By Dan Murphy
The Northern Westchester Town of Yorktown was called home by two women who couldn’t be more different. Congresswoman Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez and country singer Jessica Lynn. AOC rejects her Westchester roots, while Lynn embraces them – and is returning to Westchester to perform this weekend at Playland.
Lynn, a graduate of Lakeland High School, has opened for country superstar Loretta Lynn (no relation) and has broken into country music’s top 50 with two hits, “Let’s Don’t” and “Crazy Idea.”
“As a little girl that always sang and performed and wanted to do this when I grew up, you always hope to have a hit single,” said Lynn, who has performed and filmed music specials at several northern Westchester locales, like The Winery at St. George in Mohegan Lake, Dramatic Hall in Peekskill, A Christmas Holiday Show at The Paramount in Peekskill and The Clearwater Festival in Croton. Last year she completed a European tour.
So how does someone from Westchester become a country music star?
“I always had really, really big dreams and I personally believe that at a certain point, it’s not about how talented you are, it’s the ability to get knocked down, kicked in the face, dirt thrown on you and be like, ‘Okay, I’m going to try this again tomorrow,’” she said.
“Even just being from New York, there was so much resistance to me down in Nashville,” said Lynn. “Like, ‘Oh, you have to move here if you’re going to be successful’ and ‘Your band doesn’t sound anything like what’s coming out of Nashville right now. And I was like, ‘Okay. Watch me.’ I paid myself to film my first television special with a cheap local camera crew and it wound up going nation-wide on TV. That’s how my whole career started.”
Never forgetting her Westchester roots, every year, Lynn holds a benefit concert for Toys for Tots in the area. Her latest tour, now underway, is a true family affair, with her husband, xxxxxxx, on guitar, and her parents on bass and background vocals.
Her advice to young singers and performers is: “You can do whatever you want to do if you work hard enough and you believe. You really can chase your dreams and if it’s meant to be and you work hard enough it will be.”
Jessica Lynn will be performing at Playland this Saturday, Aug. 31 at 7 p.m. The concert is free with paid admission.
Other events this weekend at Westchester County parks include:
On Friday, Aug. 30, Playland Park in Rye will host Yorktown Day, when Yorktown residents will receive discount coupons when they arrive at the park by going to the Fountain Plaza Administration Building and showing identification between noon and 11 p.m. For more information, call 914-813-7000.
Also Friday, the New York Liberty will play the Connecticut Sun at 7:30 p.m. at the Westchester County Center in White Plains. Tickets and information are available at liberty.wnba.com or ticketmaster.com. Parking fees apply. 914-995-4050.
On Saturday, Aug. 31 at Playland Park in Rye, rising country-music star and New York’s own Jessica Lynn will perform her high-energy show at 7 p.m. The concert is free with park admission. 914-813-7000.
Also on Saturday, Muscoot Farm on Route 100 in Somers will host an art show featuring works by the Northern Westchester Watercolor Society, as well as an art show featuring works by Cindy Sacks from noon to 4 p.m. For more information, visit muscootfarm.org or call 914-864-7282. Muscoot will also host a story craft program Saturday from 1 to 2 p.m. There is a $5 fee and registration is required at 914-864-7286.
Saturday is also the final day to reserve a spot for the annual Family Camping Experience at the Trailside Nature Museum at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation in Cross River, which takes place Saturday, Sept. 14 from 2 p.m. through Sunday, Sept. 15 at 11 a.m. Take the stress out of camping and join staff for a family camping overnight. Staff will help set up your tents, start a fire and cook. Activities will also be provided. Call 914-864-7322 for reservations, fees and details.
On Sunday, Sept. 1, Muscoot Farm in Somers will host a farmers’ market from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., featuring nearly 30 local farmers offering a variety of produce and other food goods Sundays through October. Vendor information is available at muscootfarm.org or 914-864-7282.
