ST. GEORGE — Jordan Davis usually sings about buying dirt, but on Wednesday, he could have sang about buying mud instead.
Hundreds gathered at the Staheli Family Farm on Washington Fields Road in Washington, Utah, to enjoy the music of the Billboard Music New Country Artist of the Year in 2019.
Fans were in high spirits and dressed to fancy with rhinestones, studded jeans, and cowboy hats of all varieties. Women looking like they just stepped out of a beauty salon in Nashville, trying to sneak over the log fencing onto the band bus, but to no avail as security rounded them up.
Then the cowboy hats started flying off heads as the winds picked up, followed by a damp drizzle and, without warning, an onslaught of water dumping and blowing of winds, resulting in a cyclone of the cowboy hats circling in the air. The storm started a little before 7:30 pm, leaving ersatz tents of blankets strewn around the lawn in front of the stage.
A stampeding of the crowd ran to their vehicles, leaving, while the band and concert coordinators awaited, hoping not to have the words they dreaded reach their ears… “canceled.”
Yet, slightly over half of the original crowd remained, devoted and dedicated, with faith that the man whose music preaches church in a Chevy would have his boots walking on stage. Some came prepared; ponchos and towels came out. Even two die-hards wearing yellow rain ponchos and gear were sunnily dancing and challenging the storm gods to bring their best.
With lightning and thunder abounding, the fans were ushered away from the stage and any metal. The fans sat in their blanket tents and waited.
However, after approximately half of the crowd left, the lightning strikes and the thunder rolls were obsolete, and the stage crew took action, drying up and setting up the stage. The remaining fans excitedly rushed the stage and shouted ecstatically as the stage crew performed the test checks of the microphones and speakers.
At about half an hour later than initially planned, the radio station sponsoring the event opened up the show and introduced Get Outdoors Utah Founder Matt Mizukawa to say a few words. Then the band, followed by the leading man, stepped on stage.
For almost 2 hours, the die-hards who braved the storm and weathered the wait were treated to a more personal and swinging show. Davis put a little more “oomph” in movements and thanked them for “withstanding the rain and being there” often.
Davis relayed his journey from leaving New Orleans to his detours to Nashville and then on the road. Laying down the advice about life and its wild ride of a journey, Davis repeated his true treasures in life.
“I am a patriotic man, and I know there are a few things that truly what I value,” Davis said during the concert. “My faith, my family, and my freedom are what my world spins around.”
A young “biggest fan” also got to be recognized by the 2022 ACM Best Duet winner, several guitar pics were given out, autographed song schedules and collectibles, and of course, the hugs.
The concert concluded with an encore performance of his platinum duet, “Buy Dirt,” highlighting the perfection of the choice to end with as the night went through trials. Still, the small things in life, like rain and mud, were worth the tribulation, discomfort, and waiting time.
The fans exclaimed about the treasure of a time they had and the gladness of not leaving. Such fans were a group of four Southern Utah University soccer women’s team athletes, Monica Brown, Laney Kimble, Alison Kellar, and Jenn Kovisto, who all got close to the star.
The younger ones, like Rose Devlin, 12, couldn’t wait to hear Davis’s charismatic and soul-grasping lyrics of “Buy Dirt.”
The performance was a benefit concert with proceeds going to Get Outside Utah, a southern Utah nonprofit geared towards getting youth outdoors for better physical and mental health. The organization provides the opportunities, the equipment, and the knowledge to participate in outdoor activities such as cliff climbing, rappelling, skiing, and more.
Mizukawa relayed a simple message about how the concert went, “It was awesome.”
For the reason of it being a benefit concert, tickets were non-refundable. The beneficiary, Get Outside Utah, was proud to report on Friday morning, the amount raised was $10,000.
Thanks were given by Mizukawa to the sponsors and volunteers who assisted in the event. Sponsors and supporters included the Staheli Family Farm, Camping World, Utah Tech University, State Bank of Southern Utah, Maverik, and Dixie Oral Surgery.
