Associated Press photo

It's a little awkward to write about a concert at which the headliner dedicated a song to you. Lyle Lovett gave me a shout-out Saturday night at the Pacer Center benefit at the Minneapolis Convention Center. But, using poetic license, his story was only a half-truth. He mentioned to the Pacer supporters that the last time we'd seen each other was when I'd stopped by his tour bus after he'd played at the State Theatre last year and I'd seen Steve Earle at the Pantages. He said Earle had just done an entire album of Townes Van Zandt songs. Lovett then proclaimed that he does Van Zandt songs, too, and sang a smokin' "White Freight Liner Blues" for the Pacer crowd. After the Pacer performance, Lovett admitted to me that the story was b-s to set up the song. "You actually went to Jamie Foxx that night," he confessed. Indeed, Lovett -- whom I've known since his first gig here in 1987 (gee, I'm starting to sound like Sid Hartman) -- was right this time. Ever quick on his feet, Lovett juggled his set list Saturday to fit the gala audience (the Pacer Center works with children with disabilities). His short set – well, short for him – was heavy on bluegrass, gospel and his dry wit. He said, "Country music embraces sadness and pain in life and does it very well. If that's not good enough for you, check out bluegrass. "It goes past pain," he deadpanned, "to death and destruction." The music was as spot-on as the humor. Working as a quartet, Lovett got bluegrassy on "Up in Indiana." Singing with His Large Band (that was 11 sidemen), he got spirited on "Pantry" and "Cute as a Bug." He delighted his hardcore fans (who were cheering loudly in the back of the auditorium) with the early folk favorite "If I Had a Boat." James Greer and Company, a local gospel ensemble, joined in for the always stirring "Church," "Ain't No More Cain" and the unplanned encore of Lovett's self-penned spirituals "I'm Going to Wait" and "I'm Going to the Place," which extended his fast-paced Pacer set to 90 minutes. Afterward, as I had done after Lovett's first Twin Cities gig at the then-World Theater (now the Fitzgerald), I joined him for a drink. In 1987, no one recognized him at the bar. This time, there was a steady stream of people who had been at the show and wanted their photo taken with him. He accommodated every one of them – with a smile.