Laura Tomah
Yeardisc editor
Trent Willmon recently rocked out Choctaw Casino Resort’s Center Stage on May 28. Although the computers had a small glitch declaring that tickets were completely sold out, Willmon still had quite the audience.
Willmon played his hits such as “Ropin’ Pen” and “On Again” as well as many songs off of his new album. He even played a little Merle Haggard throughout the night as well as took requests from the audience.
Audience participation was strongly encouraged throughout the night as he kept asking audience members to get up and two-step. When the audience almost completely declined his plea to dance, he began selecting audience members to dance with.
Willmon is a 38-year-old singer and songwriter who is somewhere between belonging in the Nashville music scene and the Texas music scene. He has written songs for artist like Montgomery Gentry, Steel Magnolia, Brad Paisley, Kevin Fowler, Julie Roberts, Sonny Burgess, Johnny Cooper, Eric Church and Roger Creager.
Aside from being a singer and songwriter, Trent is also a team roper who hosts a roping event every year called the Ropin’ Pen Party and Celebrity HI Stakes Team Roping in Nashville, Tennessee. This event has been going on for six years and includes a charity auction and also a Celebrity Acoustic Jam. The charity auction will go to help tornado victims this year.
Willmon’s performance left his long-time fans beyond satisfied. Those who barely new of him were left wanting to see him perform again soon. His presence on stage was very personable as he was still very much the guy next door who had earned a small amount of fame.
His talent as a songwriter has already taken him far, leaving the expectation of him making it as an artist hopefully right around the corner. His band also did an amazing job with Willmon’s full support and, sometimes, assistance in allowing them to steal the show. He not only shined as an artist that night but as the member of a band.
Willmon’s show is worth catching the next time it comes near. The list of songs he has written is also well worth looking up.