Four times a year, women from all over the city gather to network and enjoy an afternoon of empowerment, inspiration and celebration at the Fayetteville Ladies Power Lunch. Each lunch features a keynote speaker, a local woman who is making a difference in this community. Thursday, May 9, FLPL welcomes singer-songwriter KasCie Page to share about how she went from a young girl singing in church to a national award-winning recording artist.

A Shopportunity Expo before and after the meal provides a chance to connect with and learn about dozens of local woman-owned and -managed businesses and organizations. Door prizes, a 50-50 raffle and a wine bar with tasting options round out the experience.

Born in Conway, South Carolina, Page started singing when she was 3 years old. She started songwriting at a young age, too.

After college, Page moved to the small town of Red Springs, North Carolina, which is close to Fort Bragg. She started working at a BB&T Bank and continued to sing in church and at weddings and family events, but only when she went home to Conway.

Then, in the late 2000s, she met Robbie Lee VanHoy at the bank. He owned Soundland Studios in Red Springs and had written a song for which he had still not found the right female vocalist. Out of that meeting was born Black Velvet, the duo of Page and Lee that would launch Page’s professional music career.

A few years ago, Page signed a record deal with Lamon Records Nashville (Tennessee), and her first full-length album was released in early 2017. Lee worked with Page to write several of the album’s original tracks, and he still serves as her duo partner.

In the past few years, Page has gained more and more notice from the music industry. She was named 2016 Entertainer of the Year by Florida Country Music Radio. In 2018, she won Female Artist of the Year at the Carolina Country Music Awards. This year, she was nominated for that same title at the CCMA, and was also nominated as Songwriter of the Year for her song “Proud of You.” She was also nominated as overall Entertainer of the Year.

Page said “Proud of You,” which like the rest of her music is available for streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play Music and all other standard platforms, represents a great introduction to her as an artist. “It’s a song everyone can relate to,” she said. “I wrote it about my parents.

“The very first verse of the song talks about a conversation I had with my dad when I was 8 years old. I remember it like yesterday, and those were the exact words he said to me.

“When I wrote it, I thought, nobody’s gonna listen to this song. This is just about my life. But I went out on a limb.”

Each Power Lunch opens at 10 a.m. with registration and the exclusive Shopportunity Expo.

Seating begins at 11:45 a.m. At noon, opening remarks are followed by lunch and the keynote speaker. At 1:45 p.m., there are door prizes courtesy of every vendor, a 50-50 raffle and closing remarks. The formal portion of the event concludes at 2 p.m., leaving an hour for continued networking and conversation before the Power Lunch officially concludes at 3 p.m.

FLPL takes place at the Ramada Plaza, 1707-A Owen Dr. Registration costs $45. Vendor tables and sponsorships are also available. To learn more or to register, visit FayettevilleLadiesPowerLunch.com.

Photo:  KasCie Page