The Kansas State Fair has announced additional acts for the 2014 U.S. Cellular Grandstand.
Cheap Trick, Matthew West with Cloverton, Chris Young with Courtney Cole, Aaron Watson and Jack Ingram and 3 Doors Down have been added to the acts featured at the 2014 Kansas State Fair. This year’s fair will run Sept. 5-14.
Tickets will go on sale May 10 at 8 a-m. and may be purchased at the Kansas State Fair ticket office by calling 1-800-362-3247 or at www.kansasstatefair.tix.com. Unless otherwise noted, grandstand concert tickets include gate admission when purchased through Aug. 23.
Renewing and new members of the 2014 Fair Fan Club get the first opportunity at the best tickets for U.S. Cellular Grandstand concerts. Club members may purchase up to two tickets (per membership) to all grandstand shows prior to the general public on-sale. This includes the premier 160-seat stage floor seating area closest to the stage. Memberships for the 2014 Fair Fan Club are $100 and are available for purchase beginning Monday, March 10, 2014. Advance concert tickets for Fair Fan Club members ONLY will go on sale beginning at 8 a.m. on Monday, April 14 and will end on Wednesday, May 7. Tickets go on sale to the general public on May 10 at 8 a.m. For more information on joining the club, visit www.kansasstatefair.com.
Cheap Trick – Friday, Sept. 5, 7:30 p.m. – Tickets starting at $22.50*
With over 35 years in the music industry, Cheap Trick continues to create a lasting legacy. The group blends elements of pop, punk and metal to make instantly catchy and recognizable songs. “I Want You to Want Me,” “Surrender” and “The Flame” are just a few of the songs that have propelled the band into stardom.
Cheap Trick has amassed over 5,000 performances, 20 million records sold, 29 movie soundtracks and 40 gold and platinum recording awards. In 2008, they were featured in the John Varvatos Spring ad campaign. Cheap Trick even wrote and performed the theme song for The Colbert Report on Comedy Central.
More recently, Cheap Trick has performed the entirety of its Dream Police album along with an orchestra across the United States, including venues such as the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. The Latest, its most current release, has received glowing reviews worldwide and continues to add to the success of Cheap Trick and its rein as power-pop progenitors.
Current band members include Daxx Nielsen (drums), Rick Nielsen (lead guitar/backing vocals), Tom Petersson (bass/backing vocals) and Robin Zander (lead vocals/rhythm guitar).
To learn more about Cheap Trick, please visit www.cheaptrick.com.
Matthew West with Cloverton – Wednesday, Sept. 10, 7:30 p.m. – Tickets starting at $15*
To date, Matthew West has collected over 20,000 stories from fans and turned them into songs of hope and inspiration. What began as an idea for music inspiration turned into a journey to craft a landmark album, The Story of Your Life. When people realized they were given a voice as well as an opportunity for their stories to be heard, West’s newest album, Into the Light, was a hit.
Involving his fans in the creation of his songs made it fitting that Matthew West received his first American Music Award for Best Contemporary Inspirational Artist in November 2013. West is also a two-time Grammy nominee and has released five studio albums including popular hits: “Strong Enough,” “The Motions,” “My Own Little World,” “More” and “You are Everything.”
West’s songs range from stories of a 13-year-old California boy who prayed for a closer relationship with his family to a 20-year-old college student who single-handedly contacted the Ugandan government to shut down an orphanage that was abusing and neglecting children. Thanks to the bravery of the individuals who share their stories with Matthew West, he uses them as a vehicle to improve the lives of others.
“My Own Little World” even led West to create his own nonprofit, Population We. This ministry is passionate about the stories of peoples’ lives. It works to connect individuals with physical, emotional and spiritual needs to resources and people who can help.
For more information on Matthew West, visit www.matthewwest.com.
Cloverton
Manhattan, Kan.-based band Cloverton parted from the pattern of conformity to create its trademark story and have not strayed. The band joined the Christian music industry in 2011 when it was the contest winner of the first-ever Rock the Camp, hosted by TobyMac and Camp Electric. Cloverton’s first single, “Take Me into the Beautiful,” was the No. 1 most downloaded song in the history of KLOVE radio and climbed the Christian Hit Radio charts to No. 12 and peaked at No. 17 on the overall Christian Billboard Top 25.
Cloverton spent a season racking up countless numbers of miles traveling all over the world playing shows, festivals and cruises, and then ventured back to the studio to begin recording its first full-length album, Patterns, with producer Joshua D. Niles in Nashville, Tenn. The band set a goal to raise $20,000 in 30 days and surpassed that within 12 days. They raised over $45,000 for the album and were overwhelmed with the response of their fan base.
Patterns, released September 2013, marries charming melodies and ambient sounds with scriptural truths. Themes include faith, hope and love with songs such as “Father’s Love,” “You Never Leave” and “Green Light.”
Current band members include Lance Stafford (piano/vocals), Layne Stafford (bass), Kirby LeMoine (drums) and Josh Svorinic (guitars).
For more information on Cloverton, visit www.clovertonmusic.com.
Aaron Watson and Jack Ingram – Thursday, Sept. 11, 7:30 p.m. – Tickets starting at $15*
Aaron Watson prides himself on a long career inspired by the greats of country music – George Strait, Chris LeDoux, Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings. Looking up to these musicians has helped Watson accumulate many accolades and critical accomplishments over the course of his career; including selling over 150,000 records, seven No. 1 singles on the Texas Music Chart and four albums that debuted on the Billboard charts.
After a series of records, including one of gospel songs titled Barbed Wire Halo and a dual disc CD/DVD titledAaron Watson LIVE: Deep in the Heart of Texas, Watson released Real Good Time, the pinnacle of his musical tenure thus far. He recruited names like Willie Nelson and Elizabeth Cook to sing with him on “Honky Tonk Kid” and “Leather and Lace,” respectively. The album includes full-force fun swingers (“Real Good Time), tongue-in-cheek romps (the satirical “Hey Y’all”) and slow, heartfelt tunes (“July In Cheyenne”).
