The third week of the Levitt AMP Soldotna Music Series will bring another Outside music artist with a long resume of talent.
Country singer and songwriter Meghan Linsey will grace the stage at Soldotna Creek Park tonight for the Wednesday evening music series, which attracted close to 2,000 in the first week.
Linsey will follow an opening gig featuring local musician Kelsey Shields, along with Morgan Davie and Keeley Boyle.
Soldotna Chamber of Commerce Events and Programs Director Andrew Heuiser said Linsey’s list of accolades as a musician is part of why he wanted to see her return to Soldotna after playing Alaskan concerts previously at the Kenai River Beer Festival last year.
“She brings a lot of popularity,” Heuiser said. “They’ll definitely come out in droves for her.”
A native of Louisiana, Linsey was a runner-up in season eight of the TV show, “The Voice,” in 2015. Her two-person group Steel Magnolia was also the season two winner of the CMT reality series competition, “Can You Duet?”
Steel Magnolia released its first single, “Keep on Lovin’ You,” in 2009, which earned a top five spot on the Country Music charts.
The duo split in 2014 and since then, Linsey has released two EPs as a solo artist with Bold Music Group as a label.
“She’s mostly country music with pop influences,” Heuiser said. “She plays great ‘90s country music with some flair to it. It’s definitely classic.”
Linsey is also performing Friday at Diamond M Ranch in Kenai as part of the Summer Solstice Music Festival, giving her several days in Alaska.
“I think she really fell in love with the area,” Heuiser said. “She made some friends and contacts up here, and I knew she was interested in coming back up.”
Tonight’s opening act is expected to get the crowd moving before Linsey comes on. Shields is a local musician who owns Lucy’s Market, a natural foods business in downtown Soldotna.
Heuiser said Shields brings a local flavor to the stage as a folk and country artist.
“She’s an easy listen,” he said. “She’s a great artist to have in our community.”
