Trace Adkins has performed more than a hundred times for the troops throughout his career, making him a perfect act to follow the Honor American Heroes event at the Wish Farms Soundstage Wednesday evening.
Festival Board Chairperson Sandee Sytsma led the event, which honored veterans in attendance and featured special guests from MacDill Air Force Base. Following the tribute, Adkins took the stage and performed several of the hits that have spanned his career, including “Still a Soldier.”
Adkins shared his love of the Strawberry Festival and joked about the large number of strawberries he had consumed prior to hopping on stage. He said he took a moment to enjoy some of the festival’s festivities like the Engelbert Humperdinck concert earlier that afternoon.
Adkins sang everything from “You’re Gonna Miss This” to “Ladies Love Country Boys.” While joking with the Strawberry Queen and Court he sang his “one love song of the night,” saying he was inspired by Humperdinck’s multiple ballads. With a wink he began to sing “Marry for Money.”
Lacing his performances with a mix of jokes and heartfelt sentiments, Adkins put on one heck of a show. As the crowds rushed the stage toward the end of the night, he played “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk” and many in the audience began to dance along.