Published: July 02, 2009 12:55 pm      

Edmond senior opens for Randy Travis

EDMOND — Bryce Merritt will take to the stage Saturday as he opens for country music icon and Grammy Award-winning singer Randy Travis at Frontier City’s July 4 celebration.

The 17-year-old senior at Edmond Memorial said he always has listened to country music, but at the moment he is really enjoying Michael Buble with his old-fashioned jazz sound. Merritt also likes contemporary and Christian music.

“Whatever the occasion calls for,” he said.

Merritt is not new to performing. “I have been singing practically my whole life,” he said, “and when I was 10 years old I auditioned for the Oklahoma Centennial Rodeo Opry in Oklahoma City and started singing there.”

The teen singer opened for Billy Currington last year at Frontier City on July 4 and has sung at numerous places, including the Lazy E Arena and the Kingfisher Rodeo, and was pre-show entertainment for Kingfisher’s July 4 activities one year.

In 2005 he performed at the National Youth Summit in Washington, D.C., where Laura Bush was the honorary chairwoman. He has performed for the Memorial High School Follies and sings frequently at the Rodeo Opry. He also has sung the National Anthem at Bedlam Baseball, for the Blazers and at the U.S. Naval Academy. Last year he made a CD to help raise money for Swine Week, the school’s annual week of fundraising.

“I am so excited to open for such a legend like Randy Travis,” Merritt said. “I absolutely love singing, performing and everything about it.”

Merritt says he plans to ask Travis what advice he would have for what Bryce wants to eventually achieve.

“My friend Matt Schinske and I have started writing songs together, and we have written two and are working on a third,” Merritt said. He said he hopes to be able to ask Randy Travis about getting into writing music also.

Bryce is the son of Brad and Cindy Merritt. “We just sit back and enjoy all of our boys as they go their own direction,” Brad Merritt said.

Bryce has two brothers. Braden is serving with the U.S. Marines and Brett is a student at Oklahoma State University.

“We think Randy Travis is a country music superstar,” Brad said, “and we think Frontier City is an awesome place to spend the Fourth of July. To have them together with our son singing makes it even greater.”

Travis is the first entertainer in Frontier City’s 2009 Country Concert Line Up. Other entertainers include Lady Antebellum, Red Dirt Rangers and Craig Morgan, KVSP Power Jam featuring Lloyd and Brandon Heath and Family Force 5.

All concerts are free with a season pass or with paid park admission. Visit www.frontiercity.com for additional information including concert dates and times. All shows are subject to change.