Autumn McEntire, the niece of country singer Reba McEntire, will bring her brand of folk country songs to the Hill this weekend.

The concert will be part of Country and Western night at Redz tomorrow from 8 to 11 p.m.

Redz, otherwise known as the fourth floor of Downing University Center, hosts a theme night every Friday. For this week’s theme, McEntire will perform on the same bill as local band Empty Hearts.

McEntire, 27, described her sound as “rootsy,” and said she mostly plays at coffee houses and other similarly intimate venues. She prefers coffee houses to bars because of the types of songs she writes. She said her songs tend to tell stories, and it’s hard to keep people’s attention when they’re just there to have a good time.

The album she recorded, “Same Ol’ Me,” hasn’t officially been released, but has been available for sale at her performances for some time.

McEntire said she is proud of the album’s sound, which she said is not overproduced.

“It doesn’t have everything and the kitchen sink,” she said.

Kenneth Martin, a graduate student who is a student center assistant and organizes events at DUC and Garrett Center, said he found out about McEntire through myspace.com. He was looking for country acts on the Web site when he found her profile. Four of her songs were also available for listening on the site.

McEntire said her myspace account has been very beneficial to her career. She said she has performed about five shows in the past two months because of the exposure it has provided.

McEntire doesn’t tour every weekend, but she manages to keep her schedule flexible enough to take offers because she is self-employed. She has her own business in Nashville, Custom Cleaning Service, which she began in May.

McEntire said that being related to Reba has certainly been to her advantage at times. Although she doesn’t rely on the association, she said she doesn’t mind that people ask about her either.

“I’m very proud of the name,” she said. “She’s been absolutely wonderful and supportive.”

Martin found Empty Hearts, who will be playing before McEntire, through myspace.com as well. Four of the five members are Western students.

Auburn senior Eric Wilson, the band’s singer and acoustic guitar player, said the band was a side project of his and two other members, including his brother, Matt, a sophomore. He said Empty Hearts’ sound is a sort of folk country rock, and includes a mandolin, played by Auburn junior Seth Barnett.

This is in contrast to Wilson’s main band, Go Aberdeen, which he said is more indie pop rock. Go Aberdeen has been playing for about two years, mostly at Spencer’s coffee house, he said.

Wilson said he was excited about the performance and was happy to be asked to play because this will only be their second show performing as Empty Hearts.

Martin said there will be free chili, pizza, soda and cowboy-shaped cookies at the event. He mentioned that international students have shown up to Friday Redz events fairly consistently.

“To me, it’s an interesting way to introduce them to a part of American culture,” he said.

Reach Hawkins Teague
at features@wkuherald.com.