Cory Michael Harris
CCountry roads lead Cory Michael Harris home to the valleys of Whitesburg, Kentucky.
Cory Michael Harris takes the stage with rocking sounds from his hometown. Catch him on Friday, August 23, at his dramatic performance at the Bristol Casino in Bristol, Virginia.
Unlike the country tours that have brought fame and glory to fellow Kentucky natives Loretta Lynn and Ricky Skaggs, Harris’ music has a rock edge. But he’s not a rock star on the verge of a breakthrough. His songs, including his new reworking of “September” and last year’s “That’s Country,” are characterized by a writer with plenty of substance. He’s a former deputy sheriff in his home country, and his very personal songs transport you to the highways that Cory Michael Harris paves with his music.
When you go
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When: Friday, August 23, 7 p.m.
Where: Bristol Casino, 500 Gate City Hwy., Bristol, Va.
Web, audio and video: https://corymichaelharris.com
Intricately fused and interwoven vocal harmonies combine with tightly-knit music to create Diamond Rio. Almost 35 years after their debut album, the band keeps rolling like a well-oiled semi-trailer.
Diamond Rio Dock this weekend at the 98th Appalachian Fair. See the band “Meet in the Middle” on Saturday, August 24th at the Appalachian Fairgrounds in Gray, Tennessee. After admission to the Fairpark, tickets are only $15 to see one of country’s most enduring bands.
Singer Marty Roe leads Diamond Rio. Diamond Dio, a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1998, broke through in 1991 with Arista Records and “Meet in the Middle.” That number one song led to a string of hits, including the melancholy “One More Day” in 2000 and the inspirational “I Believe” in 2002. Today, as then, Diamond Rio’s reputation culminates in tight musicianship.
When you go
What: 98th Appalachian Mass
When: Saturday, August 24, 8 p.m.
Where: Appalachian Fairgrounds, 100 Lakeview St., Gray, Tennessee.
Permit: $15 (concert admission)
Web, audio and video: www.diamondrio.com
Darren Knight – Southern Mama
It’s been that way ever since Jeff Foxworthy’s “You Might be a Redneck” style came along like a backyard campfire.
Now America loves Southern Momma, Darren Knight’s comedic alter ego. Catch Knight perform Friday, August 23, at the Paramount Bristol in Bristol, Tennessee.
Knight, an Alabama native, discovered his passion for comedy about a decade ago. His show gradually took shape through a series of videos on YouTube and Tik Tok. Knight broke out in 2016 with his Southern Momma sketch, inspired by his mother and especially his grandmother. Within two years, he and his quick-witted Southern Momma lookalike were stars.
When you go
WHO: Darren Knight – Southern Mama
When: Friday, August 23, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Paramount Bristol, 518 State St., Bristol, Tennessee.
Web, audio and video: https://comediandarrenknight.com
Have you ever been to Dallas? You know, the city in Texas known for its Cowboys football team?
Dallas is coming to you. Country music star and SiriusXM radio host Dallas Wayne will perform at the 23rd annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion from his home in Bristol, Tennessee.
Wayne’s latest album, Coldwater, Tennessee, heralds his hard-hitting country style. He’ll be performing at the Paramount Bristol on Friday, September 13th at 7:30 p.m. during Rhythm & Roots. Listen as he dives deep into the album, which includes ballads like “He Even Brought Her Flowers” and the harrowing murder ballad “I’m Your Biggest Fan.”
Wayne has been around for a long time. His solo albums, including an excellent pair of Songs the Jukebox Taught Me records, stretch back to such gems as 2001’s Here I Am in Dallas and 2009’s I’ll Take the Fifth.
A native of Springfield, Missouri, Wayne moved to Nashville in the mid-1970s, working as a demo singer, songwriter and musician. Years later, while moving between Europe, San Francisco and Austin, Texas, he practiced country and bluegrass music on record and on stage. Meanwhile, a career in radio took him to SiriusXM, where he hosted a show on the Willie’s Roadhouse channel for years.
In 2015, Wayne was inducted into the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame’s Disc Jockey Hall of Fame. In addition to live music, Wayne has performed with the original Broadway cast of the widely acclaimed musical “Pump Boys and Dinettes.”
For more information and albums from Dallas Wayne, visit www.dallaswayne.com.
Stay tuned to learn more about the lineup for this year’s 23rd annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion. For tickets and more festival information, call 423-573-1927 or visit https://bristolrhythm.com.
Michigan’s Greensky Bluegrass leads this week’s free MP3 download. The full show was recorded earlier this year at Nashville’s fabled Ryman Auditorium. Find it here: https://archive.org/details/gsbg2024-03-09.NickyC.Litz.SchoepsMK41v.Flac24. Musical genius Billy Strings guests on four songs, including “Radio Blues” and “Screams.”
Tom Netherland is a freelance writer. Contact him at [email protected].
