KENANSVILLE – Tracy Byrd is taking the stage at the Duplin Events Center on July 26 with exciting musical guests.
Paige King Johnson and Eli Winders are both native to North Carolina and outstanding musicians.
Paige King Johnson grew up in Angier, North Carolina. As a country artist, she sings and plays guitar with a timeless sound.
She finds inspiration from the greats like Loretta Lynn & Tammy Wynette, as well as a lot of '90s artists like George Strait & Reba McEntire. The current artists she likes include Carly Pearce & Miranda Lambert.
“The opportunity to open up for Tracy Byrd is amazing! I’m a ‘90s kid, so I grew up on all of his hits. I always love getting chances like this, because as a young entertainer, I can always learn a few things from watching a show from someone as seasoned as Tracy. I’m very grateful for this show!”
Her latest song “If I Could Make A Living” is a fun cover of Clay Walker’s original song.
It was a song she remembered “singing in the back seat of my Mom’s car on the way to school or church or a horse show,” Johnson said. “We had a lot of fun getting to put our own spin on it too!”
Johnson has another single coming out in about four weeks, followed by some more video projects, and a performance at the Grand Ole Opry.
Eli Winders is another supporting act that is opening for Tracy Byrd. Winders offers a mellow and slowed down approach to country music in a cozy setting for listeners.
His songs like “Carolina Blue” and “Pack My Hometown” offer a special look into his life in North Carolina before his dreams came to fruition.
Winders grew up in Pikeville, North Carolina, without other musical talents in his immediate family. It took everyone by surprise when he started singing and songwriting.
“While living in Pikeville, I had a handful of different jobs. One as an employee for Engaging Events where I saw a band playing one night at a wedding, and was inspired to pick up the guitar. Another was working for Triple J Industrial Services where we spent most of our time working in feed mills across North Carolina. I had lots of conversations with lots of people which taught me plenty and inspired lots of songs.”
He is thrilled to perform live and open for Tracy Byrd tonight.
“I absolutely love playing shows and it’s an absolute honor to open up the show for a legend like Tracy Byrd. It’s always a great feeling putting out new music but this song especially because I wrote it with some of my closest friends. “
His latest collaboration with Vincent Mason “Famous for a Heartache” is out today. Winders and Mason wrote the song with their friend Aaron Armstrong a year ago on July 26, 2023. Unintentionally, they are putting it out exactly a year later on today’s date.
“Things started to line up for me with my music and songwriting and moving to Nashville just made sense. It’s the place to be for all things country music and I am so thankful to be a part of it.”
“I found myself diving into catalogs from artists such as Tyler Childers, Sturgill Simpson, Chris Stapleton, George Strait, Alan Jackson, and many many more. Once I had the ability to stream music I really deep dove into country music and absolutely fell in love with it,” he said.
Winders is playing show dates and festivals in the upcoming months and is ready to share new music.
“I will be going on tour with Tucker Wetmore this fall and I am ecstatic to be hitting the road and seeing more of the United States while playing songs that I’ve written.”
Most Popular
Comments / 0