Though a few of the ticket-purchasers left when the weather got severe, some returned to catch some of the concert, if not all. Still, many missed out.
Mizukawa had nothing but compliments of the headliner as he dowsed him with words of praise.
“Jordan was such a gentleman and so kind. When the rain was the heaviest, he told the tour manager that before the night was over, he was going to play some music for the fans. He could sense the energy of the crowd and was bound and determined to perform for them.”
The rain-soaked event went off without any significant hitch. Security cited only minor violations of the no alcohol policy.
“This concert was benefitting a youth organization, so we decided to keep it a family-friendly event,” Mizukawa said, explaining the no alcohol policy for the event.
Once again, Davis expressed the value of family and beliefs and how grateful he was to those who stayed.
And those who stayed discovered:
…the truth about it is it all goes by real quick. You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy dirt.
Or, in this case, mud. To the die-hard fans, the mud was worth more than gold.
Country music star Jordan Davis performed after a rain delay, July 27, 2022 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News
Jordan Davis stepped on stage to the screams of girls and the shouts of men, July 27, 2022 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News
L to R: Bryn Ence, Dustin Ence, Melanie White, and Ella Harris with the VIP section, July 27, 2022 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News
Members of the SUU Soccer Team try to remain warm, July 27, 2022 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News
Jordan Davis performs Almost Maybes, July 27, 2022 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News
2 cowgirls show admiration for Jordan Davis while he performs, July 27, 2022 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News
Jordan Davis and his guitar player get rocking, July 27, 2022 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News
Women crowded the front lines to get a full view of Davis, July 27, 2022 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News
Crowd got into it with Davis's new single - What my World spins Around, July 27, 2022 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News
Jordan's voice enthralled fans who waited through a storm to hear him perform, July 27, 2022 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News
Jordan Davis's Band performed all of the country star's hits to rain-soaked fans at the Staheli Family Farm, Washington, Utah, July, 27, 2022 | Photo by NIck Yamashita, St. George News
Fans on their way out from the concert pose, July 27, 2022 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News
The fans shine lights into the darkness for the encore performance of Buy Dirt, July 27, 2022 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News
Jordan Davis's Band performed all of the country star's hits to rain-soaked fans at the Staheli Family Farm, Washington, Utah, July, 27, 2022 | Photo by NIck Yamashita, St. George News
Jordan Davis gives a thunderous performance at the Staheli Family Farm, Washington, Utah, July, 27, 2022 | Photo by NIck Yamashita, St. George News
Country fans stuck out the storms to hear Jordan Davis perform at the Staheli Family Farm, Washington, Utah, July, 27, 2022 | Photo by NIck Yamashita, St. George News
Country fans stuck out the storms to hear Jordan Davis perform at the Staheli Family Farm, Washington, Utah, July, 27, 2022 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News
SUU Women's Soccer Team members stuck out the storms to hear Jordan Davis perform at the Staheli Family Farm, Washington, Utah, July, 27, 2022 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News
RaeLyn & Anthony Simmons of Washington share a blanket tent with Amy & Chad Boulter to avoid the rain before the Jordan Davis concert, July 27, 2022 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News
Two die-hard fans weathered the storm for the Jordan Davis benefit concert, July 27, 2022 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News
Radio Contest winners L to R: Kaylee Whitehead and Kauren Campbell has a ladies' nights out, leaving the husbands home, July 27, 2022 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.
Nick Yamashita has extensive experience reporting for small town media, covering a variety of subjects and events for The Virgin River Times and The Progress in Southern Nevada. Before a career in journalism, he worked a variety of jobs in criminal justice systems. Yamashita holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and a master's degree in interdisciplinary studies from Southern Utah University. He is an award-winning photographer and writer. He has been published in scholarly articles and poetry compilations. In his spare time, he practices and teaches martial arts.
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