Travis Taylor | Lariat Photo Editor
Reporter
The animals at Cameron Park Zoo weren’t the only ones going wild on Saturday. Continuing its yearlong celebration of “20 Wild Years,” the zoo hosted NBC’s “The Voice” top six contender and Baylor student Holly Tucker in concert at its Brazos River Country attraction.
Though this event was not the only celebration the zoo is having this year, the concert was the first they have ever hosted in hopes to do more in the future.
“My goal for all my shows is to have people really entertained,” Tucker said about her high-energy performances.
All proceeds from the 500 ticket sales went to raise money for the zoo. VIP guests had the opportunity to meet Tucker after the concert.
Along with a variety of country covers from artists like Carrie Underwood and Martina McBride, Tucker premiered her first single, which will be available on iTunes in November. She also sang several tunes that she co-wrote or were written for her.
Tucker, a junior speech communications major from Waco, remembers her favorite parts of her time on the show, like singing “How Great Thou Art” and seeing Blake Shelton do a Sic ’em.
Shelton was the one who actually suggested the Christian song for her to sing.
“It was a risk, but it paid off,” Tucker said. “Singing an out-right open Christian song on TV is not really done.”
The week Tucker sang the song, she received her highest rankings on the show.
Tucker will travel to Nashville in the coming weeks to record a five song EP produced by Rascal Flatts’ sound engineer Dann Huff.
“Nashville is really hard to break into, especially as a female country artist,” Tucker said.
Tucker said she is enjoying living the best of both words and that she has been blessed with an amazing opportunity to follow her dreams and travel to Nashville once a month. Among the madness, she still attends Baylor and sees her family and friends in Waco.
Waco resident Robin Hightower attended the concert with her daughter along with a mother-daughter group outing.
“It’s cool coming to see her now, knowing she will be big someday,” said Hightower, noting it was her daughter’s first concert. “We will all be able to say, ‘I remember when.’”
Tucker said she doesn’t feel like a local celebrity. She said she loves it when people come up and talk to her but never wants to be thought of as a diva. Tucker mainly wants to be a good role model for people of all ages, she said.
“We are amazed with the Baylor community,” her mother Cheryl Tucker said. “ They continue to be a blessing to Holly and to our family.”
