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Little Big Town kicks off the entertainment schedule on Aug. 6, followed by 38 Special on Aug. 7, Gary Allan on Aug. 8 and concluding on Aug. 9 with Jason Aldean. Tickets are $16 for each show. The exact concert time is undetermined. Each performance will start at the conclusion of the rodeo, which starts at 7 p.m. and concludes each night at approximately 9:15 p.m. For more information, call 1-800-455- 2855 (BULL). Every country star involved with the rodeo this year has displayed incredible tenacity by overcoming failure on at least one major record deal. The female half of Little Big Town, Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Roads, went to college together at Samford University in Alabama and would later pursue solo careers in Nashville. After deciding to join forces, the duo became a trio in 1998 with the addition of Jimi Westbrook. Desiring to become a four-piece unit, they rejected two future Rascal Flatts members before completing the band with the addition of Phillip Sweet in 1999. LBT abandon its first record deal due to creative control issues with Mercury Records. A second recording contract with Monument in 2002 had a promising start with Top 40 single “Don't Waste My Time,” but devastating personal problems (death, divorce, etc.) led to them being dropped from the roster. The enormous obstacles would've sent most acts home on the next Greyhound. LBT was down, but not out. They took day jobs to make ends meet and toiled tirelessly for two years in hopes of another chance, which came with independent Equity Music Group. Busting out with breathtaking harmony on the soothing Cajun swamp water vibe on signature tune “Boondocks,” the band in now a consistent hit-making machine and is a high powered concert draw. Other hits by the band have included: “I'm With The Band,” “Bring It On Home” and “Life In A Northern Town,” a compilation with former tour partners Sugarland and Jake Owen. 38 Special was formed in 1975 by Jacksonville, Fl. neighborhood friends Don Barnes and Donnie Van Zant. At the time, Donnie's brother Ronnie was lead singer of rock 'n' roll's hottest band, Lynyrd Skynyrd. It took five years for the band to evolved from a hard core Southern rock sextet to a more polished commercial sound with a blend of blues rock and arena rock, which was personified on hits like “Rockin' Into The Night,” “Hold On Loosely,” “Caught Up In You” and “Second Chance.” Over a 27 year period, the band released 19 singles and 18 albums, none more popular than the back-to-back platinum efforts on “Wild-Eyed Southern Boys” in 1981 and “Special Forces” in 1982. Donnie often teams with brother Johnny, who took over as Lynyrd Skynyrd lead vocalist after Ronnie was killed in a 1977 plane crash, in the country duo Van Zant. They released a gold album in 2005, “Get Right With The Man,” and have hit the singles chart with “Help Somebody” and “Ain't Nobody Gonna Tell Me What To Do.” Allan was raised in a musical family and started playing in California nightclubs when he was 13, as a member of his father's band. He formed the popular Honky Tonk Wranglers after high school. A surfer, Allan's laid-back soulful vocals immediately was heard from the Pacific Ocean, across the Rocky Mountains and all the way to Music City. He signed his first major deal in 1993, but was lost in a cooperate shake up at RCA/BNA Nashville. Selling cars to pay bills, Allan earned his second deal after a wealthy customer found a demo tape stashed in the glove box of a car he had sold. The right calls were made, a showcase was quickly arranged in Los Angels and Decca executives were so impressed they signed Allen on the spot. The label's newest acquisition paid immediate dividends. Allan electrified fans with debut single “Her Man” and followed with hits like “The One,” “Tough Little Boys,” “Man To Man,” recent smash “Watching Airplanes” and “Right Where I Need To Be,” which was co-written by Thompsonville's Kendell Marvel and was the most played song on country radio in 2000. Allan has released eight albums, including a Greatest Hits package in 2007. As a youngster, Aldean learned to play guitar from charts hand drawn by his father. He played his first professional gig at 14 and tirelessly honed his skills playing college towns in the deep south after high school. Aldean was discovered at a showcase in Atlanta and migrated to Nashville when he was 21. He lost two major record deals before being signed to Broken Bow in 2004 after a sizzling showcase at The Wildhorse Saloon. The 31-year old Macon, Ga. native cracked the Top 10 with his first five singles, including redneck anthem “Hicktown,” farming tribute “Amarillo Sky,” “Johnny Cash” and “Why,” which is his lone No. 1 effort. Aldean is currently soaring up the charts with latest single “Relentless.” This summer he is promoting the single at solo shows and on tour with Tim McGraw. |
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