Country rock stars Big & Rich and Gretchen Wilson will perform Sept. 19 at the Puyallup Fair, part of an evolving concert series presented by Columbia Bank.
Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. March 12 through www.thefair.com/concerts/ (not Ticketmaster) or by phone at 888-559-FAIR (3247). The new phone number will be staffed daily, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
To save the convenience charges, purchase tickets in person at the Puyallup Fair & Events Center box office at 9th Avenue SW and Meridian Street on March 12, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Ticket prices are $60 golden circle; $50 infield; $35 and $25 grandstand seating. Seats are reserved and include Fair gate admission.
For John Rich and Big Kenny, they worked long and hard in the country music industry to get where they are today.
After coming together in 1998, they wrote several songs before Martina McBride recorded their song, “She’s a Butterfly” in 2003. That turning point landed the duo a record deal of their own with Warner Bros. Nashville. Big & Rich debuted in February 2004 with “Wild West Show,” a bold and modern country-rocker that displayed their high-low harmony vocals. When the Horse of a Different Color album arrived later that spring, it topped the Billboard country chart, thanks to the breakout single, “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy.” Big & Rich returned in late 2005 with Comin’ to Your City.
In June, 2007 they released album, Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace. Big Kenny, who wears his trademark top hat said the title came from a conversation he had with a friend, “and the realization that between raising hell and ‘Amazing Grace’ is that fine line that we’re walking on all the time, trying to live life to its fullest and at the same time knowing that every day of our lives is a blessing.”
By September of 2008, their next hit album, Super Galactic Fan Pak 2, was released, followed by Greatest Hits in 2009.
They have been nominated for 13 Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards, have three certified platinum albums and one gold certified album.
Gretchen Wilson
Wilson has a flair for tailoring songs as gorgeously rough-edged as she is. She has an attitude of “I am what I sing” like a handful of country music women, including Loretta, Tammy, Dolly and Tanya.
Her first single, “Redneck Woman,” spent six weeks at No. 1; her debut album, Here For The Party, sold more than five million copies; she won across-the-board awards including a Grammy and ACM, CMA and AMA nods for best female vocalist; and she toured to large and raucous crowds around the world.
Her second CD, All Jacked Up, rode enthusiastic reviews to platinum status as Gretchen’s accomplishments continued to stack up. Her third, One of the Boys, solidified her position as one of contemporary country’s most original and multi-faceted female artists, a woman in whom ambition and ability come together in every aspect of her career. Wilson’s determination and drive led her to her autobiography, “Redneck Woman: Stories from My Life,” which landed on the prestigious Best Seller List.
Until 2010, she was one of the millions of Americans who hadn’t finished high school. A dedicated mother, it was important for Gretchen to earn her diploma not only for herself, but to prove to her 8-year old daughter Grace just how important education is. At the age of 34, Gretchen received her G.E.D. She has since become an advocate to help spotlight the funding needs of adult education programs and the adults on waiting lists hoping to further their education.
Tickets will be going on sale for the remainder of the Puyallup Fair 2011 Columbia Bank Concert Series line-up in the next few months. Visit the Fair website, www.thefair.com/concerts for updates, or sign up at www.thefair.com to receive email or text announcements prior to the concert on-sale dates.
CONCERT LINEUP TO DATE
• Sept. 13 – Chicago with The Tacoma Symphony (classic rock), 7:30 p.m., $60 Golden Circle/$40/$30.
• Sept. 16 – Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith 2 Friends Tour (Christian), 7:30 p.m., $50 Golden Saddle/$35/$30/$25
• Sept. 19 – Big & Rich and Gretchen Wilson (country), 7:30 p.m., $60 Golden Circle/$50/$35/$25
• Sept. 24 – Larry the Cable Guy (comedy), 7:30 p.m., $50 Golden Circle/$45/$35/$25.
