SYRACUSE -- The New York State Fair says it has added hot new country group Lady Antebellum to its lineup of free concerts at the Chevy Court stage.
Here is a news release from the Fair:
Lady Antebellum, the hottest group in American country music, will perform a free concert at the New York State Fair's Chevy Court this summer, anchoring a lineup designed to make the Fair one of the top free entertainment venues in the country.
The band, which took home five trophies from the Academy of Country Music Awards Sunday, topping all winners, will play at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 1.
Also scheduled to play Chevy Court during the 2010 Fair are the classic rock bands Kansas and Blue Öyster Cult, rising country star the Eli Young Band, and Blues Traveler.
The five concerts will be among 24 performances by national artists on the Chevy Court stage during this year's Fair. All of those shows will be free to Fairgoers for the price of Fair admission.
"We want to make this the best free stage in the United States," State Fair Director Dan O'Hara said. "We recognize that many people are still struggling financially, and we think New York families deserve an affordable opportunity to hear top-quality live music. Lady Antebellum could headline at nearly any venue in the country. We are proud to be able to make them available - for free - right here at the New York State Fair."
Lady Antebellum was named top vocal group of the year Sunday at the Academy of Country Music Awards in Nashville. The trio also won song of the year and single record of the year, each both as artists and producers, for "Need You Now," a hit that spent five weeks as the No. 1 song on Billboard Magazine's country music chart last year, and is now crossing over to pop radio, landing on top 40 stations across the country.
The band debuted in 2008 with a self-titled album that went multi-platinum and earned the musicians recognition as top new group by both the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Television Awards. Their second album was released in January.
Lady Antebellum hits include "I Run to You," "American Honey" and "Need You Now" - all of which hit No. 1 on the country music charts.
Lady Antebellum is the centerpiece of a diverse lineup of strong national talent scheduled for Chevy Court during the Fair, which will run from Aug. 26 through Sept. 6.
The Fair this year will follow the successful Chevy Court formula it pioneered in 2009. Last year, the Fair doubled the number of national performers on Chevy Court from 12 to 24, putting one artist on at 2 p.m., and a second on at 8 p.m. The format proved incredibly successful, attracting an estimated 150,000 people to Chevy Court for the shows.
This year's list of free Chevy Court performers so far includes:
Blue Öyster Cult. The classic rock group, which has sold 14 million albums, will perform at 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 27. Familiar hits include "Godzilla," "(Don't Fear) The Reaper," and "Burnin' for You."
Kansas. The progressive rock musicians who produced the classic anthems "Dust in the Wind," and "Carry on Wayward Son" during the 1970s, will play at 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 27.
Blues Traveler. The harmonica-led, high-energy rock band responsible for the hits "Run Around," "Hook," and "But Anyway," will play at 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 29.
Eli Young Band. This up-and-coming country group has already had three hits on Billboard Magazine's Country Music Top 40; "Always the Love Songs," "Radio Waves" and "When it Rains." The band will perform at 2 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 2.
The remaining Chevy Court lineup will be announced as acts are confirmed.
The Fair has already announced four of the seven paid shows planned for the Mohegan Sun Grandstand during the 2010 Fair. Rhythm and Blues pop singer Rihanna will perform Saturday, Aug. 28; teen idol Justin Bieber will sing Sunday, Aug. 29; classic rock band Rush will play Thursday, Sept. 2, and country music group Rascal Flatts will play Saturday, Sept. 4.
Tickets for Justin Bieber, Rush, and Rascal Flatts are on sale now through Ticketmaster. Tickets for Rihanna will go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 1 through Ticketmaster and at the New York State Fair Box Office.
For the latest concert announcements and Fair news, sign up for e-mail and text message updates at www.nysfair.org.
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Courtesy: NYS Fair
