Photo courtesy of Visit Marshall Country music artist Lauren Alaina will be the headliner at this year's Prairie Jam concert in Marshall. The reveal that Alaina will be performing was made during a special event Friday in Marshall.

MARSHALL — She’s a member of the Grand Ole Opry, a chart-topping artist and live performer. And on Friday, Lauren Alaina was revealed as the headliner at this fall’s Prairie Jam concert in Marshall.

People cheered as Alaina’s name was announced, during an event at the Wooden Nickel patio on Friday afternoon.

“I’m a fan,” said Eunice Herrick, one of the people in the crowd at the announcement party. Herrick said she was definitely planning to go to the show. “I’m going to get my tickets right away.”

“It’s exciting,” Laura Clark said of the news. Concert organizers had been leading up to the announcement by dropping clues as to who the headliner would be. “And the opener, they said is a local artist,” Clark said.

Concert organizers said Alaina will be the main performer at Prairie Jam on Sept. 19. Opening the concert will be 20-year-old singer/songwriter Blake Schmitz, from southwest Minnesota.

Alaina is a Georgia-born artist who has performed on some high-profile stages, including on “American Idol,” where she was the runner-up in the show’s tenth season. She has shared the stage with artists including Alan Jackson, Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Martina McBride and Jason Aldean. She’s also headlined two sold-out tours.

Alaina is a member of the Grand Ole Opry. She has three chart-topping hits, including the RIAA platinum-certified song “Road Less Traveled,” the seven-times platinum “What Ifs” with Kane Brown, and the two-times platinum “ONE BEER” with HARDY and Devin Dawson.

Alaina released a six-song EP, titled “Unlocked,” with Big Loud Records in June 2023.

Opening act performer Blake Schmitz will also bring a southwest Minnesota connection to Prairie Jam. Schmitz, a farmer in the region, jumpstarted his music career in 2023. In June, he released his first EP, titled “All of You & Me.”

People at Friday’s announcement event were looking forward to Prairie Jam. “It’s an awesome local event,” Clark said.

Prairie Jam will be September 19, at the Schwan Regional Event Center on the campus of Southwest Minnesota State University. Tickets go on sale Monday, and will be available online at https://visitmarshallmn.com/prairie-jam/.