As soon as acts are announced for The Big Gig, music fans pour over the 11-day event's lineup to see which bands and artists have committed. Some are first-timers while others are repeat, familiar faces. Phil Vassar prides himself on being a member of the latter crowd and for that reason, never disappoints when his annual appointment at Maier Festival Park arrives.

Sporting a two-toned, long sleeve Harley Davidson shirt, the country crooner rocked the stage of the same name Saturday night. Cool temperatures and a light mist did nothing to slow down the 46-year-old who rolled through an impressive catalogue of his greatest hits and a handful of popular sing-along songs in the nearly two-hour set.

The 10 p.m. show was incredibly well-attended with the crowd packing the bleachers area and spilling over into the concrete aisles. The high-energy Vassar does an amazing job of simultaneously manning the microphone, playing the piano and working all corners of the stage. Interaction with the audience is more than sufficient and judging from reactions, is also appreciated. Fans especially enjoyed the artist's telling of his run along Lake Michigan's shore (assuming Bradford Beach) where he saw "girls in bikinis playing volleyball," a scene that he says "did not suck." On more than one occasion, he thanked the crowd for coming out and lauded Milwaukee's music festival as one of his favorites.

Because Vassar first found success as a songwriter, casual country fans might not realize he was responsible for penning tunes made famous by other popular artists. Today, he includes some of these songs like Little Red Rodeo" (Collin Raye), "Bye, Bye," "I'm Alright" (Jo Dee Messina) and "My Next Thirty Years" (Tim McGraw) in his shows. These also appear on his greatest hits album released in 2006. Other popular plays were "Just Another Day in Paradise," "Last Day of My Life," "That's When I Love You" and "Six Pack Summer," which he called the anthem of Summerfest.

Acknowledging the likelihood that not every person attending was familiar with his country contributions, Vassar gained a few fans by trading the keys for strings and delivering Alice Cooper's "School's out for Summer." He and his band also strung together a medley of retro pop tunes that included "Sherri," "Oh What A Night," You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin" and a give and take of "Summer Nights" from the musical "Grease."

Vassar is a popular draw because his songs are catchy and uncomplicated. He weaves simple stories about things he's experienced: love (young, tenured and lost), family and an appreciation for simplicity in life. Several even appear autobiographical, particularly the musical vignettes about a young man making it in the music business. He throws himself into each song with encore-like gusto, occasionally performing on top of his monogrammed grand piano so those in the back get a glimpse.

You don't have to be a die-hard country music fan to appreciate the effort and heart that Vassar puts into his Summerfest appearances. His music is relatable and his shows are welcoming. And his affinity for all things Milwaukee (he wore a fan-flung Brewers hat for the last few songs) guarantees he always leaves our city with more fans than he had at arrival. At one point he even casually suggested that he and his band come back to Summerfest every summer ... for the rest of their lives.

If you're offering Phil, Milwaukee will gladly accept.