More than $2,500 was raised during the Jessica Horn concert Sunday night.
A portion of the money raised will got to Emporia State University athletics, Kent Weiser, ESU athletic director, said this morning.
About 350 people showed up to the concert, which featured local and national talent, including Emporia’s DeWayne Brothers; the Dixie Cadillacs, the 2000 NACA Country Entertainers of the year; and Horn, who is second on the charts in Paris. The event was sponsored by Lyon County State Bank, Emporia State University, The Emporia Gazette and Emporia’s Radio Stations.
One-half of the money raised from the sales of Jessica Horn CDs also was donated to ESU athletics. The total raised included the CD sales.
Scott Hayes of Emporia’s Radio Stations commented on the event.
“ESU athletics is continuing to go higher and farther every year because you continue to come to events like this,” he told the crowd.
Horn performed covers of known- artists as well as original music during Sunday’s performance. In an earlier interview, Horn said music runs in her family on her mom’s side. For generations, her family has had singers, piano players and guitar players. Horn started going to local competitions when she was 13 and she joined her first band when she was 17. Since then she’s been in every kind of band, including rock, country, hard rock and soul. She chose to settle down with country music.
“I’ve kind of done it all,” she said. “Now that I’m a little older, I’m focusing on what I want to do (country). I am also performing the stuff I write.”
The concert was a crowd-pleaser. Nancy Pontius, of Emporia, was at the concert with two other friends. The group was very animated through the night, clapping, swaying and cheering.
“It was a fun concert,” Pontius said. “People (who didn’t come) missed out.”
Pontius said the rest of the crowd needed to loosen up and have more fun.
“They need to learn how to get into it,” she said. “I’ve never seen such a sleepy bunch. We had fun.”
Pam Miller, of Emporia, said she also enjoyed the concert.
“It was good,” Miller said. “I like Jessica and the Dixie Cadillacs. She (Horn) was upbeat and enthusiastic.”
Some simply enjoyed the music and the atmosphere. Larry Colglazier, of Emporia, said he enjoyed it all.
“It was really good,” he said. “It’s one of the better ones I’ve seen. I liked the guitar player (Dixie Cadillacs) and she’s (Horn) is a good singer too.”