Country Summer Music Festival 2019 kicks off with Jake Owen

A party mood prevailed under blue skies Friday at the opening day of the sixth annual, three-day Country Summer Music Festival at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa.

Some 7,500 fans in cowboy boots and hats gathered to hear 10 acts on two stages, while lounging in lawn chairs and dining on tri-tip, corn dogs?and fried Oreos.

Country star Jake Owen, a master at 37, closed the first day with a happy crowd packed against the main stage. He let everyone know just what kind of party it was with tunes like “Down to the Honkytonk” and “Ain’t Here to Talk,” backed with plenty of guitar twang.

He paused between songs just long enough to say, “Let’s all have a damn good time tonight,” which went over big with the festival throng.

By the time the day ended, there was a chilly breeze blowing and a long line at the coffee truck, but fans kept warm dancing, jostling the happy mob around them.

Preceding Owen, Aaron Watson, a 41-year-old singer-songwriter from west Texas, caught the heart and soul of the festival, and country itself, with songs like “Don’t Forget to Pray” and “That’s Why God Loves Cowboys.”

Introducing his tribute to both the active military and veterans, including his own father, he summed up his worldview neatly: “I’m not much into politics. I’d rather talk about Jesus or baseball.”

The event had emotion that went beyond the music. Former San Jose Sharks forward Curtis Brown, 43, was at the festival with a hockey stick he carried in memory of his daughter, Aubri, who died at 4 months old in 2005. The “Pass the Stick” project raises awareness and sometimes money to help families who have lost young children.

“The goal is that the stick keeps passing around,” he said. “The desire is that people will talk about this project and that way the word keeps spreading.”

Gabby Barrett, a 19-year-old from Pennsylvania who placed third in the 2018 “American Idol” competition, kicked off the day singing Dolly Parton’s “Jolene,” followed by Miley Cyrus’ “The Climb,” which Barrett had performed during her run on “Idol.”

Another “Idol” alumna, Georgia-born Lauren Alaina, 24, who was the runner-up in 2011 and is now set to launch her first tour as a headliner this fall, took the stage to sing the hit title tune from her second album, “Road Less Traveled.”

Backed by a band with a hard rock beat, she roared in rapid succession through “Georgia Peaches” and “Doin’ Fine,” among other songs, and invited members of the audience to dance onstage with her for “Next Boyfriend.”

Many of the fans at the festival were women in their 20s, who matched their cowboy hats and boots with shorts and sleeveless shirts.

Josslyn Moore, 25, of Rohnert Park, who is in for the full three days, was eager to see Tim McGraw, the headliner for the sold-out Saturday session of Country Summer.

“It’s on my bucket list,” she said with a grin.

Her friend, Cristal Brooks, 28, of Clovis, is at home around country music and its pop culture.

“It’s all about lifted trucks and boots,” she said.

Morgan Evans, 34, an Australian singer-?songwriter now based in Nashville, appeared alone onstage and supplemented his own songs with some of his American favorites, including Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down” and Garth Brooks’ “Friends in Low Places.” He chatted comfortably with the audience as the afternoon temperature edged up into the 70s.

People ask him why he has an accent when he talks but not when he sings, Evans said.

“I grew up singing along to American songs,” Evans said. “I thought that’s what it sounded like? to sing a song.”

Country Summer, introduced in 2014, drew 30,000 people over three days last year. The event has steadily built a loyal base since it began.

Jim Pindell, 68, and his wife, Debbie, 60, drove for six hours from their home in Forks of Salmon in Siskiyou County to attend Country Summer for the second year in a row.

“The weather is a lot of the reason,” Jim Pindell said. “A lot of the summer festivals are hot and dusty, but Sonoma County is a joy.”

Debbie, who said the festival tickets were a Christmas gift from her husband, added: “The venue is nice, too. It’s not wild and crazy.”

The festival ends Sunday night with a performance by the hit country band Old Dominion.

You can reach Staff Writer Dan Taylor at 707-521-5243 or dan.taylor@pressdemocrat.com.