An Evening In the Park with Eddie Montgomery

Jun. 11—On Friday, locals brought out their lawn chairs and blankets to watch Eddie Montgomery perform at the Town Center Park. His concert was the first of three in the 2024 Town Center Summer Concert Series.

Opening for Eddie Montgomery was local artists Phoebe White and the band Spitten Image.

Access to the Town Center Park concert was free, with parking spaces available at the London Elementary School and throughout downtown London. Several food and beverage vendors served attendees, some of which included Crazy Eats Pizza & Grill, Old Town Grill, Street Tacos, and Moody Cows. A few guests additionally brought their own coolers.

Around 6:15 p.m., Phoebe White, 14, kicked off the concert. White has performed around London since she was a young girl and recently worked her way up to singing at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee.

White opened up the show by playing "Christian Cowgirl," which addresses working for both Jesus and the land. The country singer released "UnXpected," her first national album, in September 2022. To her surprise, the album hit number 7 on the Western Music Charts. Additionally, her song "Boo Hoo Blues" made it to number 10 of Most Played on the Western Music Charts. The album featured artists such as Grammy award-winning Riders in the Sky, McLain Family Band, and Michael Johnathon of The WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour.

"I'm really happy to announce I just got done recording my second album, which will be released in September. It has Grammy award winner Riders in the Sky, Grammy award winning Suzy Bogguss, McLain Family Band, and producer Michael Johnathon," White shared.

She then performed "Color of Me," a song written by Janis Ian, which poses the question, "If you were blind, what color would I be?"

Following White's closing song, "Whatever Happened to the Yodeling Cowgirls," Spitten Image took the stage around 6:50 p.m. The band began with "God Bless Texas," changing the lyrics to "God Bless Kentucky," on the final verse. Spitten Image's lively and interactive energy brought the crowd to life. Heads nodded and feet tapped as the band covered multiple popularized songs, such as "I Got Love (Super-Duper Love)" by Exile, "I'm a Ramblin' Man" by Waylon Jennings, "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder, and more.

The Spitten Image band member known as "The Professor" took the lead on performing "Superstition," doing a spectacular job at encapsulating the groovy feel of the original song. For their final cover, Spitten Image had the audience put on their "Boogie Shoes." Attendees sang and cheered as they danced around the park to the song by KC and the Sunshine Band.

Donovan Chapman, who travels around with Eddie Montgomery and often sings blues, then performed a few songs, beginning with his beautifully rustic song, "Cottonmouth." Chapman then sang "Happy Birthday" to a young girl in the audience before closing with his song "Brotherhood." The song is addressed to his loved ones and others who have served this country.

Following Chapman, it was then time for headliner Eddie Montgomery. When Montgomery walked onto the stage, shouting in his raspy voice, "The party's here, baby! It's great to be home," the crowd was sent into a frenzy of excitement. The first song, "Where I Come From," brought the entire audience to their feet as they sang the lyrics with all their heart. Montgomery then performed other Montgomery Gentry favorites such as "Lonely and Gone," "She Couldn't Change Me," "Hell Yeah," "Lucky Man," "My Town," and more.

"Every time I cross that Kentucky state line, I know I'm home," Montgomery told the crowd.

It was impossible to not feel the audience's energy in the park as Montgomery sang the songs they know and love, and they sang them right back to him. While preparing to sing "What Do Ya Think About That," Montgomery talked about growing up as someone who threw many field parties with loud music where everyone was welcome. He additionally discussed his mother and the importance of friendships.

Just when the crowd thought Montgomery's performance was over after he told them, "We'll see y'all on the flip side," their chanting of "Encore!" convinced the singer and his crew to play one final song. "This is the one that started it all, thanks to you all," he said before singing "Hillbilly Shoes." He closed the night by saying, "Thank you, Kentucky! Good night."

Next up in the 2024 Town Center Summer Concert Series is Drake White, Andrew Moore, and Hooch on July 5. On August 2, the final concert will be headlined by Everclear, with Three Years Apart and My Finest Hour. For additional information concerning these events, search "Visit London KY" on Facebook. The Town Center Park is located at 503 North Main Street, London, KY, 40741.