By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
OLEAN — There were almost too many cowboy hats and boots to count at Saturday’s Southern Tier Wounded Warrior concert at Bradner Stadium.
The fifth annual Wounded Warrior fundraiser hosted by Allegany native Col. Patrick Miller made its first appearance in Olean under sunny skies and a wide variety of country, rock and acoustic music.
Buffalo singer-songwriter Ade Adu, who blends acoustic, folk, pop and hip-hop, kicked off the music shortly after gates opened at 4 p.m.
The Nashville-based Hootz pitched in for Harper Grade, the Dallas native and American Idol alum who was a victim of the computer virus that canceled thousands of airplane trips earlier in the week.
Derek St. Holmes, the singer and guitarist with Ted Nuget’s band, performed several Nugent tunes.
Headliner Tyler Farr, a Nashville country rocker, played songs from his new EP, “Rednecks Like Me.”
Kids got to jump in a bounce house and older kids tried their chance with an obstacle course, attempting to beat the time of Col. Miller posted for a chance to win a Bills helmet. There were also raffles for Bills and Sabres memorabilia
There were also food trucks, a beer tent, dunk tank and a giant basket raffle.
Another feature was a three-ton painted sand sculpture featuring the head of an American bald eagle with an American flag, donated by Eric Jones Studios. Many concertgoers posed for photos with the sculpture.
Benefitting from this year’s concert are Fisher House at Fort Hood, Homes For Our Troops, WNY Heroes and the St. Bonaventure University Veterans Service Program.
Col. Miller said that after he was shot 10 years ago at Fort Hood he feels a responsibility to help bring attention to wounded warriors with funds raised from the concerts.
