Fairlea Volunteer Fire Department Second Annual Music Bash
The Fairlea Volunteer Fire Department is set to host its Second Annual Music Bash featuring Mark Wills with special guests Brandon Lay and Adair’s Run on Saturday, June 22, at 6 pm, at the State Fairgrounds in Lewisburg.
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at the State Fair Box Office from 9 am – 4 pm, by calling 1-800-514-ETIX (3849) or by visiting www.ETIX.com.
All proceeds for this event will go to help the Fairlea Volunteer Fire Department with operating costs and purchasing new equipment.
Mark Wills has captivated fans and listeners for over two decades. He achieved his first top-charting success at the young age of 23 and has maintained a longevity in the music business that many artists can only dream of. His mission is to crate country music filled with depth and meaningful substance to create lasting memories through the words.
Mark has released a total of seven albums including a patriotic album in 2001, Looking for America. As an avid supporter of the US Military, he has more than a dozen trips to entertain our troops in Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Korea and Italy, among others.
Mark now resides in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife Kelly and his two daughters. In his spare time, when he’s not writing, recording, or touring, Mark enjoys hunting in the great outdoors and spending time with his girls. Mark is a dedicated parent, philanthropist, outdoors man and jokester; but, more than anything else, he is an artist and songwriter who helped to create the foundation for what country music is today!
Entries Open for 6th Annual American National, State Fair of WV Car Show
American National and its Family of Companies have teamed up with the State Fair of West Virginia to produce the sixth annual “State Fair Car Show.” The event is scheduled for Sunday, August 11th from 11 am to 4 pm during the 95th Annual State Fair.
The show will take place on the main fairgrounds. Pre-registration is recommended, and the first 100 entries will receive two gate admission tickets and a special sponsor gift.
The show is open to 1969 or older Custom Hot Rods, Rat Rods, Classic, Antiques, and Drag Cars. A limited number of 1970 to 1985 hot rods and muscle cars will be accepted. Award categories will include: People’s Choice, The Long Drive Award, Kid’s Choice, Best Paint Job, Sponsor’s Choice, Participant’s Pick and The Best of West Virginia Ribbon!
**The State Fair of West Virginia is not responsible or liable for any damages that occur during the car show, owner assumes all responsibility.**
“The State Fair Car show has been such a wonderful addition to our schedule the past few years,” CEO Kelly Collins stated. “We are thrilled that American National and its Family of Companies have joined us again this year as we continue another State Fair tradition!”
American National Insurance Company was founded in 1905 by William L. Moody, Jr. Through the years it has built a family of companies, including Farm Family, and is one of the largest, most financially secure, multiple line insurers in the country. Dylan Boone and his team of agents in the surrounding area are proud supporters of the community, with offices located throughout southern West Virginia.
During an interview at last year’s event, Boone stated, “The one-day event was created to highlight American National’s presence within the community and bring a new element to the fair that pays tribute to the past. Current clients are invited in appreciation of their business; prospective clients and car enthusiasts have an opportunity to learn more about our wide array of products, including our “Collector Car” insurance. The hospitality tent is manned by agents and staff. Lunch is provided for all car owners who entered the show. From hot dogs to moon pies, we celebrate the day in an all-American way. We hope all fairgoers will stop by and cast a vote for their favorite entry in each category.”
Sponsoring agents affiliated with American National for this year’s event are: Dylan Boone, Ty Donovan, Mike Gwinn, and Knight Henderson.
Details and an entry form can be found at www.statefairofwv.com. Deadline for the $25 early bird registration will be August 1, 2019. Late registrations through day of event will be $40. Day of registration is not guaranteed, as entries are limited to 100. Phone 304-645-1090 for additional information.
The 2019 State Fair theme “Summer’s Greatest Adventure”, is a 10-day Fair scheduled August 8-17, 2019. The State Fair of West Virginia, with a $13.8 million dollar economic impact on the state of West Virginia, is a 501 c3 nonprofit corporation committed to the traditions of agriculture, family entertainment, and education. For more information, please visit www.statefairofwv.com, or follow fair events on Facebook and Twitter.
One Stop and Stop In Food Stores to Sell State Fair Tickets
The State Fair of West Virginia and One Stop and Stop In Food Store officials are happy to announce their partnership in selling advanced discounted tickets to the 2019 State Fair of West Virginia. Tickets will be on sale from now until August 6, in 60 locations in West Virginia and Virginia.
“We are excited to be a ticket outlet for the West Virginia State Fair for the second year,” says Larry Markham VP One Stop/Stop In Stores. “We had a very successful first year and look forward to having a successful partnership for years to come.”
