This 14-year-old Lebanon native got to rock out with Bret Michaels

Lebanon's very own Addi Grace, a 14-year-old musician, got to play her biggest venue yet at the Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course with Pennsylvania native and rock legend Bret Michaels.

Addi performed three songs − Every Rose Has It's Thorn, Nothing But A Good Time and Sweet Home Alabama − alongside Michaels in front of a crowd of over 6,000 people.

"It was the best day of my life," Addi said. "It was so cool."

Addi has been playing music for half her life and performing since she was 9 at venues like the Lebanon Area Fair, Rising Sun Bar & Kitchen and Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center.

Her debut at Hollywood Casino was by far her largest crowd.

She first met Michaels last November when he was inducted into the Central Pennsylvania Music Hall of Fame, where Michaels told Addi he wanted to collaborate in the future.

On an otherwise uneventful Saturday morning, while Addi's father was watching the USA team play in the Women's world cup, he received a call from Michaels.

"We just talked about music and life and being a father of daughters," said Addi's father, Joe McPeak. "We talked about the music industry and he said, hey, I can't tell you what it's going to be but I told you we're going to do something with your kid and I'm a man of my word, and he came through in such an incredible way."

On the day of the concert, she soundchecked with Michaels' crew for "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" only, with Grace for the first time ever playing a Gibson guitar, until Michaels walked over to her and asked if she wanted to stay on for the other two songs.

During the show, and likely due to the amount of shows she has played this year, Addi said that she had no nerves or stage fright.

All about Addi

This year, Grace has booked 66 shows this year all over Central Pennsylvania, performing at least once every weekend all year long.

Her first show, in 2018, was at the former Mt. Gretna Craft Brewery in Campbelltown between set breaks for Olivia Farabaugh, a Lebanon native now pursuing a music career in Nashville, when she was 9-years-old.

Among the her long list of live performances, she's played at the Lebanon Area Fair for the last two years and won her division at the fair's talent show three years ago with her performance of Dolly Parton's "Jolene."

Despite her parents not being particularly musically inclined, Addi has been playing music since she picked up a Ukulele at the age of 7.

"It's a fun, family thing that we do together, because we all really enjoy music," McPeak said. "We're thankful that she has a gift, and it didn't come from us."

The best way to catch a live performance by Addi is through following her Facebook, Addi Grace or Instagram @addigracesmiles, where she posts a list of where she'll be playing.

In April, Addi played live her first original song and is currently working on releasing that song as a single.

She described her style as a little blues-y and a little classic rock, akin to many of the songs she covers now, but is still trying to pin down her exact sound.

Her big goal for 2024 is to release a 5-song EP album out.

"See now it's gonna be on paper," McPeak joked about Addi committing to releasing the EP. "That was purposeful."

"I'll do it," Addi said.

Daniel Larlham Jr. is a reporter for the Lebanon Daily News. Reach him at DLarlham@LDNews.com or on X @djlarlham.

This article originally appeared on Lebanon Daily News: Lebanon musician Addi Grace got to share the stage with Bret Michaels