -- which includes Maureen Cass on drums, Elaine Reisdorf on bass, and a guitar-playing guy known simply as "John" -- its silly name becomes clear. "You know, three girls and only one John," says Anderson-White. "Get it?" Only One John performs at 9:30 p.m. Saturday at the Red Parrot, 538 Broadway in Lorain. Admission is free; call 216-244-2473. -- Cris Glaser
MASTER Plan
TUE 8/30
Working with producer Jim Dickinson and his sons (who lead the North Mississippi Allstars) on his latest album, Master of Disaster, rootsy singer-songwriter John Hiatt adapts well to the Memphis studio setting, turning in his most soulful record in a decade. It doesn't rock as hard as you'd expect -- especially with the Dickinson boys in the band -- but it's certainly focused. Hiatt's on the road with just his guitar, which oughta strip 30 years' worth of songs down to their bare essentials. He's at the House of Blues (308 Euclid Avenue) at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Tickets are $37.50 and $49.50; call 216-241-5555. -- Michael Gallucci