“We are once again very excited that One Stop and Stop In Food Stores have agreed to sell advanced tickets for the 2019 State Fair of West Virginia,” State Fair CEO Kelly Collins stated. “There are a lot of people who enjoy coming to the fair, but are not able to purchase advanced tickets because they live away from Lewisburg. This will give them an opportunity to be able to get those tickets right in their backyard.”
One Stop/Stop In Food Stores will be selling discounted admission passes, as well as big and mega passes for rides. For a full list of participating locations and ticket prices, visit www.statefairofwv.com.
The 10-day State Fair of West Virginia is celebrating 95 years with “Summer’s Greatest Adventure”, on August 8-17, 2019. The State Fair of West Virginia, with a $13.8 million dollar economic impact on the state of West Virginia, is a 501 c3 non-profit corporation committed to the traditions of agriculture, family entertainment, and education. For more information, please visit www.statefairofwv.com, or follow fair events on Facebook and Twitter.
2019 Entries Now Open
The State Fair of West Virginia’s 2019 livestock, horse show and home, arts, and garden competitions are now open.
Each year, the competitive exhibits department looks for unique contests to add. Competition highlights for 2019 include: Old Timer Hog Showmanship, Barn Quilt painting and the Draft Horse Pull.
“Our mission surrounds agriculture here at the State Fair of West Virginia and is highlighted through various competitions. Exhibitors enter prize winning tomatoes, geraniums, hogs, cattle and more. The competitions are a great place for exhibitors to show their skills and talents,” stated Agriculture Competitions Manager Taylor Davies.
Please visit https://statefairofwv.com/fair/competitions/ for more information or to register. Home, Arts and Garden entries close July 1st. Livestock and Equine entries close July 10th. Competitions kick off August 3rd in the West Virginia Building.
The State Fair Event Center is a 200 acre multi-purpose meeting and exposition facility providing a wide variety of event rental opportunities and hosting over 300 events annually. For more information, please visit www.statefairofwv.com, or follow fair events on Facebook and Twitter.
Justin Moore with Special Guest Ashley McBryde
State Fair officials announced that country-music star Justin Moore will return to the stage for the 95th Annual State Fair of West Virginia on Thursday, August 8, 2019 with Ashley McBryde.
Tickets for the August show with Justin Moore and Ashley McBryde will go on sale to the public Friday, May 24 at 10 am!
Ticket prices and details on how to order can be found at www.statefairofwv.com . Tickets will only be available via Etix at https://statefairofwv.com/entertainment/ or by calling 1-800-514-ETIX (3849) Monday through Friday 9 am – 6 pm or Saturday 9 am – 5 pm. Tickets will not be sold at the State Fair Box Office until later this spring.
JUSTIN MOORE
“It’s crazy to think about, the fact that the fans have stuck with me through a decade in this business is overwhelming. I am so thankful for their support as well as Country radio’s. Let’s do this thing again in 10 more years” said seven-time chart topping singer/song-writer Justin Moore, as he joined industry friends and family at an event in Nashville to celebrate multiple career milestones.
An inaugural artist signed to The Valory Music Co. in 2007, under the Big Machine Label Group umbrella, the Arkansas native has sustained a hearty run of hits across four studio albums. The event honored PLATINUM certifications for JUSTIN MOORE and OUTLAWS LIKE ME as well as the GOLD certification of OFF THE BEATEN PATH. Additionally, the catchy “Bait a Hook” achieved PLATINUM sales status for the Big Machine Music writer, who penned the track alongside Jeremy Stover and Rhett Akins.
ASHLEY MCBRYDE
Dubbed as one of Rolling Stone’s “Artists You Need To Know,” citing she’s “an Arkansas red-clay badass, with the swagger of Hank Jr. and songwriting of Miranda Lambert,” McBryde fearlessly lays it all on the line, and it’s that honest all-in approach that has led to NPR critic Ann Powers to ask if McBryde could be “among the first post-Stapleton country stars?” McBryde’s album will showcase an artistic vision that will prove her to be one of the genre’s keenest working storytellers, bringing unwavering honesty back into a pop-preoccupied genre. Pulling tales from every corner of her human experience, McBryde sings with fire and fury, laughing and swigging that brown stuff along the way.
Her first EP, the self-released 2016 Jalopies and Expensive Guitars was just a taste of what McBryde can do, and, on her full-length debut, she will meld her songwriting chops with the vision of producer Jay Joyce, peppering her tales with a touch of guitar-driven rock fury. McBryde isn’t afraid to tell the truth, get raw and real and use the spirits of country, fold and rock when it serves her greater purpose. And that’s to tell the stories that shake us, make us and tell us a little more about what it’s like to be human.
