The Trailblazing Women of Country is a dazzling, country-fried tribute to Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, and Dolly Parton that will be hitting the stage at the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center on May 5 at 8 PM.
Helmed by Miko Marks, a rising country singer who was named CMT’s “Next Woman of Country” in 2022, alongside Nashville-based vocalist Kristina Train, the duo is backed by a five-piece, all-female band as they recreate the music of the legendary singers who paved the way for generations of new fans.
“The Trailblazing Women of Country is selling out venues across the country,” said WHBPAC Marketing Director Heather Draskin. “Country music is having a real moment right now, and singers like Patsy Cline and Dolly Parton are still relevant to artists like Beyonce, Miley Cyrus, and more.”
The band features Megan Palmer (musical director, piano), Miss Tess (bass), Heather Thomas (drums), Thayer Sarrano (acoustic guitar, keyboards), and Anne McCue (electric guitar, lap steel).
“This is going to be an outrageous celebration of the women who made it possible for a whole generation of country singers to exist in a typically male-dominated industry,” said WHBPAC Executive Director Julienne Penza-Boone. Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, and Dolly Parton revolutionized country music and blazed a trail for future generations of female artists.
“To go on tour with Trailblazing Women of Country is a childhood reimagined,” said Marks. “I used to sit at my grandmother’s house while she played records, and I remember being drawn to these three women for their unique strengths. The life stories and their music. They are inspirations, and I’m honored to pay tribute to these icons of music.”
“This program and lineup are truly what dreams are made of,” Train added. “Dolly, Loretta, and Patsy bestowed on me an education in country music, and as a young girl – they helped me dream up what it might feel like to be a fully grown woman. They certainly offered three unique yet united perspectives with relentless hits and philosophies that have resonated deeply and boundlessly from generation to generation, across all genders through the universal language of music.”