Keith Anderson visits Manassas Wal-Mart

By Courtney Scites

Published: August 14, 2008

Country music star Keith Anderson entered the Manassas Wal-Mart with a smile that lasted the entire night.

Anderson, who made his country music presence with debut hit single "Pickin' Wild-flowers," visited Wal-Mart No. 3573, on Liberia Avenue, Aug. 7 to promote his latest album, "C'mon."

"I love this area," Anderson said. "The crazy country fans, I just can't wait to come back and party with them."

(Anderson returns to the area Aug. 29 to open for Travis Tritt.)

The album, his second, took a year to release.

"It was great working with producer Jeffrey Steele, but it was hard waiting because I knew it was such a great record." Anderson said. "During that time, I switched from Arista Nashville to Columbia Records and have my highest-charted single."

A crowd of about 500 dwarfed the 2-300 expected fans lined up at the album signing and per-formance event, said Wal-Mart Assistant Manager Neil Celis.

"We sold close to 400 albums, which put us No. 1 in the country," Celis said.

Wal-Mart store No. 3573 sales beat album sales at his Chicago stop by about 100.

Among the early arrivals, were a group of loyal Keith Anderson Fan Club members that called themselves "Bubbettes."

Bubbettes Barbara Keane (along with parents Pauline and Thomas) and Cathy Duerling (with husband Kevin) drove all the way from Pasadena, Md., to see Anderson.

"Bubbettes travel across the country for Keith's concerts," said Barbara Keane. "We have traveled to Las Vegas, Nashville and Missouri, wherever there are two concerts in a row a group tries to meet up."

And Anderson seemed to recognize them upon his arrival, and even acknowledges the "Bubbettes" and other fan club groups on the dedication page of his album. He makes a point to thank everyone who had a hand in his success.

Anderson warmed-up the crowd with a five-song set, kicking it all off with his hit "XXL," from freshman album "Three Chord Country and American Rock & Roll."

His second song, "Lost in this Moment," off his new album, was co-written with John Rich, from the duo Big & Rich.

"John Rich and I recorded it without knowing and both put it on our new records," Anderson said. "We decided to keep it to add a different twist."

"Lost in this Moment," was released last year by Big & Rich and peaked at No. 1 on the list of Hot Country Songs.

He threw in "I Still Miss You,"another single from his new album. "I Still Miss You" is his highest-charted single to date. According to Billboard.com, it hit No. 5 this week.

After wrapping up with "Pickin' Wildflowers," Anderson handed his guitar pick to an 8-year-old girl dressed in pink. She was holding a sign with "It's my birthday" scrawled in marker.

Then, he signed autographs and smiled for photographs with the nearly 500 fans and shoppers wrapped in a line around the store.

He also signed four posters to be donated or auctioned to benefit the Children's Miracle Network or the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Courtney Scites can be reached at 703-878-8084.