Patrice Luciano returns to Fallon for the 2024 Fallon Cantaloupe Festival. She performs Saturday night.
Photo by Steve Ranson.
Singer Patrice Luciano wowed last year’s audience at the Fallon Cantaloupe Festival, capturing the hearts of music goers who responded to her country and rock music repertoire.
The festival committee heard the rave reviews from the festival fans and have invited the Sparks singer back for a Saturday performance at the Rafter 3C Arena. She will precede country singer Ward Davis.
Although Luciano has entertained for years in the Reno-Sparks area, those fans and first-time listeners enjoyed her performance at the 2023 festival wanted and wanted to hear more of her energetic presentation. Unknown to many fans in Fallon, she performed at the festival and then returned to Sparks later that night for another show.
“There was no way I was going to miss opening singer and songwriter Ned LeDoux,” she told the Nevada News Group.
Without a quick return to Sparks after this year’s show, Luciano is predicting this year’s performance will be greater. She began opening for larger acts five years ago, and she recalls one of her first performances occurred on the Talladega Speedway infield.
Life has been great this year for the mother of three and a U.S. Air Force veteran. She will headline her first show in Reno at the Reno Rodeo Foundation’s 2024 Rhythm & Rawhide program, and she continues to attract new fans.
Luciano owns several bars in the Sparks area and also performs in the Truckee Meadows.
Luciano’s career began when she was a 7-year-old girl singing before a high school rodeo. Over the years she has performed before larger groups and continues to add to her resume a number of prestigious stops. Now, she’s producing her own music and will be recording in late October in Nashville. She said the band will provide its own music.
According to her bio, “she branched out into the Rock/ Country scene 5 years ago singing with several cover bands locally. With dreams of breaking into the music industry this vivacious, spunky and charismatic vocalist will keep you very entertained.
“Singing has always been her passion. From American Idol in 2003 to The Voice 2017 she never gives up on the one thing she has wanted to do all her life, music.”
Her music roots also began to develop when a rock band took her under their wings. As a young girl, Luciano appreciated the music of Pink Floyd and other similar sounds from different rock bands. As a performer, she has belted out songs from Pat Benatar to Heart. Her powerful voice was destined for rock music as well as for the country songs.
“I love country music,” she said. “Country is evolving from country rock to traditional country.”
And her deep voice also brings a soulful sound to the table.
Luciano said another key to her success has been with her band and having the same guitarist for five years.
Luciano is no stranger to the Fallon area. She had lived in Fernley and commuted to Reno where she taught. She spent a number of years in the Air Force and USAF Reserves in a medical unit as a civilian nurse. She also cross-trained in the dental field.
Luciano said she spent time with the Air Force in Southeast Asia and also in Latin America.
Doors open at 6 p.m. Steve and Raena Blaise will open the show at 7:15 p.m. followed by Luciano. For tickets to see Luciano and Ward Davis, go to https://www.falloncantaloupefestival.com/tickets. The cost of admission to the Fallon Cantaloupe Festival does not include the show
Sam Malcolm
Sam Malcolm, a professional juggler and comedian, grew up and Fallon and now lives in Denver. Malcolm has been one of the top crowd pleasers during the past six years at the Cantaloupe Festival.
Malcolm will be playing at different locations during the festival.
Steve and Raena
Wandering Songs is husband and wife acoustic duo, Steve and Raena, hailing from the high desert. They have been making music together since 2015, equally sharing duties as lead vocalists, songwriters, and guitarists. The couple first met in 2007 while playing in separate bands and their shared love for music brought them together.
Ward Davis
Ward Davis is an American singer-songwriter from Monticello, Arkansas. Davis has had songs recorded by many entertainers in the music business. In 2016, Davis co-wrote “I’m Not The Devil” with Cody Jinks, which went to No. 4 on the Billboard US Country Charts.
His major debut 2015 album, 15 Years in a 10 Year Town, featured Willie Nelson and Jamey Johnson.
Tickets are available on the website (falloncantaloupefestival.com/tickets) or on the ticketing website at aftontickets.com/event/buyticket/el95nydn92.
Friday update
Dishwalla cancelled last week due to serious illness within the band. They were scheduled to play Friday night. Two great bands still slated to play, but the festival aims to deliver a fantastic Friday experience by offering this performance as a free show to those who purchased a general festival ticket.