POPLARVILLE – Two up and coming country musicians will headline the Blueberry Jubilee entertainment on Saturday, June 13.
New Orleans musician Alexes Aiken and Brookhaven native Shane Prather are known regionally, said Archie Rawls, Jubilee entertainment chairman and Pearl River Community College fine arts chairman.
Prather has lived in Nashville for six years, learning the music business and making regular appearances in the music halls around Nashville and the Southeast. He has released two country albums and a gospel/country project and produced a video of his original music for CMT.
His most popular songs include “Uhh Huh,” “Boogie Man” and “Love is a Gamble.” His videos can be seen on YouTube and his website at www.shaneprather.com. He also appeared in the movie “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.”
Aiken blends the blues that New Orleans is famous for with a gutsy country vibe. She has won numerous accolades in national songwriting contests and singing competitions for her original lyrics and melodies and her unique voice and performance style.
Her self-titled debut CD includes remakes of “These Boots Are Make for Walkin’” and “I Want It All” along with original songs. A Nashville radio personality refers to Aiken as “the little girl with the big voice from New Orleans.” Her videos can be seen on her website at https://www.alexesaiken.com.
Aiken will take the open-air stage at 12:15 p.m. and Prather is scheduled to perform at 1:15 p.m.
Entertainment begins much earlier in the day with a number of dancers and musicians, Rawls said. The schedule is as follows:
8 a.m. – Studio Rhythms Dance Studio..
8:15 a.m. Jubilee Promenaders Square Dancers.
8:45 a.m. – Cartwheels School of Gymnastics.
9 a.m. – Piney Woods Cloggers.
9:30 a.m. – Awards for Rotary 5K and FunRun races.
10 a.m. – Praise band Malachi.
10:45 a.m. – PRCC sophomore Caitlyn Lee.
11:15 a.m. – PRCC JazzCats.
12 p.m. – Presentation of Blueberry Jubilee Pageant winners.
12:15 p.m. – Alexes Aiken.
1 p.m. – Cartwheels School of Gymnastics.
1:15 p.m. – Shane Prather.