According to her homepage jessicasonner.com, Jessica Sonner from Denver, released her first album in Dec. 2005, and since has been traveling the country singing her own songs about love and friendship. Sonner opened family weekend performing in the Pioneer Haus at 8 p.m. on Oct. 23.

Photograph by Stephanie Coren

On Oct. 23 Jessica Sonner, singer and songwriter, performed in the Pioneer Haus as part of family weekend events.

Two students from UW-Platteville opened for Sonner. Joan LaRosa, history major, and Aaron Beyersdorff, engineering physics major, both sang and played the guitar for a few songs to get the crowd ready for Sonner’s performance.

Sonner was full of jokes to lighten the mood and was very easy going while getting the crowd involved.

“I have never been to a campus that has a brewery on campus. Thought they were telling you not to drink on campus?” Sonner said, which caused the crowd to break out in laughter.

There were several times when this occurred; Sonner was not afraid to be herself and make side comments between songs to get the crowd laughing. She kept the audience involed by asking an audience member for a request and having the crowd clap and sing during her song.

She sang a new song called “Making a Difference,” and also a wedding song that she wrote called “Holding My Heart.”

At the end of her performance, Sonner said, “If you want to help me buy shampoo and deodorant you can buy a CD and help a struggling singer.” Her last song was “When You Kiss Me.”

“I saw her two years ago in Rockford, Ill,” Eddie Johnston, computer science major, said. “She keeps getting better.”

“Go out of your way to see her,” Caitie Stemper, elementary education major, said.