Skip to main content

Martin Never Had It So Good


Jessica Andrews, a Huntingdon native, showed Martin a great time when she performed as the final event of the 10th Annual TN Soybean Festival last Saturday night.

Not only did the audience get to hear Andrews, but they also enjoyed a set by her opening act/boyfriend, Marcel Chagnon. They began dating one and a half years ago and have been inseparable ever since.

When Andrews brought him home to Huntingdon, he said it immediately felt like home.

Chagnon moved to L.A. and then to Nashville in order to get a record deal, but it took him eight years to finally accomplish his dreams. He was eventually signed by Mercury Nashville.

His set consisted mainly of songs that included the word ‘dashboard.’ His songs include "Nothing to Lose," "Annie Divine" and "A Key Turned and My Door Opened."

He sang a song about how when we are in an airplane, we are closest to people that we have lost. He dedicated this song to Vickie Andrews, Jessica’s mother.

He sang Country Rock Star, which was on the radio “for about a minute,” according to Chagnon. This was also his first single. While performing this song, he brought Andrews’ cousin on stage with him to sing.

"Sail Away" was a song he finished writing just last weekend. This was his first time performing it in front of an audience.

Chagnon also sang "Tennessee," which was written about the drive from L.A. to Nashville.

The last song Chagnon sang was "You, Me, and the Windshield." This song is about chasing your dreams. He encouraged the audience to always go for their dreams because even if it doesn’t work out, at least you tried.

When Jessica Andrews finally took the stage, she started out with her theme, "More to Me than You." She proceeded to sing several songs off all three of her albums.

Her next song was about a girl telling a guy that he had better be careful what he does because it will come back to him in the end. The title of the song is aptly titled, "Karma."

Andrews sang "Helplessly, Hopelessly, Recklessly" about a girl who is strong in everything, except love. She sang "Unbreakable Heart" and dedicated it to her grandmother.

When she brought Chagnon up on stage for a duet, she said that she became a fan of more than just his music when she met him.

They held hands while singing "I Won’t Hold You Down," which is on his album. He wrote this song one week after he met her, and then he played it for her. Chagnon said that he had asked Andrews to sing this song with him on his demo, and she wanted to sing it on his album. They dedicated the song to her entire family.

She played one of her favorite new songs off the new album, "When Gentry Plays Guitar."

She introduced her band during Aretha Franklin’s "Chain of Fools." Then she covered Sheryl Crow’s "Every Day is a Winding Road."

She ended her show with "Who I Am," which was her first number one song.

Singing has been important to Andrews ever since she won a talent show at age 10 singing Whitney Houston’s "I Will Always Love You."

She started her career in 1999 with Heart Shaped World when she was only 15 years old. Her next album was Who I Am, which came out in 2001.

Her new album, Now, was released earlier this year. She co-wrote two of the tracks on this new record. Because of the therapeutic nature of music, Andrews never wants to stop making music.

The free concert was sponsored by First Citizens Bank.