Country music coming to the fairs
Many of you have been asking me what country music shows are coming up so here’s a list of the main events coming up in the next weeks. Country Connection will return after the summer break and Labour Day weekend, every Friday as usual. I can’t wait to share all the country news with you.
The first event comes with the Ayer’s Cliff Fair where Canadian Country singer Chad Brownlee will perform on the Grandstand on Saturday August 25 at 8:30 p.m. The admission on the fairgrounds includes all rides, shows, grandstand and free parking on the grounds.
With six CCMA nominations and nine top-10 singles at Canadian country radio under his belt, Chad Brownlee is wellknown to country music fans. The former Vancouver Canucks draft pick turned to music after many injuries. He has a gift for songwriting and a distinctively raspy and emotional voice.
Brownlee entered the limelight with the release of his self-titled debut album in 2010 which features fan favourites “Hood of my Car” and “Carried Away”. The following year saw Brownlee winning the CCMA Rising Star Award, lifting him to the top of the Canadian country music scene.
This lead him to his album Love Me Or Leave Me in 2012, where he then celebrated the successful release of his sophomore album by hitting the road with Grammy-nominee Dierks Bentley across the Canada.
In 2013, he co-headlined the “Your Town Throwdown” tour with fellow Canadian country artists Deric Ruttan and Jason Blaine. Brownlee’s third and fourth albums were released consecutively after – The Fighters (2014) and Hearts on Fire (2016).
His catalogue of albums contain many hits such as “Love Me Or Leave Me”, “Listen”, “Somethin’ We Shouldn’t Do” and recently gold-certified “I Hate You For It” – proving the steady stream of love for Brownlee’s sound and words.
Chad Brownlee has spent the past few years between his hometown of Kelowna, British Columbia and Nashville, Tennessee writing and recording new music set to be released later this year.
For more information go to www.expoayerscliff.com or 819-838-5388
Champlain Valley Fair
Champlain Valley Fair will be presenting the Academy of Country Music Awards ‘Vocal Group of the Year’, Old Dominion. They will perform on the Cocacola Grandstand, kicking off the fair on August 24 at 7:00 p.m. with country music singer Michael Ray as the opening act.
Old Dominion is a five-member country music band formed in Nashville, Tennessee. The band consists of Matthew Ramsey (lead vocals), Trevor Rosen (guitar, keyboards), Whit Sellers (drums), Geoff Sprung (bass guitar), and Brad Tursi (guitar).
You can reserve your tickets at the Flynn’s Box office at 802-863-5966 or online at flynntix.org
On Sunday, September 2, 2018, Country singer Billy Currington will grace the Coca-cola Grandstand as part of their presentation lineup of this year’s edition of the fair. Fans of his music won't want to miss the chance to see Currington live and in concert. The sea and beach-loving singer has made a name for himself with songs that simply make you smile and feel good. Songs such as ‘Good Directions,’ ‘We Are Tonight,’ and ‘People Are Crazy’ are just three examples of his relax style.
The platinum-selling, Grammy, ACM and CMA nominated singer Billy Currington is well-known for his high-energy live shows. He always gives the audience what they want and leaves them feeling like they’ve been attending a mega party.
You can reserve your tickets at the Flynn’s Box office at 802-863-5966 or online at flynntix.org.
Lancaster Fair
On Saturday September 1, 2018 the Lancaster Fair in Lancaster N.H. will greet, the legendary country singer Tanya Tucker on the Grandstand. Tucker has been performing for over forty years now and she is still as good as it gets. The admission price at the fair includes the show and the rides.
Tanya Tucker’s voice and ability to tell a story through a song, is not the only reason why people want to see her show. Another great part of the appeal comes with the way she interacts with the crowd. She is down-to-earth and friendly and fans love it.
The singer is a defining voice of country music and a modern day legend. Her smoky voice and her great song selection have made her one of the most successful and admired women in country music.
She has been nicknamed the ‘wild child of country music’ and one thing for sure is that she is lively, energetic and she delivers.
On the local scene
The Country Music Appreciation Jamboree is a great event created by country singer Bobbi Dee and her partner (bassist) Stan Mckelvey. Their mission is to encourage, support and appreciate professional musicians by providing a monthly venue where they can gather and an opportunity to keep their ‘live’ music alive.
The ‘Fall into Autumn’s edition is coming up on September 8 at the Burroughs's Falls Reception Hall, and will offer a few changes. A new house band, The Honky Tonk Rebels consists of Yvan Moreault, Togo Belanger, Mario Desrosiers, Alain Marois and Phillip Patton. They will perform as well as their guest, the Montreal based band The Lost Highway on September 8th, from 1-6 p.m.
The event will include hours of continuous live country music along with a corn roast and buffet that is included in the price of your ticket (15$). For more info, e-mail; countrymusicappreciationjams@gmail.com or call Angele @ 819838-4912. Please reserve.