Casi Joy will be the headline performer for Freedom Fest JC in downtown Junction City Monday night. She combines traditional country and modern pop music, and has appeared as a contestant on "The Voice" on NBC. Joy is a native of Kansas City and has also been a Nashville recording artist. "I've had some venues go viral and that's been so incredible and I'm so grateful that I have such awesome fans that have been following my journey since day one."
Fans at the 8:30 p.m. Monday concert will get to hear a variety of music. "When you see the show in Junction City it is going to be country, pop, rock, kid's songs, bad jokes, everything under the sun. We just kind of read the crowd and fly by the seat of our pants because we're here for the fans and we want to play what they want to hear. "
Preceding Casi Joy on stage will be the band, Run With It, with Miguel Caraballo. He is a 1998 Junction City graduate, now based in the Kansas City area. He's coming home for the festival. "It'll be cool, being back home playing on the big stage there. "
Run With It performs a style similar to pop rock. They'll perform some cover songs and some of their own original music. Miguel remembers his start in music as a youth when he taught himself how to play a friend's guitar at the age of 15 or 16. "Just banging on that thing until literally my fingers were like raw. " At the age of 18 he decided to pursue a music career.
Caraballo credits the support of his mother, Linda Caraballo, Junction City. "If she found out I was into something it didn't matter what it was, she would just pour all of her energy into helping me do that thing, resourcing me to do that thing to the best of her ability." Miguel added that she always supported his efforts in music.
Linda Caraballo is a Financial Analyst / Office Manager in the Geary County Treasurer's Office and a Proof Operator for the Central National Bank. She told JC Post that she supported her son in everything that he did. "Work, gave him help financially, got him around to places before he got his driver's license and got his vehicle to transport him and his band equipment. She enjoys her son's performances, and said when Monday night arrives she'll be super excited, nervous and proud!