ASHLAND — While some said they missed the view of the river, people in Central Park for Wednesday’s first night of live music during Summer Motion 2009 seemed quite satisfied with their surroundings.



Throughout the park, couples cuddled on benches while small groups of friends and family gathered in clusters of lawn chairs or spread out on blankets. By the time the evening’s headline performer, Jake Owen, took the stage organizers said they had no way to estimate attendance.

“We don’t know,” said Summer Motion President Chuck Charles, grinning and obviously pleased with the evening’s event.

A Summer Motion volunteer estimated there were enough people in the park “to fill a major league stadium.”

“The park is simply a great setting,” Charles said, pointing out the additional room afforded for the stage and audience alike. “It’s a success!”

The evening’s entertainment began with an engaging performance by Nashville-based band Savannah Jack, whose vocalist immediately involved the audience in their show by wading into the crowd and grabbing a dance partner before climbing back on stage. Before ending the set, the band also found a guest vocalist in the crowd, bringing Brad Milum of Charleston to the microphone to help the crowd sing the chorus of “Drift Away.”

As members of Savannah Jack met with fans after the show, Charles said he was extremely pleased with the performance and predicted the group will soon follow a trend set by bands that have played Summer Motion, including Little Big Town, Lady Antebellem and Trace Adkins, before finding major fame.

While Savannah Jack made new fans in Ashland, Jake Owen brought fans with him. Hannah Gallup of California and Megan Seiter decided to come to Ashland as part of their road trip from Rhode Island to California and arrived at the park late Tuesday evening to look for a place to pitch a tent and wait for Owen to play.

After meeting the girls and hearing their story, members of the Ashland Police Department helped the young ladies find a motel, gave them VIP tickets and arranged a chance to meet the man they came to see and hear.

“We had to decide to see him in South Dakota or Ashland,” Gallup said, explaining they initially planned to see Owen in both places, although that plan didn’t work out.

Both said they were unfamiliar, although curious, about the nation’s southern states and found Kentucky hospitality to be more than they expected.

“Everybody is so friendly. We can’t get over it,” Seiter said. “It’s absolutely true. We haven’t met one mean person.”

The California-bound tourists said they fell in love with Owen after seeing his video for the song “Yee Haw.”

Each praised the efforts of the local law enforcement officers who helped take care of them, specifically citing Tim Renfroe of the Ashland Police Department and Jaime Reihs of the Boyd County Sheriff’s Department.

Sitting together near the tree line, Kelsii Huff found herself disagreeing with her friends about the setting for Summer Motion. Huff said she definitely liked the river location, although her friends Skyler Lewandowski, Alley McDowell and Candace Riffe said they prefer the park.

“I think it’s more comfortable in the park,” Lewandowski said. “I just like the atmosphere.”

McDowell agreed, saying “I like it in the park because of the trees and stuff. People can like chill out and stuff.”

Riffe said the park seems to have “more room” than the riverfront, although she was certain the festival was lacking one thing, “We need to get some rock!”

The group of 13- to 17-year-old Ashland residents suggested festival officials look into hiring Mickey Avalon, Never Shout Never, Serj Tankian or any form of the defunct band Sublime for next year’s event.

Jake Owen entered the spotlight accompanied by a wailing guitar and heavy drumbeat,which turned into a country backbeat that had his audience on its feet and ready to sing along.

The Grammy-nominated musician asked lighting technicians to give him a glance of the crowd and was obviously impressed with what he saw.

“Dang, y’all are way back there in the tree line,” Owen remarked. “It’s good to be back in Kentucky. I can tell you that.”

TIM PRESTON can be reached at tpreston@dailyindependent.com or at (606) 326-2651.