Aldean, LaRoche host charity event in Fort Scott

He was coming back to town anyway, so why not bring along a country music superstar?

Platinum recording artist Jason Aldean headlined a major charitable event in Fort Scott on Saturday created by native son and Atlanta Braves first baseman Adam LaRoche.

Called Ropin’ & Rockin’ for Pennies for the Park, the day-long event on the Bourbon County Fairgrounds combined an afternoon rodeo competition with an evening country music concert. Proceeds from the event — fundraising totals will not be known for a few days — will go toward the further development of Ellis Park, a family-oriented venue for area youth.

LaRoche, who spends each offseason at his ranch in Fort Scott, said he wanted to put together Saturday’s event as a way of giving back to his hometown. As for securing the headliner, LaRoche said all it took was a brief conversation between friends.

“I met Jason (Aldean) five or six years ago when I was in Atlanta,” LaRoche said. “We became pretty close friends. About a year ago, I asked him if he wanted to come to my little town of Fort Scott and show us what he’s got. He was all for it.”

While the event was LaRoche’s idea, Fort Scott’s Youth Activities Team played a major role in the development and organization of the day’s festivities. Clayton Tatro, co-convener of the YAT, said pulling it all together was a challenge, but one that the Fort Scott community met head-on.

“The community involvement, pride and goodwill that has been generated through this event should be celebrated,” Tatro said. “There is a special understated appreciation to all of the members of the Youth Activities Team.”

And while LaRoche refuses to take sole credit for the event, Tatro said that Rockin’ & Ropin’ would not have happened without his vision and effort.

“Today’s event would not have been possible without the idea, the spark and the support of one individual,” he said, “and that one individual is Adam LaRoche.”

To that, LaRoche responded by saying that, “This was my idea and that was about it.”

“The YAT team and a whole lot of other people in Fort Scott stepped in to make it happen,” he said.
Aldean, whose 2005 album “Jason Aldean” went platinum, has produced such hit songs as "Why,” "She's Country” and "Big Green Tractor.”  Fellow country music artist Kevin Blake Weldon opened for Aldean during Saturday’s concert. At least 5,000 tickets were sold, event organizers said Saturday.

During the concert, it was announced that the day’s activities were being filmed as part of the reality show “Buck Commander,” which airs on the Outdoor Channel. According to a news release, The Buck Commander group is led by Willie Robertson, of Duck Commander fame, and composed of Major League Baseball players LaRoche, Chipper Jones, Ryan Langerhans, Tom Martin and Matt Duff, many of whom were at Saturday’s concert.

Since it was founded in 2007, Buck Commander has sold tens of thousands of DVDs as well as gear and other products.