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* Joe Nichols, Tracy Lawrence to Headline 98 FM KCQ Country Music Fest *

PHOTO BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com

Thousands of country music fans were gathered on Ojibway Island for the 98 FM KCQ Country Music Fest in 2007.

by Jason Rzucidlo americajr@americajr.com

:: 2008 FESTIVAL PREVIEW ::

SAGINAW, Mich. -- If you loved the Downtown Hoedown, then this festival is for you. Even if you didn't enjoy the Hoedown, you should check out the 98 FM KCQ Country Music Fest. It is held annually on Saginaw's Ojibway Island and you can get there on one tank of gas. Headliners for this year include Joe Nichols, Tracy Lawrence and Jennifer Hanson.

The festival is FREE and open to the public. It is being held on Saturday, June 21st from 9 a.m. until about 5 p.m. Additional performers include Jypsi and The Lost Trailers on the New Faces Stage. Rising stars Mandi Layne & The Lost Highway and Stone Cold will open the show.

Additional activities include an arts and crafts area, a children's area, a giant food tent and an information tent. A classic car show and a motorcycle show are also being held on the island. Registration for the car show and motorcycle show begins at 7 a.m. Restaurants that will have booths set up on the island include Famous Dave's BBQ, Culver's ice cream and Jet's Pizza along with traditional carnival food -- hot dogs, hamburgers, french fries, etc.

Joe Nichols is headlining the festival with a performance at 3:30 p.m. on the main stage. Nichols was born on November 26, 1976 in Rogers, Arkansas. At the age of 20, he made his debut in 1996 with a self-titled album. No one knew who he was until 2002 when his single "The Impossible" was released. His style of country music is known as "neo traditionalist".

Nichols has released a total of six albums, with his first on the Intersound record label and the rest on Universal South. His last tow releases, III and Real Things peaked at #2 on the U.S. Country Billboard Album chart. "Brokenheartsville" was his first #1 single and it came in 2003. His second #1 single was "Tequila Makes Her clothes Fall Off" and it came in 2005. Nichols' latest single is "It Ain't No Crime", a track from his Real Things album.

Tracy Lawrence is also headlining the 98 FM KCQ Country Music Fest with a performance at 1:45 p.m. on the main stage. Lawrence was born on January 27, 1968 and spent most of his life growing up in Atlanta, Texas. He made his debut in 1991 with the single "Sticks and Stones". It was both a #1 single and the title of his #1 selling debut album. After Atlantic Records closed its country division, Lawrence made the move to Warner Bros. Records, DreamWorks Nashville and Mercury Nashville where he released one album a piece.

In 2006, he gave up searching for a long-term label. Lawrence founded his own record label and called it Rocky Comfort Records. His first single for the new label was "Find Out Who Your Friends Are" off his 2007 album For the Love. It became his first #1 single in 11 years. Lawrence's latest single is "Til I Was a Daddy Too", a re-release from July 2007. Chances are good that you'll hear him sing that song and many of his other hits.

Jennifer Hanson will perform at the festival at noon on the main stage. Hanson was born on August 10, 1973 in La Habra, California. She made her debut in 2002 with a self-titled album that was released on Capitol Records. It produced three hit singles including "Beautiful Goodbye". Hanson is also a songwriter -- she wrote "Leave the Pieces" for The Wreckers and "A Different World" for Bucky Covington.

In 2007, Hanson switched to Universal South Records. Her latest single is "Joyride" off the new album Thankful scheduled to be released sometime in 2008. Look for her to sing that song and many others in Saginaw this weekend.

The Lost Trailers will perform at 2:45 p.m. on the New Faces Stage. The band was formed in 2000 in Nashville. It is made up of Ryder Lee, Manny Medina, Andrew Nielson, Jeffrey "Stokes" Nielson and Jeff Potter. The group made its debut at the Fourth of July picnic held by Willie Nelson. The band got its name when its equipment trailers were stolen on three separate occasions.

Their first single was "Down in the Valley" off their third album Welcome to the Woods, released in 2004. The Lost Trailers followed it up with the song "Chicken Fried", which peaked at #52 on the U.S. Billboard country chart. Their next two singles -- "Call Me Crazy" and "Why Me" came off their self-titled album released in 2006 on BNA Records. The Lost Trailers' latest single is "Holler Back" off an album by the same name that released earlier this year.

Jypsi returns to the area with a performance at the festival at 1:15 p.m. on the New Faces Stage. The band made its Michigan debut at the Downtown Hoedown in Detroit last May. The group is made up of four siblings all with the last name Rische: Amber-Dawn, Frank, Lillie Mae and Scarlett. Jypsi was formed in 1994 and was discovered in 2000 by Cowboy Jack Clement, a record producer from Nashville.

In 2007, Jypsi signed with Arista Nashville Records. Their first single "Love is a Drug" failed to make the charts. However, Jypsi's follow-up single "I Don't Love you Like That", reached #38 on the Billboard U.S. Country chart. Their debut album was released digitally in May 2008. Their new single is "Now That's All Right with Me". Look for the band to sing it in Saginaw.

The Country Music Fest is organized by Saginaw radio station WKCQ 98.1 FM. The event started in 1992 with its first performers being Trisha Yearwood and Aaron Tippin. Ever since, it has grown into one of the largest FREE country concerts in the region.

 

PHOTO BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com

Joe Nichols will perform at 3:30 p.m. on the main stage.

 

PHOTO BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com

Tracy Lawrence will perform at 1:45 p.m. on the main stage.

 

 

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