Canadian Country Music Association Female Artist of the Year, Meghan Patrick may call Nashville home now, but she’s still got smalltown blood in her heart. And on Sunday night she wore it on her sleeve when she rocked the 2018 Port Perry Fair.

The Bowmanville native was close to home and had family and friends in the crowd as she and the band headlined the stage at the 165th-anniversary edition of the Port Perry Fair. From the moment Patrick and the band stepped on stage, it was a party. Country music fans were sitting and standing in front of the stage, singing along and having a good rural time.

Before Meghan Patrick took the stage (a larger space with a licensed area that we hope the fair continues to use in the future), Ben Hudson came out to warm up the crowd and welcome folks to the show.

With a mix of originals and covers, Ben and the band put on the kind of show we’re becoming used to from the nearby Uxbridge boy. His deep voice captures the attention and focus of everyone within earshot, and his smooth delivery keeps all eyes on the stage. Songs like It Ain’t My Fault (Brothers Osborne) and In Color (Jamey Johnson) meshed perfectly with his own tracks including, Wear And Tear and Johnny And June.

Hudson also played his next single, Deja Vu, for the Port Perry crowd, and based on their response, we won’t be surprised if it gets a bunch of requests at KX96 when it goes to radio.

As always, Ben Hudson, his wife Brooke, and the entire band put on a great show. They entertained everyone and started a night of good country music in its most down-home kind of setting. Keep an eye on ’em!

At 9 pm, with the sun down and the smalltown fair crowd assembled at the stage, Meghan Patrick and her band took over the stage and wasted no time in getting things started.

With an intro trio of songs that included Hardest On My Heart, Walls Come Down, and Grace & Grit, she showed everyone that she was ready to go for the night. And they showed her that they were ready too.

Note: Before Meghan started Grace & Grit, she told the Port Perry audience that she had a good crowd in Shawville, QC and asked if they were going to rowdier. It was a challenge that the small town country fans gladly accepted.

Whether she was on her acoustic or electric guitar or had a harmonica or microphone in her hands, Meghan Patrick was in control and in the spotlight from start to finish. And while she shared that spotlight with some adorable special guests (Meghan’s new friends on Bow Chicka Wow Wow were great) there was no doubt that this was her show.

One of our favourite things in music is the sound of the crowd singing along, and even taking over for an artist. The unrehearsed choir of voices that comes together in unison and unexplainable harmony can give us goosebumps any time. And during Meghan Patrick’s set on Sunday night, a choir formed in the crowd and sang with country pride to Be Country With Me from her debut album.

With two albums of music to play in her live shows and fan favourites from both, there’s no shortage of songs for her to choose from. On Sunday night the mix was great with What Would George Strait Do, Country Music Made Me Do It, all of the songs we’ve already mentioned, and more.

Over the last few years, Meghan Patrick has had the opportunity to play a lot of stages. But on Sunday night, the small stage in Port Perry, ON was home to the smalltown girl turned big city star.

Photos of Meghan Patrick at the 2018 Port Perry Fair

Photos of Ben Hudson at the 2018 Port Perry Fair

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Joshua Murray

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