Rising country music star Lauren Alaina encourages fans to ‘follow your dreams’ at Tuscarawas County Fair appearance

  • by Jennifer Kneuss
  • September 20, 2012
  • 360
                        
Summary: Stardom isn’t something that comes to many seventeen year olds. But up and coming country music star Lauren Alaina is handling her sudden fame with grace and maturity way beyond her years. Alaina wowed the crowd at the Tuscarawas County Fair on Wednesday night. The energy was contagious as singing sensation Lauren Alaina took the stage as the Wed. night entertainment at the Tuscarawas County Fair. Alaina, who claimed national attention when she won runner-up during the tenth season of the popular American Idol television show, is just seventeen years old but performed like a seasoned entertainer, with a vocal maturity way beyond her years. And her fans absolutely loved her. She raised her right arm as she greeted the crowd, a WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?) bracelet faintly visible on her wrist, and launched into her first song of the night to thunderous applause. The young star, who released her first album, Wildflower, just eleven months ago, glowed as she noted that she was a small town girl at heart. She grew up in Rossville, Georgia, with a population of just over 4,000 people. “I see all of you girls out there. This one’s for you,” Alaina exclaimed as she launched into She’s A Wildflower, a song on her album that encourages young girls to believe in themselves and their own intrinsic natural beauty, both inside and out. From there, she crooned the lyrics to Tupelo, also on the album: “Picked a wildflower off the side of the road…” before proceeding into cover hits Boondocks and Wanted Dead or Alive. She then wowed the crowd with Funny Thing About Love, a song she co-wrote with Brett James and Luke Laird. “I just released a new song to country radio,” announced the singer. “Does anyone know the distance from your head to your heart? Yep, that’s right. It’s Eighteen Inches, by Carrie Underwood. I’m gonna’ sing it for you now.” Helen Johnson of Dover was in the front row, along with her granddaughter, Alicia Johnson. Helen noted that she has attended the country music concerts during the fair for ten years running, and rushed to buy her tickets once she heard who was going to be the 2012 performer. “Before this, Neil McCoy was my favorite act here, but that might change after tonight.” “I saw Lauren on American Idol, and I hear her on the radio all the time. She’s really good. I know she’s really going somewhere,” she added. “When I heard that Lauren Alaina was going to be here, I went and bought four tickets right away. I told three of my friends, ‘we’re going!’”, Valerie Ritenour of Dover stated. “I heard her when she opened for Sugarland, too. I’m a big fan of American Idol, and I follow it. I still think that Lauren is much better than Scotty, who took first place,” she insisted emphatically. “And I’m definitely going to download some of these songs she’s singing tonight from iTunes.” Ritenour’s friend, Amanda Kenney of Port Washington, admitted that she hadn’t known who Alaina was, but that Ritenour “made me watch her on You Tube before we came to the concert. But now I’m definitely a fan, too!” During the concert, the engaging young star shared words of encouragement with her audience. “I’m only 17, but when I look back at all the things that have happened…I can’t believe it. I remember when I was just a little girl, about the same age as you two little cuties right there…” she paused, pointing to two young fans standing on chairs to see her better. “I was little, and I had really big dreams. I remember dreaming about this – being up here on a stage like this, and singing. I also remember thinking sometimes that this was an impossible dream. But here I am. So don’t be afraid to follow your dreams.”


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