This year's RodeoHouston's stage has been populated by country A-listers, arena rockers and a Latin pop heartthrob. But its hometown acts who have so far filled the most seats. Conroe…
Parker McCollum performs at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Saturday, March 12, 2022, at NRG Stadium in Houston. Photo: Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer
Conroe native Parker McCollum’s Saturday debut drew 73,243 paid attendance. That’s 14 people less than Bun B’s H-town Takeover, the biggest crowd to date so far.McCollum, who graduated from The Woodlands College Park High School, has been steadily building his national profile over the last three years. He told the crowd he’d just learned Saturday that his single “To be Loved by You” had risen to No. 1.
“Houston, my heart is beating out of my chest right now,” he said. “I saw Pat Green sell out the Houston Rodeo in 2003. And all I ever wanted since then was to sell out the Houston Rodeo.”He took the stage in a white ball cap, T-shirt and his signature gold chains. McCollum has a voice that’s emotive in just the right ways. Never too much, never too little. It adds a poignancy to every song. He’s a genuinely thoughtful, engaging performer and songwriter.