Susie McEntire, Linda Davis Perform Annual Concert In LMS
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Jackie Gorski-
Gospel/country music artists Susie McEntire and Linda Davis performed together during the seventh annual “A Country Christmas” concert at Lakeview Middle School Saturday.
The concert benefited Toys for Tots. While the event was free, attendees were asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate to Toys for Tots. The mission of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation is to assist the U.S. Marine Corps in providing a tangible sign of hope to economically disadvantaged children at Christmas, according to the Toys for Tots website.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, seating was limited to 350 people and attendees were asked to wear masks throughout the concert. On top of that, social distancing was implemented by allowing family groups to sit together, but each group would have to distance themselves from other groups. Pastor Rob Seewald of Leesburg United Methodist Church said the concert was recorded for people in nursing homes, hospice and other centers.
“I think it’s very difficult for people to change their Christmases and. you know. go into a different mode of the quarantine and being masked and all of that stuff. But I believe we’re going to have a good crowd here tonight and I’m so thankful for our sponsors and for bringing us into Warsaw,” McEntire said of the quarantine measures before the concert Saturday.
“We made sure there are toys here for Toys for Tots and I believe people will come through with those this year,” McEntire said.
While this is McEntire’s seventh year performing in Warsaw, this is Davis’ first. When asked how she got involved, she said concert organizer Mike Loher told her about the event and said McEntire and husband Mark Eaton had been to the event for several years.
“I thought, ‘Well, I’d love to hang out with my friends as well as be a part of a show that helps the kids have a better Christmas,’” she said.
During the concert, Davis performed songs like “A Tender Tennessee Christmas” and “Shout Out to the Lord.” She also performed songs like “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” with husband Lang Scott. Davis is the mother of Hillary Scott, singer for Lady A (formerly Lady Antebellum). Davis and Lang sang one of Lady A’s first hits, “I Run to You,” “because we can,” Davis said.
Davis and McEntire also performed a song Davis had recorded with McEntire’s sister, Reba, called “Does He Love You.” Davis said one of her daughters saw the “Does He Love You” music video on YouTube. Davis thought it might be fun to get McEntire to sing the song with her during the concert. She said she “begged real hard.” McEntire said she thought Davis was really going out on a limb by asking her to sing “Does He Love You” with her, noting she’s never sung that at all and that it wasn’t going to be “perfection.” Davis said at the tour shows, there were some nights that the songs were not performed perfectly.
McEntire performed songs like “Walking in a Winter Wonderland,” “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “I Want To Love Somebody Like You” and “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.”
Christmas was a topic of discussion during the concert.
Seewald led the audience in a prayer at the beginning of the concert, thanking God for the ability to gather for the concert and “share in this holiday tradition, this Christmas tradition here in Warsaw.” He asked God to be with the medical professionals who are “working hours upon hours” to help those who are sick with COVID. He also asked God look over first responders and military personnel.
“May we walk out here remembering that Christmas is not about a fat guy coming down a chimney, but it’s about a baby who came here to save us,” Seewald said.
Davis said the reason for the season is Jesus Christ.
McEntire said it was 74 degrees in Oklahoma when she left a few days prior to the concert. She said this year doesn’t feel like Christmas, but it can be Christmas every day in our hearts.
Talking about families was another of the big topics McEntire and Davis talked about during the concert.
McEntire talked about her mother, who died earlier in the year. She said she and other family members were there when her mother “took her last breath.” She shared her mother was a farmer’s daughter and worked as a superintendent’s secretary. McEntire said her mother always kept things like every check she wrote, never throwing things out. After her mother died, McEntire was going through her mother’s things and stated those memories that she never threw out “mean so much” to her now.
Eaton wished McEntire a happy 11th anniversary while they performed together on stage. McEntire stated they each have three children and referred to their family as being kind of like the Brady Bunch.
Davis talked about her daughters.
Davis said her family did a Davis Christmas show at a hotel three years in a row.
“(Davis’ daughters) grew up thinking Christmas was about putting on a show and having big Christmas ornaments and good food on the table,” Davis said. She said there were so many good memories from those times.
McEntire and Eaton were scheduled to be at Leesburg United Methodist Church at 9 a.m. Sunday for services. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, services were digital only. The service was livestreamed on the Leesburg UMC Facebook page.
Sponsors for this year’s concert include Leesburg United Methodist Church; Stookey Construction; Bishop Farms; Rabb Kinetico Water Systems; Everest Excavating; Bailey Moore Foundation; Kosciusko REMC Operation Round-Up Fund, a component of the Kosciusko County Community Foundation; Sandra Zartman-Johnston; Windstar Park; Robinson Construction; Lewis Salvage; Jim and Melanie Rooney; Jacob Polk Family; Rob and Amy Seewald; Stacy’s Restaurant; Horizon Bank; Grossnickle Eye Center; American Concrete Pumping; Oswego Mini Mart; Core Mechanical; State Farm agent Beth Harrison; Metzger Trucking; Stafford Solid Waste; Ramsey and Wiggins; Center Street Partners; LDP Excavating;, Eagle Outdoor Advertising; Willie 103.5; Times-Union; Allegra; Warsaw Wyndham Garden; Lakeview Middle School; ServPro of Kosciusko and Noble County; and Blue River Digital.