Alabama Returns to State Fair of West Virginia
State Fair officials announced today that country-music super group Alabama will return to the stage for the 95th Annual State Fair of West Virginia on Friday, August 16, 2019. This show is presented by the WV Lottery.
Tickets for the August show with Alabama will go on sale to the public on Friday, March 22 at 10 am! A fan club presale will begin on Wednesday, March 19.
“We could not be more excited that Alabama will make a stop here at the State Fair of WV on their 50th Anniversary Tour,” CEO Kelly Collins stated. “What better way to celebrate 95 years of traditions, than with the biggest country music group of all time?”
Ticket prices and details on how to order can be found at www.statefairofwv.com. Tickets will only be available via Etix at https://statefairofwv.com/entertainment/ or by calling 1-800-514-ETIX (3849) Monday through Friday 9 am – 6 pm or Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets will not be sold at the State Fair Box Office until later in the spring.
Alabama
It’s the kind of story you read about in books and watch on the big screen at the movies. For the band ALABAMA, it’s not just a story; it’s their life. It is a classic American tale of rags to riches. From humble beginnings picking cotton in the fields to international stars that went on to sell 73 million albums while changing the face and sound of country music.
It’s been over 40 years since Randy, Jeff and Teddy, left the cotton farms of Fort Payne, Alabama, to spend the summer playing in a Myrtle Beach, South Carolina bar called The Bowery. Having grown up working in the fields, the cousins were no strangers to hard work. They didn’t flinch when it took six long years of working for tips and living hand to mouth playing in the bar.
Of the early days and their humble beginnings, Jeff says, “I don’t think we thought too far ahead. We were more concerned with paying our bills at the end of the week and playing music.”
Finally, word of mouth earned the major label deal they’d been dreaming of. In 1980 the band broke through with their first Top 20 hit “My Home’s In Alabama.”
ALABAMA is the band that changed everything. They brought country music to the mainstream and from side stage to the main stage. ALABAMA introduced rock style guitars, lights, pyrotechnics and sounds to the country audience.
“We were renegades in sneakers and T-shirts,” says Teddy. “We had long hair and played loud and some of the country folks resisted us for a while. But then of course they did accept us and then after that, our success made it lots easier for other bands to try it in country music,” concluded Gentry. Bands benefitting from that breakthrough include Zac Brown Band, Florida Georgia Line and Eli Young Band.
They have also inspired many of today’s brightest country stars including Kenny Chesney, Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan as well as pop and rock stars from Ed Sheeran to Jon Bon Jovi.
“I was part of a benefit concert at the Ryman,” he says, “and I look over there’s Jon Bon Jovi. He walked over and said hello and it turns out he’s a fan of our music.”
ALABAMA’s reach goes far beyond their impact on other artists; their music is timeless and can be heard today as a part of every cover band’s set list in nearly every college town in America.
Not long ago, Teddy was witness to a scene that reminds us that their legacy of song remains as fresh as it ever was.
“I was in Nashville,” he says, “walking by this club full of young people–I’m talking 18 or 20. The band started playing ‘Dixieland Delight’ and everybody in the place started singing and sang all the way through. I had to smile at the longevity of the songs. Half the crowd at our shows is young people, under 25 years old. So I think that’s a tribute to the fact that we spent a career putting out good songs that stand the test of time.”
While their music continues to stand the test of time, their numbers and stats are beyond compare. The and has sold over 80 million albums. They have charted 43 #1 singles including 21 #1 singles in a row, a record that will likely never be surpassed in any genre. They have won over 178 CMA Awards, Grammy Awards, ACM Awards and counting. They’ve earned 21 Gold ®, Platinum ® and Multi-Platinum ® albums and were named the RIAA’s Country Group of the Century. They are members of the Country Music Hall of Fame and have a start on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. They are also world-class philanthropists who have raised over 250 Million dollars for charity.
The band continues to perform to legions of loyal fans, selling out venues night after night. They were honored with the ACM Career Achievement Award at the Ryman Auditorium in the Fall of 2015 and were named “Album Of The Year” at the 2015 Dove Awards for ANGELS AMONG US” HYMNS & GOSPEL FAVORITES.
ALABAMA continues to thrill fans as their 50th Anniversary Tour Rolls throughout 2019 in the US and Canada. ALABAMA is and always will be the greatest country band in American history.
The 10-day State Fair of West Virginia is celebrating 95 years with “Summer’s Greatest Adventure”, on August 8-17, 2019. The State Fair of West Virginia, with a $13.8 million dollar economic impact on the state of West Virginia, is a 501 © 3 non-profit corporation committed to the traditions of agriculture, family entertainment, and education. For more information, please visit www.statefairofwv.com, or follow fair events on Facebook and Twitter.