Franklinton native Maria Jacobs performs on the fair’s main stage

The 96th Washington Parish Free Fair has come and gone, but many wonderful memories remain. Here are just a couple of the more entertaining performers seen this year. First, Maria Jacobs.

The daughter of Jimmie Robinson Sr., pastor of Lighthouse Pentecostal Church, Maria Jacobs has been shining a light on her hometown of Franklinton for many years.

Since she was a girl singing at her father’s church, music has always been an integral part of her life. She writes and arranges her own music, and she recorded her first project in 1991. The following year she released a song call “Jammin’ for Jesus,” which was picked up by the WYLD morning show and played frequently as a “morning wake-up call.”

Since then, she has traveled the country with her Backup singers and band, singing at concerts, fairs, churches, social events and wherever she sees an opportunity. She has performed with gospel artists the Jackson Southernaires, Yolanda Adams and also with Dr. Bobby Jones of BET at the Texas Gospel Announcers Guild in Austin, Texas.

Jacobs has performed at the fair for several years now, and Friday night she gave an electrifying performance before a large crowd which was singing along with many of her numbers. She performed many of the songs from her new CD, “All of Me,” which was released in 2007, including the title song, “All of Me,” “Wait on Jesus,”  “Testify,” and a few down-home songs such as “Amazing Grace.”    She says of the CD, “This CD is a personal life testimony that reveals the heart of a true worshipper, whose sole desire is to minister to the masses in song.”     If you missed her at the fair, she’ll be performing in the area again on Dec. 27 at 6 p.m. in a play titled “How Low Do You Have to Go?” at the Bogalusa High School Auditorium.