Amphitheater Stage is Set for Country Showdown

The 2022 Kearney Amphitheater summer concert series continues with the Kearney Country Showdown this Saturday at Jesse James Park. The Country Showdown brings in two local acts to perform head to head this year: Travis Marvin and Noe Palma.

Travis Marvin

Country music is just a natural part of life for some people. It's deeply woven into the tapestry of their favorite memories and serves as the soundtrack for their daily existence. For a select group of talented individuals, country music transcends personal pleasure and becomes a public platform, blossoming into a thriving career that adds to the genre's rich legacy. With the release of his new project, Travis Marvin makes that leap from longtime fan to burgeoning star.

"Country music is in my soul," Marvin says. "I grew up playing and was probably five or six-years-old when I started. As far back as I can remember, we would be playing music with my dad and my dad's side of the family. His father was a guitar player and singer so every Sunday we would get together over at my grandfather's house and play music. I was raised on country music. That was something we've done for many years and still do all the time."

Born in tiny Ottawa, Kansas and currently residing in Kansas City, the singer/songwriter grew up soaking in the sounds of Randy Travis, Garth Brooks and George Strait. "I remember buying Randy Travis' Storms of Life on cassette tape," he recalls with a smile. "Garth has been a huge influence on me because he's such an entertainer. He does a great job of singing to his fans, not at them. And I've also admired him on the business side. He's built a great infrastructure, and he knows how to run a business. These days, I'm really influenced by guys like Keith Urban and Eric Church, who are both great storytellers. That's my goal with my music. I want to tell great stories and entertain people."

Noe Palma

At the beginning of his music career, Noe tested the waters with several different local groups. Ultimately, though, he formed and fronted his own band, The Broken Cowboys. The group toured the Midwest extensively and played every major venue in the region. Throughout their years of touring, the band developed a very healthy cult following. In 2001, The Broken Cowboys’ talent was officially recognized when they took second place at the Colgate Country Music Showdown’s Midwest finals. At the event, their unique sound immediately piqued the interest of Tim McGraw’s manager, Scott Siman, of RPM Management.

Despite finding great success with The Broken Cowboys, Noe made the decision to venture out on his own and launch a solo career in 2009. To craft a blend of country and southern rock that was uniquely his own, he worked with a slew of the country music industry’s top songwriters on his debut album, including Patrick Jason Matthews (Billy Currington, Trace Adkins, Luke Bryan, James Otto); Drew Womack (Sons of the Desert); and Bobby Pinson (Toby Keith, Sugarland, Josh Gracin, Brooks & Dunn). When it came time to select a name for the project, “Get My Name Right” only seemed fitting.

Noe recently released a new EP, and the title track, "I'll Be Your Whiskey," has been resonating with fans and radio personnel alike. Multiple radio stations in the Kansas City market have been spinning the heartfelt tune, which only continues to grow in popularity.

With a voice as distinctive as his name, you’re sure to become an immediate fan of the talented Noe Palma. Just be sure to get his name right, because it’s about to become a household one.

Amphitheater gates open at 4 pm on Saturday, August 25th, and the show starts at 5 pm. Tickets are $10.00 in advance and $15.00 at the Gate. Advanced tickets can be purchased through KearneyAmphitheater.com.

KPGZ News - Brian Watts contributed to this story