Newcomer’s big leap
Sam Hunt makes it to the top of a bill in a lineup that’s all about mixing it up in Indio.
Two veteran headliners of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio will return next year, and they will welcome a newcomer — Sam Hunt — into the rarefied company of acts chosen to top the bill at the world’s largest country music celebration.
The “Body Like a Back Road” singer makes the jump next year from support act to marquee one, sandwiched between returning headliners Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan for the 12th edition of the gathering, taking place April 26-28 at the Empire Polo Field.
Beyond the testosteroneheavy trio topping the lineup will be the usual disparate mix of mainstream country, Americana artists, bluegrass acts, rock, folk and the now-standard classic-rock groups that have come to be a regular facet of the Stagecoach experience.
Although no female act is headlining next year, Stacy Vee, director of festival talent for Goldenvoice, remains committed to crafting a bill that gives a greater percentage of performance slots to women.
Among the women coming next spring are Ashley Monroe, Cam, Lauren Alaina, Danielle Bradbery, Terri Clark, Rita Wilson, Ruby Boots, Abby Anderson, Dawn Landes, Rachel Wammack and Jessie James Decker. Female headliners from years past have included Shania Twain, Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood.
In 2019, Stagecoach’s classic rock-leaning camp will consist of Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, hard rock-turned-country singer Bret Michaels and Welsh rock-soul-R&B-gospel singer Tom Jones.
Tickets will go on sale Friday, and three-day general admission passes will cost $349, the same price as last year. Complete lineup and ticket information are available at the official Stagecoach website, stagecoach festival.com.
Along with the music, Vee is bringing back celebrity chef Guy Fieri’s Stagecoach Smokehouse barbecue tent featuring a variety of food and beverage booths. Roots rocker and fashion plate Nikki Lane also will bring back the Stage Stop Marketplace merchandising area, and country DJs will spin records in the HonkyTonk Dancehall.