Watson’s family, fans and faith inspire him and his music. Real Good Time serves as a testament to music’s power to lift us from our lowest moments and bring joy and salvation. He was encouraged to create the release after the loss of his youngest daughter, Julia Grace, just shortly after her birth.
For more information on Aaron Watson, visit www.aaronwatson.com.
Jack Ingram
Winner of the 2008 Academy of Country Music “Best New Male Vocalist” award was just the beginning of fame for Jack Ingram. Now, as if to validate and amplify that truth, Ingram remains at the forefront of country music with the album Big Dreams & High Hopes, the seventh studio disc of his career and his third for Nashville maverick indie-label Big Machine Records.
Ingram’s music career started during his college years at Southern Methodist University when he sang two Willie Nelson songs at an open mic night. It didn’t take long for Ingram and his Beat Up Ford Band to pack the bars of Dallas and Houston. Nashville’s Rising Tide label soon signed him, re-issuing his first two independent albums, a live disc, and 1997’s Livin’ or Dyin’. When Rising Tide went out of business, Ingram found a home at Sony’s boutique Lucky Dog label.
Shortly after, Ingram met Scott Brochetta, a veteran country-record promoter who’d launched his own label, Big Machine Records. Through their relationship, Ingram released “Where You Are,” the first single of his career to reach No. 1. The album Wherever You Are, a mostly live project, was followed by 2008’s This Is It and now Big Dreams & High Hopes.
Big Dreams & High Hopes includes the textured and contemplative “Seeing Stars,” sung in ethereal tandem with Patty Griffin, and the swimming hole party anthem “Barefoot and Crazy,” which quickly became a radio smash and a soundtrack for the hot summer of 2009. It also helped produce the Top 20 single “That’s A Man.” Ingram worked with Jeffrey Steele and Tom Hambridge to write the swaying and satisfying “Not Giving Up On Me.” The album also highlights a refreshed version of “Barbie Doll,” recorded as a duet with Dierks Bentley.
For more information on Jack Ingram, visit www.jackingram.net.
Chris Young with Courtney Cole – Friday, Sept. 12, 7:30 p.m. – Tickets starting at $25*
At 28 years old, Chris Young has accomplished more than many artists do in a lifetime. His nominations for Grammys, ACM and CMAs, five No. 1’s and role as an international ambassador for his genre make him one talented and dynamic country artist. On the cusp of his fourth album, A.M., (releasing Sept. 17, 2014), Young is known for his classic baritone and melt-your-heart ballads.
Young’s work ethic in music started at a young age. In his early teens, Young convinced his mom to drive him into Nashville so he could sit in with bands and work with local songwriters; by 16, he’d formed a band with some older guys, and they started playing George Strait and Garth Brooks covers in whatever clubs would have them. He then began to hone his craft and started writing songs himself. This led to cutting his first independent record after high school, funding CDs with his own money and taking a short tour of Florida, where he played in Borders bookstores.
Chris Young has proved to be more than a one hit wonder with three albums under his belt and countless singles such as “Voices,” “Tomorrow,” “Getting You Home” and “The Man I Want To Be.” He was recently named one of the summer’s top tour openers by Entertainment Weekly.
The release of his Young’s new album will feature double guitars and occasional moments of arena-rock glory. Still, when all is said and done, it only takes two words to sum up the career of Chris Young: Definitely country.
For more information on Chris Young, visit www.chrisyoungcountry.com.
Courtney Cole
Cast in the first season of CMT’s hit series “CMT’s Next Superstar,” Courtney Cole made her way into the music industry through songwriting and performing. Shortly after the show, she received her first songwriting deal and began writing with Nashville’s biggest hit makers, including Brett James (“Jesus Take The Wheel”) and Justin Weaver (“Get Off On The Pain”).
For more information on Courtney Cole, visit www.courtneycolemusic.com.
3 Doors Down – Saturday, Sept. 13, 7:30 p.m. – Tickets starting at $30*
The group 3 Doors Down made its mark in the industry early selling nearly six million copies of their debut album. From there, members have developed as musicians, songwriters and friends. The band creates songs with an open-ended element that allows the music to adapt to many listeners.
The group’s sophomore album, 2002’s Away from the Sun, saw similar success with its radio mainstays “When I’m Gone” and “Here Without You.” In 2003, 3 Doors Down’s Better Life Foundation was founded to help children in need of food, shelter and medical attention.
Subsequent efforts included 2005’s platinum-certified Seventeen Days and 2008’s 3 Doors Down No. 1 debut on the Billboard Hot 200 Chart. In 2012, 3 Doors Down released The Greatest Hits, a collection of nine #1 hits and three new songs, returning to the Top 5 at radio with ”One Light.”
Billboard’s Top 100 Pop Songs, 1992-2012, featured its singles “Here Without You” as No. 8 and “Kryptonite” as No. 25 on a list based on Top 40 radio airplay. While “Kryptonite” led the way, “Loser” and “Duck and Run” became international hits: “Loser” topped Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart for 21 weeks and “Duck and Run” followed it with a three-week run at No. 1 on that same chart. In 2002, BMI presented Arnold the award for songwriter of the year.
Current band members include Brad Arnold (lead vocals), Chris Henderson (rhythm guitar), Greg Upchurch (drums/percussion), Chet Roberts (lead guitar/backing vocals) and Justin Biltonen (bass guitar).
For more information on 3 Doors Down, visit www.3doorsdown.com.
*Concert tickets, unless otherwise denoted, include general gate admission when purchased through August 23.