One of Clint Black’s biggest fans will take the stage before him at Macon concert

Each fan going to Clint Black’s Macon Auditorium concert has a favorite song — or two.

Whether from his 1989 first album that sat atop country charts at No. 1 for 28 weeks with five hits or his latest release, “On Purpose,” the iconic singer-songwriter has given fans many to choose from.

For one fan, who gets to see Black live for the first time this week, there are two top choices.

Country artist Stephanie Quayle will be special guest on the bill with Black and said she’s a huge fan but has never gotten to see him perform.

“I’m absolutely excited,” Quayle said. “Such a voice and such a songwriter and musician. I fell in love with him listening on my little transistor radio in my horse barn growing up in Montana. Him and all those stories in his songs. It’s pretty wild getting to play, too.”

Her favorite song?

She can’t name just one and even picking two is hard, but she goes with “A Better Man” and “A Bad Goodbye.” The first was Black’s first hit and “A Bad Goodbye” a duet he did with Wynonna Judd.

“I remember ‘A Better Man’ so vividly, but the duet with Wynonna was the clincher,” Quayle said. “What an incredible country song. Such a great story and he wrote so many that are so moving.”

Getting to do two shows on Black’s tour, Athens and Macon, would Quayle balk at the idea of doing the duet with him?

“Oh, wow! Wouldn’t that be the greatest,” she said.

The story and storyteller idea comes up repeatedly in discussions of Black’s long career and Quayle’s more recent one as singer-songwriter-performer.

“Storytelling is everything in a song,” she said. “Music can be a refuge and source of strength and share so many different emotions, things we all feel. Sometimes you can just get lost in a song and let it carry you along and other times it can be so riveting it stops you right in your tracks. If I’m not moved by a song myself, even one I wrote, I have to walk away from it.”

Quayle is emotional about her latest single, “Selfish,” and accompanying video. She had the idea and co-wrote the song in which a woman tells her man she “selfishly” wants to stay in alone with him.

“I’ve been married now for three years,” she said. “For the video, my husband was front and center — I wrote it about him. Being his wife has been the greatest gift and the song honors having that special relationship. Plus, there’s a bit of a smirk in there, too. I’m kind of known for my smirks.”

“Selfish” is from Quayle’s album “Love the Way You See Me.”

Clint Black and special guest Stephanie Quayle

Where: Macon City Auditorium, 415 First St.

When: 7 p.m. Sept. 21

Cost: $30-$55

Information: www.maconcentreplex.org/event/clint-black, www.clintblack.com, www.stephaniequayle.com

This story was originally published September 19, 2018 at 4:34 PM.