A near-capacity crowd filled the Black River Coliseum Thursday night, but no one was reported for doing the “Watermelon Crawl” to their vehicles afterward.
The approximately 4,500 people were in attendance for the annual VAlentines for Veterans concert and to hear the musical stylings of Tracy Byrd. Although the concert could have been in jeopardy when Byrd’s bus broke down near Searcy, Arkansas, concert organizers were able to make arrangements to get the band to the venue. Thursday night marked the second time Byrd has been in Poplar Bluff within the last year, and he announced to the crowd he was greatly enjoying himself performing for everyone in attendance.
Opening for Byrd was a regional band named “Just Enough.” The band played a blistering set of diverse covers that ranged from U2 to Tom Petty and to the Marshall Tucker Band, with each song having a unique touch to it that made them more than standard fare. Later, Byrd would tell the crowd he thought very highly of “Just Enough” and announced that he would be seeing U2 in concert in Las Vegas soon – but he believes he will feel underwhelmed because he thinks U2 won’t perform their own song any better than the opening act for Thursday’s show.
After the opening act was finished, Robert Wake, CEO of the Wake Foundation, had a young girl come from the crowd to draw a raffle ticket for an acoustic guitar that was signed by Byrd. Byrd had also written the lyrics for his hit “Keeper of the Stars” on the face of the guitar. The winner of the guitar raffle was Bill Hemby. Following the raffle, Wake gave a spirited introduction to Tracy Byrd and the crowd erupted with joy.
Byrd took the stage after his band took their places and they immediately launched into the music and set the tone for a very upbeat night. Many of those who were in attendance joyfully sang along with hits that Byrd made famous going back as far as 31 years in the past.
Byrd has taken an unusual route with his career and unconventionally stepped away from the road and out of the limelight to focus on his family. The well-known artist recorded an album in 2006 and then little was heard from him. But he didn’t vanish. He made appearances in different places and even appeared in an independent film named “Noble Things” in 2008. He returned to the studio in 2016, and he couldn’t stay away from performing for very long.
Byrd stays active with charitable work and now hosts the annual “Homecoming Concert” that combines his love of fishing, golf, and music in Texas. The annual event benefits the March of Dimes, the Children’s Miracle Network, and Tracy Byrd Hyperbaric Medicine and Wound Care Center at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Beaumont, Texas.
The VAlentines for Veterans concert is an annual event that is put on by the Wake Foundation, in coordination with the John J. Pershing Veterans Hospital. The tickets are free to veterans and their families. In 2023, the crowd enjoyed the music performed by the legendary “Oak Ridge Boys.” After this year’s performance, one can only wonder what next year might bring to the veterans of this area. Wake disclosed that the artist originally scheduled to perform for this year’s concert was Toby Keith; but Kieth had to withdraw due to health reasons. Unfortunately, Keith died Feb. 5.
“I couldn’t be more happy with how this concert turned out,” Wake remarked. “I don’t know that things could have been any better. It makes me feel so proud to see how this concert went. The whole night felt very special to me.”