When you see a lot of musicians in the crowd at a concert, that’s a sign that the show features a respected, admired performer. Vince Gill has certainly earned the reverence in which he is held by fans and there were several noteworthy Syracuse pickers on hand at Chevy Court on August 28 as he flashed his versatile and innovative guitar playing, complemented by his glorious vocals. Not since Asleep at the Wheel parked their bus behind the Stan Colella Stage in 2008 has the New York State Fair hosted such pure country magic.

While the Talented Okie is no doubt the ringleader of his band, he’s also smart enough to surround himself with the best band he can find, this night including the pedal steel wizardry of Paul Franklin. That’s the job held for years by the late John Hughey, a man Gill often called his hero. Franklin, one of the busiest session players in Nashville, has worked in recent years for such luminaries as George Strait, Alan Jackson, Shania Twain and Martina McBride. Earlier in his career, he made his bones backing Barbara Mandrell, Mel Tillis and another dynamic picker, Jerry Reed. When he wandered from country, he slid into arrangements for Sting, Barbra Streisand and even Megadeath.

While the band also included the heavenly harmony vocals of Dawn Sears and the tasteful keyboard work of veteran piano man Pete Wasner, there’s no outshining Mr. Gill, among the most charming and purely talented artists anywhere, regardless of genre. His set list brought back great memories of his days headlining the Grandstand, hitting highlights on “I Still Believe in You,” “Liza Jane,” “Oklahoma Borderline” and his breakthrough hit, “When I Call Your Name.”

He and Franklin played four cut from their new CD Bakersfield, released in July, as a tribute to California favorite sons Merle Haggard and Buck Owens. Fans who loved this show should not only buy Bakersfield, they should also seek out recordings by the Time Jumpers, an assemblage of amazing talent featuring not only Gill and Franklin, but also singer Sears, fiddler Larry Franklin and several other of the finest country players around. That band holds fort at Nashville’s Station Inn, rarely touring because members are in such demand in recording studios around town.

As this evening reminded—where you find Vince Gill, you will hear great country music.

An irony came up that night involving Dawn Sears, who earlier this year had been diagnosed with cancer. While introducing the show, B104 radio’s Tom Owens asked for prayers for his broadcasting partner Becky Palmer, a popular voice among local country listeners and an old and dear friend of State Fair Hound. She’s fighting her own battle with cancer. We second Owens’ call for love and support for Beckaroo, a classy, funny, sweet lady. She’s spunky, too, so we expect her to make a solid recovery.