Houston Bernard and Whitney Doucet; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Houston Bernard and Whitney Doucet

Maynard Country MusicFest, Memorial Park, Maynard, MA

September 19, 2026

Maynard, Massachusetts held its second annual Maynard Country MusicFest yesterday at Memorial Park. The event featured arts and crafts vendors, a couple food trucks, and two of the region’s hottest country music acts, dropped into the middle of a pleasant Saturday afternoon.

I attended this as a social event rather than specifically to write a review, which means I wasn’t taking notes, so the review will be on the short side, but I did take a few photos. And heck, it was a fun event, something you’ll want to circle your calendar for next year if you’re in the area. Assuming it follows the same format again next year, it’s a short 1:00-4:00 concert, so you can enjoy your morning, zip out for some great country music in the afternoon, and get home in plenty of time for dinner.

Whitney Doucet; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Whitney Doucet

At yesterday’s event, Whitney Doucet kicked things off. If you’ve been paying attention, she has been getting plenty of attention the last couple of years, singing national anthems, opening for national acts as they swing through the area, and just generally building a buzz. I was excited to finally get out to hear her perform, doubly so after listening to a few of her recent releases on Spotify. Whitney wowed the crowd with originals like “Cowboys” and a slew of energetic covers, including Ella Langley’s  “Choosin’ Texas.” When male vocals were called for, Whitney turned to her band – notably, her bass player, who sang the Georgia Satellites’ “Keep Your Hands to Yourself.” It was an electric opening performance. Still, I’d like to catch Whitney in a different venue to hear her shine – something about the sound was off, as both the vocals and guitar were overly distorted no matter where I stood. The crowd didn’t seem to mind, and maybe I’m just being picky, but I’ve heard what she’s capable of, and I want to hear it live. (In case others noticed it, too, especially if this was their first taste of Whitney’s music, I wanted to make that point.)

Houston Bernard; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Houston Bernard

Next up was headliner Houston Bernard, and not only was the band dialed in, but the sound system was right where it needed to be for his set, allowing the assembled crowd to hear one of the Boston-area’s most talented country artists delivering a lively performance that would play exceptionally well both in a venue like this and as a tour headliner. Or, heck, at least as an opener on a major national artist’s tour.

Now, I had previously only heard Houston perform in original music-friendly environments, so I had heard him play few covers before today. Obviously, his original stuff is top-notch, but the dude knows how to nail the covers, too. He did play a few of his originals, including “You’re All I Need,” a heartfelt number that’s long been a personal favorite of mine, more recent release “Don’t Feel Like a Livin’,” and “Heartbreak in Reverse,” from Houston’s newest album, Oklahoma Stars. For that last number, the recording, a duet with Ashley Jordan, is up for a Josie Award (tonight, in fact!). Live, though, Houston was joined onstage by Whitney, and the two performed it movingly. (Oh, my! While proofreading, I just noticed it was a Whitney-Houston duet!)

Houston Bernard; photo by Geoff Wilbur

For the covers, Houston covered plenty of ground, covering a lot of rock ‘n roll and country real estate, including 4 Non Blondes’ “What’s Up,” Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” – yeah, that’s almost a must-cover for a country act these days, Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark,” Kenny Loggins’ “Footloose,” and a song that’s having a bit of a resurgence these days, John Denver’s “Country Roads.”

This was the second consecutive Maynard Country MusicFest with Houston Bernard as headliner – last year, Ashley Jordan opened – and honestly, I think the crowd would welcome him back annually. I certainly would enjoy the opportunity to catch him out here in the outer western Boston suburbs once a year.

Also worth noting, tonight at the Josie Music Awards in Nashville, Houston is nominated for six awards, and the local music scene is pulling for him to bring home at least an award or two, but it is, indeed, an honor to be nominated.