SPANISH FORT, Ala.—It began innocently enough with noticeably more kids milling about the fountain area of the Eastern Shore Centre just after lunch on March 25.

By 6:05 p.m. that evening, however, when singer, songwriter and actress Jennette McCurdy took the stage, the crowd had swelled to more than 300 and the decibel level was off the charts.

“We love her music,” said 7-year-old Katelyn Gilley, while her twin, Kamryn, nodded enthusiastically beside her.

Meanwhile, Spanish Fort High School student Ashton Hamil, 16, clutched a promotional photo of McCurdy she was planning to have signed for her cousin in Georgia.

The four-song concert and meet-and-greet with the artist most well-known for her role as Sam Puckett on Nickelodeon’s “iCarly” was part of a 30-mall, cross-country tour benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis.

Before rolling into Spanish Fort – the official halfway mark for the two-month trek – the tour had wowed more than 8,000 fans and raised more than $26,000 for St. Jude.

For the complete story, plus more exclusive photos, see the March 31 edition of The Bulletin.

Jennette McCurdy talks about life on tour:

(Staff video by Kelli M. Dugan)