By Felicia Naoum
Big names in country music took the stage at the 27th annual Country Jam event in Northeast Ohio. The event has been gracing its southern roots in Northeast Ohio since 1992. This year, country heartthrobs like Tyler Farr, Chris Janson, and Jordan Davis took the stage — to name a few. Cleveland’s own —famous voices of WGAR — were also present to emcee the event including favorite duo Brian & LeeAnn, and Shotgun Taylor (who’s originally from New York — but he’s just ‘so Cleveland’ now so we won’t hold it against him).
The lineup was big. The hosts were big. Cleveland big. Country big. Texas big. Fan big. You get the picture. Country Jam was a big deal. And even the sponsors were big. Budweiser was the drink of the night and the King sponsor of the night at that — if fans were spotted in Budweiser gear, they were given the shot at winning backstage access.
And although everything about Country Jam 2018 was a big deal — as big as that Budweiser blow up in the center of the crowd — nothing compared to these Country Jam fans.
I think headliner Tyler Farr got it right when he took the stage. Take a listen or a read.
Tyler recalled the August 18 Jam as “One big ass Ohio rockin’ party.” The star added that he is no stranger to playing music in the buckeye state or spotting a country fan or two or three or a ‘heck of a lot more’ when he sees them.
“We played in Ohio a bunch and there’s one thing I know about Ohio — there’s a s–t load of country women all over this thing…and dance because Lord knows I can’t,” says Farr to the crowd.
When you sing as raspy and soulful as Tyler Farr, you don’t need to dance, you just need to sing. So, don’t worry Tyler, keep singing. I’m certain your country fans have the dancing covered; take a look at Country Jam fan Renee (see picture above) who is decked out in cowgirl gear from head to toe and jamming away. The crowd was flooded with cowboy and cowgirl boots and hats. The Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds was the south on August 18.
Country Jam was raw and real. Better yet, country jam was nitty-gritty and down-home. Country Jam represented all things country music does. Take for example the song ‘Slow Dance in A Parking Lot” that Jordan Davis sang at Country Jam. The song talks about two people who love each other and don’t need much to make them happy — so much so that they find their happiness slow dancing in a Walmart parking lot. That’s real life. That’s simplicity. That’s non-glamourous. And that my friend’s is country music and why so many of us love it and need it so much.
Take for example fans like Ashley T. of LaGrange. Ashley attended this year’s Country Jam, and has been attending every Jam (minus one) for the past eight or nine years. Ashley appreciates the stories that country music tell. “I love country music because of the lyrics and meaning behind most of the songs,” says Ashley. To keep coming back year after year for as long as Ashley has is a testament to not only country music but Country Jam in and of itself. What keeps Ashley coming back? It’s pretty simple and pretty special. “It’s always great fun with great people,” says Ashley T. And that’s enough to keep others coming back, too.
Tina Noel of Strongsville has been attending Country Jam for the past six or seven years she tells me. In fact, attending Country Jam for Tina and her family is actually a tradition. Noel says her favorite Country Jam acts are Gary Allen (I understand her — Gary is a Country God) and Josh Turner. Noel adds, “I really like the lineup this year — I like Tyler Farr a lot and Chris Janson a lot.” Sitting right next to Noel was Country Jam goer, Roanne. Roanne was recalling all of the old-school classic Country Jam performers to me from years past like Willie Nelson, Alabama and Travis Tritt. We always have to take a moment and ode to the classics— even if it’s only during an interview. So, bow down to Country Jam. You done it right back then and y’all done it right for the 27th time, too. And just like we honored the classic country stars during our interview, Country Jam honored the troops when the crowd stood in respect of the national anthem. A nitty-gritty southern party goes down with class.
Fun was had by all. Memories were made, including Chris Janson singing his hit “Fix a Drink.”
Again, Budweiser fixed the biggest drink of the night as the biggest sponsor. Chris Janson fixed drinks through music. And WGAR (iHeartRadio) and Mira Productions fixed another successful Country Jam for the books. 2018, check. See you in 2019 with a new set of boots, a new set of tunes, and the same ole die-hard country fans on the day this Midwest state becomes ‘a little country’ yet again.
