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Kenny Rogers performs to full house

Mirror photo by Gary M. Baranec / Country Music Hall of Famer Kenny Rogers performs during his concert Friday at the Jaffa Shrine Center. Rogers performed to a sold-out crowd

On Friday evening, the Jaffa Shrine Center was sold out as Altoona welcomed Country Music Hall of Famer Kenny Rogers to perform.

Rogers took the stage at the Jaffa as part of his farewell tour, celebrating his many years of musical achievement.

“We’re ecstatic over the response from the audience in central Pa. and over the show itself,” said Altoona Mirror and Altitude Entertainment General Manager Ray Eckenrode.

Members of the community were excited to witness the performance and to have the opportunity to be part of Rogers’ final tour.

“I’m excited to hear him on his last tour because we may never get the chance to hear him again,” Carol Hewitt said.

Mirror photo by Gary M. Baranec / Kenny Rogers performs with the Hollidaysburg Area Senior High School’s Fantazia Choir during his concert Friday at the Jaffa Shrine Center.

The people of Blair County took pride in the fact that the community was welcoming such a well-known artist.

“I’m glad to attend his last tour; I feel honored,” Sue Gonsman said.

Those in attendance were excited to be a part of a sold-out show, and many look forward to experiencing similar performances in the future.

“He’s a good entertainer and storyteller,” Mary McCloskey said. “It’s great that this is a sold-out crowd, and hopefully they can bring more acts like this to the area.”

The show attracted many longtime fans of Rogers who were eager to hear him perform in their hometown.

“I saw him in the 1980s in Pittsburgh and really liked it, and I wanted to see him perform closer to home,” Mike McCloskey said.

Eckenrode said he thought such a concert would be successful here.

“When we started concert promotion with Altitude Entertainment, we went into it with the feeling that there was demand for national touring acts but that ticket buyers would let us know if that feeling was correct,” Eckenrode said. “Obviously, a night like this — where we sold out literally every single seat available in the Jaffa and sold them at prices comparable to all the other stops on this tour — shows that there is a concert market here, and it can be a vibrant one. That’s something agents in Nashville and New York and L.A. are noticing, so we certainly hope to continue bringing all types of national acts to our area.”

Students from Hollidays­burg Area Senior High School’s Fantazia Choir had a particularly unique experience: They got to sing onstage with Rogers for a portion of his show.

“It’s really cool because my family loves Kenny Rogers, and they’re all here in the audience,” senior Josh Redinger said. “They would love to see him alone, but seeing me with him is a cool experience.”

The night proved to be one the students won’t forget.

“It made the ensemble closer to have such an experience, and we’ll keep these memories,” senior Alex Kaplan said.

The students took pride in what they felt was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

“I grew up listening to Kenny Rogers with my dad and loved his music,” senior Casey Ottaway said. “Having an artist that big come to Altoona is an amazing experience.”

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