I have heard Willie sing “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.” Even heard him sing “Silent Night” with a bottle of whiskey on the stool next to him in the Birmingham-Jefferson County Civic Center.

I have been to "Margaritaville" with Jimmy Buffett and never left the old coliseum at Auburn.

At the height of its success, I heard KC and the Sunshine Band belt out "That's the Way" in Memorial Stadium. Really liked that one.

As a young kid, my parents took me to Garrett Coliseum in Montgomery to hear Johnny Cash. I can still hear him singing "I Walk the Line."

I heard Dylan a few years back at the Civic Center. Great concert, but still trying to figure out the lyrics to his poetry.

Over the years, I have heard a lot of artists sing a lot of memorable songs.

I was in Montgomery one night when Conway Twitty introduced me to "Tight Fitting Jeans," one of his 55 No. 1 hits. Also heard him belt out "Hello Darling," still one of my favorites.

Speaking of darling, I have heard David Allen Coe sing "You Never Even Called Me by My Name," the greatest country and western song ever written.

I have seen Alabama countless times sing about the "Tennessee River" and "Mountain Music." I even heard Tammy Wynette sing "Stand by Your Man."

I heard the Oak Ridge Boys sing "Elvira." And have heard Billy Ray Cyrus sing whatever that crud was he used to sing.

A lot of country here, folks. But not all.

I was in the Chastain Amphitheater in Atlanta when I heard Melissa Etheridge do the Grammy Award-winning song "Come to My Window." Great song. I have been to "La Grange" with ZZ Top.

I have heard Christopher Cross sing "Sailing." Over the years, I have heard countless artists sing the "National Anthem" at sporting events coast to coast.

Once heard Alan Jackson sing "Midnight in Montgomery" and many of his other greatest hits. I have heard Hank Williams Jr. sing all of his songs and some of his daddy's music. Hank Jr. singing "Kaw-liga" was a special treat.

Heard Loretta Lynn belt out "Coal Miner's Daughter." Wish I could have heard Loretta and Conway in the same concert.

The point of this little exercise is to say I have been fortunate enough to have heard a lot of great singers sing a lot of great songs.

But Saturday night at the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, I heard the single best song I have ever heard in concert.

Bonnie Raitt, a couple of weeks shy of her 63rd birthday and still a dynamic stage presence, sang "Angel from Montgomery." Her version, accompanied by Maia Sharp, was a showstopper.

Someone in the audience had called for it earlier in evening. Raitt joked that she wouldn't get out of town if she didn't play that one.

By the end of "Angel from Montgomery," everyone was on their feet.

Definitely one to remember.

Chuck Williams, senior editor for content, chwilliams@ledger-enquirer.com.