HAMLET — Musical talent flowed naturally at Cole Auditorium Thursday, April 11 through a uniquely gifted family — The Next Generation Leahy. 

ROCKINGHAM — Fireworks will light up the Marston sky this summer for the inaugural “4th of July at the Rock” extravaganza.

HAMLET — The Cole Auditorium, located on main campus of Richmond Community College, welcomes the Canadian Celtic group Next Generation Leahy on Thursday, April 11. 

ROCKINGHAM— “If a book on customer service could be written, the Haigler brothers should definitely be the authors,” said County Manager Bryan Land as he announced the retirement of longtime Richmond County Airport Managers, Doyle and Sam Haigler to the County Commissioners Tuesday evening.  

While driving not long ago, I was listening to the car radio as I do on almost every drive. The only time the radio is not on is when I am on the phone. I don't have one of those fancy setups that allow me to talk on the phone through the radio. My wife does, but she has a newer car. I have an old beater with a stereo that only works when you use FM radio. The CD player stopped playing a few weeks ago and I haven't gotten around to taking the CDs out of the car. I listen to mostly classic rock or oldies stations wherever I am. I like the same music I liked when I was younger and I still listen to it now. 

HAMLET — Richmond Senior High choral student Ashleigh Adamson wasn’t expecting what she received Thursday morning: a full music scholarship from Methodist University.

The presentation was made by Dr. Susan Durham-Lozaw and Dr. Michael Martin from Methodist University in front of the chorus at Cole Auditorium.

“I was very surprised!” she said. “My grandma had told me that they were going to be taking pictures … but I hadn't thought it would be anything like a full tuition scholarship.”

The private Fayetteville college was one of several institutions the senior applied to ― the others being Elon University, the N.C. School of the Arts and Wingate University — Adamson said “it was definitely the school that I felt I could make a home at.”

Adamson said she began singing when she was about 4 or 5 years old.

“She was about 4 when she heard the “Queen of the Night” aria from Mozart's “The Magic Flute,” and started hitting the high notes while playing around the house,” said her mother, Cherri Wilson Adamson. “After that, it never stopped. She started singing everything she could find online from all genres of music. It's in her blood and soul.

“I am very proud and she amazes me every day!” her mother continued. “She has worked so hard for this. She practices all the time.”

Adamson comes from a musical family background, with her grandmother, Glenda Sherrill, singing and playing a variety of instruments including piano, guitar, banjo and bagpipes.

“Everyone has always sang in choirs, whether church choir or school choirs,” she said. “Music is such a passion for me because I find it really lets me escape to another world and convey to others how I feel.” 

But family isn’t her only personal influence, with choir director Erin McNair topping the list.

“She has gone above and beyond for me and I couldn't ask for a better choir director and mentor,” Adamson said. “My family and best friends are also another big influence because they have had my back and supported me from day one, as well as the chorus, who has also supported me through everything.”

While her favorite types of music are pop and alternative, Adamson said she finds “that there's something very special about classical music that just can't be beat by any other genre.”

After graduating, Adamson hopes to jumpstart a career in opera or on Broadway.

She also plans on going to graduate school “to further my vocal skills and my knowledge of vocal technique as I would also love to teach voice.”

HAMLET — The premier tribute to the Eagles is coming Tuesday, March 5, to the Cole Auditorium on the campus of Richmond Community College. 

HAMLET — The timeless sounds of Motown will give way to an unforgettable concert experience, “The Magic of Motown,” coming Tuesday, Jan. 22, to the Cole Auditorium located on the main campus of Richmond Community College.  

ROCKINGHAM — Thursday night will be a time for Richmond County residents to “Be young, be foolish, but be happy.”

Legendary R&B group The Tams will take the stage as Plaza Jam, the city’s summer outdoor concert series, comes to a close.

The Atlanta-based group was founded in 1960 and had several top 10 hits. They have been honored with two gold records and several awards and were inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, according to their website.

ROCKINGHAM - Bucky Covington, the former American Idol contestant on arguably its most star-studded season the show ever had, has been invited to the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame.

A native of Richmond County, Bucky first appeared in the national spotlight on American Idol's fifth season alongside Chris Daughtry, Taylor Hicks, and Elliott Yamin, and went on to garner major success and become the bestselling debut artist of 2007.