TRACE-mania strikes the fair: Adkins appearance creates fervor among local fans
Trace Adkins wasn’t scheduled to take the stage for another eight hours, but that didn’t stop fans from filling the grandstands in anticipation.
They wanted to make sure they had prime seats saved when one of country music’s fastest-rising stars performed at the Warren County Fair.
“I’ve been here since 10:30 a.m.,” said Manchester resident Star Little, who had seen Adkins in concert five times prior to Monday night’s show. “I was the first one here. I guess you could say I’m crazy. The only thing that would keep me from this show is a death in the family, and that’s the immediate family.”
Little wasn’t alone. By 1 p.m. Monday afternoon, about a dozen people were already sitting and waiting for Adkins.
“I heard it was already full so I came right over,” said Mattie Medley, a Warren County resident. “Then I get here and there’s still all these seats.”
There were still plenty of seats, but they were going fast – especially if you wanted front row, center. The core group of women filling those seats early Monday afternoon were not having trouble passing the time. They were looking through Trace Adkins photo albums, talking about his recent concerts, and generally going nuts about the musician they adore.
“I think the men should be abandoned. This is a night for the women,” said Brenda Harris, who was bold enough to walk over to a bus parked behind the stage and ask if Adkins would step outside. “I knocked on the door, but only the bus driver came out,” she said.
Woodbury resident Kim Robertson took a day off work and made the short trip to McMinnville to make sure she had a seat near the front. Others, like local jewelry saleswoman Melinda McGee, didn’t have as far to travel.
“I have a booth set up with my jewelry right here at the fair,” McGee said. “But I would rather be here than at my booth. I’ve got all his CDs, but I’ve never gotten to see him before.”