2011 Kentucky State Fair presents Free Concerts

The free concert lineup at the 2011 Kentucky State Fair returns to offer fairgoers a taste of all musical genres and a chance to see award-winning artists. The concerts begin at 8 p.m. (with the exception of the Aug. 26 Carnival of Madness concert, which will begin at 6:30 p.m.) in Cardinal Stadium, free with paid admission to the Kentucky State Fair.

Ted Nugent – Thursday, August 18

As lead guitarist for rock supergroups Amboy Dukes and Damn Yankees, Ted Nugent had several hits including “Journey to the Center of the Mind” and U.S. Top 100 hit “High Enough”. In 1995, he released his first solo album, “Spirit of the Wild”. Nugent has released more than 34 combined band and solo albums, and has sold a total of 30 million records.

Boyz II Men − Friday, August 19

This popular R&B group, best known for emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies, exploded onto the scene in the 1990s. Boyz II Men are considered the most successful R&B group of all time based on record sales, selling more than 60 million albums worldwide. Their most well-known hits include “I’ll Make Love to You” and “One Sweet Day” featuring Mariah Carey

Candlebox with Cowboy Mouth − Saturday, August 20

Candlebox was a big part of the alternative rock movement in the 90s. Touring with the likes of Aerosmith, Godsmack and Metallica, to name a few. Their hit songs include “You”, “Far Behind” and “Cover Me”. Describing themselves as New Orleans rock n' roll, Cowboy Mouth has released nearly a dozen records and has toured with bands such as Hootie and the Blowfish, Barenaked Ladies and Sister Hazel.

The Oak Ridge Boys with special guest the Grascals – Sunday, August 21

Appearing at more Kentucky State Fairs than any other entertainment act in history, The Oak Ridge Boys have made jamming to their classic hit “Elvira” a Fair tradition. This year will be their 35^th consecutive performance. The Grascals, whose hit “Me and John and Paul” won Song of the Year from the International Bluegrass Music Association in 2005, will open.

Joe Nichols with Phil Vassar − Tuesday, August 23

Joe Nichols, a country music artist from Arkansas, has released seven studio albums and produced fourteen Top 40 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including "Brokenheartsville," "Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off" and "Gimmie That Girl". Phil Vassar began his career as a songwriter but took to the microphone with “Artista Nashville” in 1999. Since then, he has produced five hit singles on the Billboard Country Singles charts including "Just Another Day in Paradise" and "In a Real Love".

The Happy Together tour with The Turtles featuring Flo and Eddie, Mark Lindsay, The Association, The Buckinghams, and The Grass Roots- Wednesday, August 24

Mark Volman, known as "Flo", and Howard Kaylan, who affectionately goes by "Eddie", were two of the original founding members of the Top 40 rock group “The Turtles”. Together, they have rolled out several classic hits including “Happy Together” and “Lady Blue”. Mark Lindsay is best known as the singer for the Paul Revere & the Raiders. But his solo success began with "Arizona", sold over one million copies and "Silverbird" which made the Billboards Top 100 Charts in 1970. The Association, a pop band from California, had numerous hits at or near the top of the Billboard charts in the 1960’s including “Along Came Mary” and “Never My Love”. The Buckinghams, formed in 1966 and went on to become one of the top selling bands of 1967 with hits like “Kind of a Drag,” “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” and “Don’t You Care”. The Grass Roots achieved one platinum album, two gold albums, and one gold single in their career. Between 1967 and 1972, the band set a record for being on the Billboard charts for an astounding 307 straight weeks.

John Michael Montgomery with special guest Lorrie Morgan − Thursday, August 25

This Kentucky born artist’s ability to relate to fans has made his career into one of the most envied in country music. With a list of hit singles including "Life's A Dance", “I Can Love You Like That” and “Little Girl”, one would be hard-pressed to find a Kentuckian who hasn’t heard the deep baritone voice of John Michael Montgomery. Lorrie Morgan charted her first U.S. single, "Trainwreck of Emotion” in 1989. Since then, she has charted more than 25 singles on the Billboard country singles charts including three No. 1 hits "Five Minutes," "What Part of No" and "I Didn't Know My Own Strength."