On November 3rd, Eagle Distributing of Texarkana celebrated it’s 90th anniversary in the city of Texarkana by partnering with Busch Light to present rising country star Priscilla Block along with Jesse Jenkins and Lil’ Skinny. The first event of it’s kind in the area’s growing entertainment district, Eagle Distributing hosts the inaugural performance in the newly constructed concert venue known as ‘The Loading Dock’ located behind the Crossties building on Broad Street in downtown Texarkana. President of Eagle Distributing, Tim O’Neal oversaw the event’s festivities, bringing the famous Budweiser Clydesdales back to town in preparation for the concert. 

Priscilla Block is an up and coming country music star known for hits “Thick Thighs”, “PMS”, and her biggest song to date “Just About Over You”. During the pandemic in 2020, Priscilla took to creating TikTok music videos and skits featuring her songs which gained popularity and made her one of the first female TikTok country stars eventually gaining just over 1.9million followers on the short form video app. Her song “Just About Over You” rose quickly in the charts, becoming the number one song in the “All Genres” iTunes category, placing herself amongst other music stars like Harry Styles and and Billie Eilish and earning her a sponsorship with Busch Light. Priscilla was also nominated for her first CMT Award for Breakthrough Video of the Year in 2022 for “Just About Over You”. 

The concert venue featured various beer stands managed by staff members of Crossties, another local business in the entertainment district, merchandise stands for performing artists, several food trucks and an opportunity for photos with the Clydesdales. The event took place on a fenced off portion of E. Front Street Festival Plaza. Tickets were $40 for general admission and $60 for VIP packages that included exclusive seating closer to the stage. Mayor Allen Brown of Texarkana Arkansas was first in line to meet Priscilla Block during a VIP meet-and-greet. “It really is wonderful having [Priscilla]. I couldn’t think of anyone better to show off our exciting new entertainment district.” 

The star power of Priscilla Block wasn’t the only thing on display at the new venue, local artists Jesse Jenkins and ‘Nashville to Nashville’ American-Idol golden ticket winner Lil’ Skinny performed alongside the female country star, highlighting local talent for a night of music on the town. Lil Skinny, (Ethan Kuntz) was raised in Nashville Arkansas. At 15 years old, Skinny competed on American Idol in its 15th season, returning at age 21 to compete a second time. Skinny won a coveted Golden Ticket which guaranteed a visit to Hollywood to further progress in the competition. “Even though I might not be from here, I cut my teeth in the bars here in Texarkana.” Songs of note include hits like his newest “Let’s Have A Ball”, “Running Wild”, and “Gunnin’ ”. “This place has always felt like home to me, its always treated me right.”, said Skinny. 

Jesse Jenkins, the opening act of the event, is the only Texarkana native to take the stage, previously releasing his debut album “Texarkana” to local acclaim. Jesse may be new to the music industry but music isn’t new to him. Jesse has spent years performing bar-hopping and small format gigs in the city of Texarkana and surrounding areas, releasing singles like “Make Me Stay”, “Go to Hell”, and his newest song “Lie to Me” which was released alongside the biggest performance of his career to date. “As an up and coming artist this event was such a blessing because it allowed me to share my message.” said Jesse. Speaking on the importance of concerts that present local talents, Jesse said “I think There are a lot of voices that need to be heard. There are so many musicians and artists that don’t have a stage, but need to share their talent. Events like this allow that to happen.” 

An estimated 1,200 concert-goers attended the event, packing into The Railyard’s standing room venue. Highlights include the awarding of a $10,000 Folds of Honor scholarship to recipient Jordan Rogers of DeQueen Arkansas. FOH is dedicated to providing military and first responder servicemen and women and their families an opportunity to pursue higher education with financial assistance. Other featured highlights include Jesse Jenkin’s repertoire of original music, Lil’ Skinny’s “Long, long legs”, and Priscilla Block shotgunning Busch Light’s like they were water. The event highlighted small town’s, local artists, and a night of country music enjoyed by many.