At Marietta's Theatre in the Square, an evening with Joey Thurmond and the Select Orchestra felt less like a typical concert and more like a full-scale musical celebration. Blending classic rock ’n’ roll, country, gospel, and pop, the performance carried the audience across decades of sound with remarkable ease and authenticity.

From the moment the lights dimmed, Joey Thurmond commanded the stage with a natural charisma that set the tone for the night. Backed by the tight, polished sound of the Select Orchestra, he delivered a setlist that was both nostalgic and refreshingly alive. The band’s versatility was on full display—shifting seamlessly from the driving rhythms of classic rock to the heartfelt storytelling of country, then into the uplifting harmonies of gospel, blues, and the catchy hooks of pop.

What stood out most was the emotional range of the performance. Rock numbers had the crowd clapping and moving in their seats, while gospel selections brought a sense of reverence and unity to the room. Thurmond’s vocal delivery—gritty when needed, smooth when it mattered—gave each genre its due respect without ever feeling forced.

The orchestra itself deserves equal praise. Each musician contributed to a rich, layered sound that elevated the entire production. The brass added punch and vibrancy, the rhythm section kept everything grounded and energetic, and the keyboard and guitar work tied it all together with finesse. It was clear this was not just a backing band, but a cohesive musical force.

Between songs, Thurmond engaged the audience with warmth and humor, creating an intimate atmosphere despite the grandeur of the music. His connection with the crowd made the experience feel personal, as if each song carried a shared memory.

By the final number, the audience was fully involved, young and older—a testament to the show’s ability to resonate across generations and musical tastes. Joey Thurmond and the Select Orchestra didn’t just perform songs; they revived them, honored them, and made them feel new again.

In a venue known for its community-centered performances, this concert stood out as a shining example of what live music can be: dynamic, heartfelt, and unifying.

In short, if you want a great, new experience in music and performances, SEE THIS SHOW!

"Joey Thurmond’s Stealing the Covers arrives as a sly, self-assured statement from an artist who knows the power of reinterpretation. In a music landscape that often prizes original invention above all, Thurmond takes a different route: he embraces the familiar, peels back its familiar skin, and reveals something unexpectedly intimate and new. The album’s conceit—reimagining well-worn songs with a personal, almost conversational honesty—feels both nostalgic and forward-looking, a bridge between generations of listeners who claim these songs as their own.  From the opening track, Thurmond sets a deliberate tone. The arrangements favor restraint over showiness, allowing the narratives of the songs to breathe. It’s not about flashy vocal gymnastics or studio fireworks; it’s about the stories those songs tell and the way Thurmond invites us to inhabit them alongside him. His voice carries a lived-in warmth, a quality that makes even the most familiar melodies feel like they’re being sung for the first time in a quiet kitchen, the way a familiar song can sound anew when heard at dawn or after a long night.  One of the album’s quiet strengths is its selection. Thurmond’s choices span eras and moods, from hushed crooners to mid-tempo anthems, and his interpretive thread remains consistent: sincerity over spectacle. He doesn’t merely replicate the originals; he relays their emotional core through his own lens. The result is a collection that pays homage without becoming derivative. Each track is a conversation between past and present, where the old lyrics are reframed by contemporary sensibilities, yet never jarringly so.  Musically, Stealing the Covers sits comfortably in a space that blends acoustic warmth with subtle, modern production. The arrangements emphasize mood—intimate, echo-laden reverbs, gentle piano lines, and tasteful guitar textures—creating an atmosphere in which vocals can breathe and stories can unfold. The production choices feel like choreography rather than decoration; every instrument has a purpose, every pause a breath, and every transition a measured ease that keeps the listener tethered to Thurmond’s narrative path.  Lyrically, the album’s strength lies in Thurmond’s knack for finding the universal in the specific. He often gravitates toward songs about longing, memory, and quiet resilience, reframing lines in a way that makes the familiar seem freshly questioned. There’s a tenderness in his delivery that invites empathy, a sense that he is not merely performing a cover but inviting us to reflect on our own histories with these songs. It’s a reminder that covers can be not just a tribute but a reinterpretation that adds texture to the conversation between artist and audience.  Yet, Stealing the Covers is not without its risks. The very act of reinterpreting beloved tracks can invite skepticism from listeners who fear the integrity of the originals might be compromised. Thurmond’s success hinges on balancing reverence with reinvention, and by and large he navigates this balance with grace. There are moments where the familiar melody arrives a touch differently, and while some purists might miss the familiar timbre, the album’s emotional throughline remains intact, offering a new lens through which to experience beloved songs.  Beyond the music, the album speaks to a broader cultural moment: a renewed interest in intimate, singer-songwriter-led performances that honor craft while inviting personal connection. In an era of streaming and rapid consumption, Stealing the Covers slows things down just enough for the listener to engage with nuance—tone, breath, and subtext. It’s an album that rewards attentive listening, encouraging repeated playback to tease out the subtle shifts Thurmond brings to each track. the end, Joey Thurmond’s Stealing the Covers is less a simple homage and more a reintroduction. It asks us to approach familiar songs with curiosity rather than nostalgia, to hear them as living artifacts that continue to evolve. Thurmond emerges not as a mere curator of classics but as a storyteller capable of transforming well-traveled material into a personal, vulnerable, and quietly triumphant musical statement. For fans of nuanced, thoughtfully performed covers, this album offers both comfort and discovery in equal measure."

Music Beat Magazine