Foster Pavilion was filled with the sounds of whining guitars, feisty fiddles, cowboy boot stomping and raucous cheers for Tucker Wetmore’s first arena performance at Foster Pavilion Thursday.

The rising artist, who is a CMA New Artist of the Year nominee, has won the hearts of millions with his smooth vocals and his small-town storytelling and since earned millions of streams across music platforms. This concert will be Wetmore’s first time headlining for an arena.

Behind the lights, ticket sales and big-name bookings of Foster Pavilion’s two-year concert series is a careful strategy — a collaboration between Baylor, a Nashville marketing agency and the artists themselves.

Tucker Wetmore, an up-and-coming country artist who has toured with the likes of Luke Bryan and Kameron Marlowe, will be making a stop in Waco to perform at Foster Pavilion.