By Byson Lyons | Rant correspondent
The Mann Center’s rebrand is bearing fruit as one of its more ambitious projects to date – a “Women in Country” concert series featuring performers with a mix of area talent and Nashville professionalism – kicks off later this week.
The first “Women in Country” performance is set for February 25, featuring Harnett County native Paige King Johnson. Johnson is a resident of Angier and splits her time between Nashville and Harnett County. She’s known locally for playing the inaugural “Freedom Fest” concert in Kiwanis Park on July 4. Johnson has experienced success on the road as well, opening for successful country acts including Kane Brown, Diamond Rio, Randy Hauser, and American Idol winner Scotty McCreery.
The “Women in Country” concerts will be held on the fourth Wednesday of each month, and each concert will feature a different artist bringing her own spin to the genre.
Moore County native Julia Golden, who has had success both locally and in Nashville, will headline the “Women in Country” show on March 25. Golden began performing at a young age at Sanford’s own Temple Theatre and can be seen live mostly on the East Coast and in Nashville. She was recently seen in the season premier of The Voice.
April 22 brings a performance from Allison Radcliffe, and Greensboro resident Megan Doss will play the May 27 show.
“Women in Country” is a new venture for The Mann Center. The venue has been branching out to offer more original live music to the Sanford area.
“We are working to become the music destination for Sanford and beyond,” said Heath Buckmaster, marketing chair for the Mann Center’s board of directors. “By bringing in regional talent like our musicians in Women in Country, we are in the mix to deepen our entertainment value to the community. Each concert offers a special opportunity for families in our Cowgirl Moment, when the performer will invite young fans on stage during a song to learn about the songwriting process.”
The concerts are open to all ages and begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are available for $10 at https://manncenterarts.thundertix.com. The Mann Center is located at 507 N. Steele St. in Sanford.