Country music’s reigning Entertainer of the Year is heading to Florence in April to make her Country Thunder Arizona debut.
Lainey Wilson, who took the Country Music Association‘s top award and Female Artist of the Year honor early this month, will head a lineup that includes superstar Eric Church, popular newcomer Jelly Roll and Texas outlaw country rocker Koe Wetzel.
Country Thunder CEO Troy Vollhoffer, in a press release, called the lineup “some of the most talented performers we’ve ever had on our stage.”
This will be the first time we’ll see Wilson, Jelly Roll or Wetzel on the Arizona Country Thunder Stage.
The festival runs April 11-14, 2024, at the Country Thunder festival grounds, 20585 E. Water Way, in Florence. Four-day festival tickets are on sale now at countrythunder.com/az for $300; reserved seats start at $600 for a festival pass.
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Wilson, who made her acting debut last year on the fifth and final season of “Yellowstone,” is coming off a breakout year with her album “Bell Bottom Country,” which won the CMA for Album of the Year on Nov. 8. It was one of five CMAs that also included musical event of the year for her “Wait In the Truck” duet with Hardy.
She opens the festival on April 11 with Flatland Cavalry, Stephen Wilson Jr., Avery Anna and Halle Kearns.
Country rebel Eric Church, shown here during his 2016 Country Thunder show, returns to headline the second day of the 2024 festival in April.
Church, who has been an every-few-years headliner, tops the April 12 lineup that includes Nate Smith, Randall King, the Bellamy Brothers and Alana Springsteen, who is not Bruce’s daughter but apparently she does do a pretty “boss” take on Bruce Springsteen’s hit “I’m On Fire.”
Jelly Roll, who won the 2023 CMA for best new artist, won an astounding combined 14 Academy of Country Music, Country Music Television and CMA awards since he transitioned from rap to country music two years ago. He is also nominated for a 2024 Grammy for best new artist.
Country singer/rapper Jelly Roll headlines day three of the 2024 Country Thunder Music Festival in April.
He headlines April 13, with Warren Zeiders, Priscilla Block, Dallas Smith and Lauren Watkins.
Texas outlaw country rocker Wetzel, a former college football linebacker, started making inroads into mainstream country after signing with Columbia Records in 2020. His 2022 album “Hell Paso” reached No. 12 on the Billboard album charts, No. 3 on the country charts. He’s on a lineup with neo-trad singer-songwriter Randy Houser, Diamond Rio, Jake Worthington and Alexandra Kay.
Texas outlaw country singer Koe Wetzel will close out the 2024 Country Thunder Music Festival on April 14.
The lineup is still a work in progress, Country Thunder officials said. More supporting acts will be announced in the coming months. For details, visit countrythunder.com/az.
Contact reporter Cathalena E. Burch at cburch@tucson.com. On Twitter @Starburch
Cathalena E. Burch
Reporter
