Canton loves country. Trace Adkins worth the wait after rain delay
CANTON − Heather Thompson endured severe weather so she could score a spot near the stage to watch country music artist Trace Adkins at the Stark County Fair.
Wrapped in a poncho, the 55-year-old Stark County resident was among the hardy souls who waited at the gate until the pit area on the grandstands track was ready for fans.
"Come on, 30 years," she said of Adkins' career. "How much better can you get? I mean he's one of the last diehard country music singers. There's not too many left."
"You only live once," Thompson said with a smile as gusts whipped across the fairgrounds on the night of Sept. 3.
Rain poured. Thunder boomed. Lightning flashed. Weather was wicked enough to force Thompson and other concertgoers into the grandstands for cover. The show was delayed by roughly 40 minutes.
But the weather cleared and spirits soared as Adkins strode onto the stage through fog and reddish lights before manning a microphone and singing, "Game On."
Dicey weather was forgotten as the 64-year-old Adkins sang in his distinctive bass-baritone as he fired up the narrative-based tune, "Songs About Me" before slowing the tempo with "Just Fishin'."
Wearing a black cowboy hat and black shirt, the strapping singer didn't slow the pace except for periodic stage banter, including thanking God for stopping the rain.
'Feel-good music all around.'
Jason Gribble, 51, and Stephanie Secrest, 54, both of Plain Township, were among the roughly 2,000 fans who attended the concert.
Gribble said Adkins has played larger venues in the past, including Blossom Music Center.
"Coming out here ... and to let these Canton people see him at a smaller venue is pretty awesome," he said prior to the concert.
Secrest said Adkins' voice stands out in the country music scene.
"I enjoy his music and I enjoy the fun," she said. "I enjoy the people, I enjoy the entire atmosphere. I think Stark County likes country music because ... it's happy, and it can be sad, it can make you think, it can make you emotional, but I think it's feel-good music all around."
Also huddled high in the grandstand until the weather broke were Jim and Cheryl Bowen of Perry Township.
Jim Bowen said he appreciates Adkins' support of the military in addition to his singing.
Trace Adkins was the first concert he ever saw.
"My daughter took me," he said of the Blossom show about 20 years ago. "It was a good night."
Bowen was looking forward to watching Adkins from the 18th row of the grandstands.
"It's a more intimate setting," he said.
Loving '90s country
Donna Maloy, 52, of Coshocton County made the roughly hour drive to Canton with family, including her 14-year-old niece Tessa Gordon of the New Philadelphia area.
Maloy loves '90s country, the decade Adkins first made his mark in the music industry. She recalled watching Adkins' music video for "(This Ain't) No Thinkin' Thing."
"I'm just going to be fully honest," she offered with a grin. "He was hot and the song was good."
"And the music was fun," she said of the '90s. "It was upbeat. There was something about that music that was different."
Two years in a row
Gordon admitted she wasn't familiar with Adkins' music.
She was back at the Stark County Fair for the second year in a row. Last summer, she watched 26-year-old Tucker Wetmore, a rising country artist.
"It was just really cool because he was so close," Gordon said.
Reach Ed at ed.balint@cantonrep.com. Follow on Instagram at ed_balint and TikTok @edwardbalint .
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Canton loves country. Trace Adkins worth the wait after rain delay
