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Holiday display for everyone
Bueckers sets up, runs Lights in the Country for nearly a decade
ALBANY — When Mike Bueckers first put up a Christmas lights display on his land, it was for his grandmother, Armella Bueckers. Nine years later, he now sets up the show for everyone — as well as for his grandmother and mother, Laurie Hull, for he knows they have the best seats for it.
“A lot of people see it as just some amazing Christmas display, but to me and others, it’s a much more personal connection,” Mike said.
“The bigger trees down there, as you come up to the roundabout, those are (dedicated to) family members who have passed; my grandma (and) my mom have their own trees, (as well as) an aunt and a couple of cousins, and there is a section for cancer ribbons. … Enjoy it, but be respectful of others.”
Good stories over love songs
Local country songwriter Kennedy competes on ‘The Voice,’ pursues career in Nashville
When a New York talent scout reached out to rural West Concord native Cori Kennedy about singing on “The Voice” after watching one of her TikToks that had 200 views, she thought it was a prank.
“He was like, ‘Let’s jump on a Zoom call,’” Kennedy said. “I was like, ‘Yeah, OK, sure. Liar, whatever.’ But then we got on the call, and he was very much real.”
That initial Zoom call led to Kennedy performing on Season 28 of “The Voice,” working on team Reba McEntire.
“Once you get on stage and the music starts, everything just melts away,” Kennedy said. “But when you’re backstage and you hear the audience hooting and hollering, and you hear the coaches’ voices on the PA system there, it’s like, … ‘This is real.’”
