John Paul Kammeyer (JOHN PAUL KAMMEYER), right, dances with best friend Marley Patterson (MARLEY PATTERSON) during the Country Thunder (COUNTRY THUNDER) music festival on Friday, April 12, 2013, in Florence, Ariz. The weekend festival runs through Sunday with thousands of music fans camped for all four days to see headliners Eric Church (ERIC CHURCH), Toby Keith (TOBY KEITH) and Lady Antebellum (LADY ANTEBELLUM). Photo by Mike Christy / Arizona Daily Star *NO MAGS NO SALES, MANDATORY CREDIT*

Over the next four days, Florence will grow from quiet small town to bustling music mecca as tens of thousands of people pack into Canyon Moon Ranch for the annual Country Thunder Music Festival.

The headliners include a trio of just-announced Academy of Country Music winners β€” band of the year The Band Perry on Friday, female artist of the year Miranda Lambert on Saturday and male artist of the year Jason Aldean on Sunday. ο»Ώ And the lineup includes a handful of fast-rising newcomers and seasoned veterans making their festival debuts.

We chatted with three of them: Cassadee Pope, LoCash Cowboys and Colt Ford. ο»Ώ

Follow us on Twitter @Starburch for a behind-the-scenes view of the festival and check out blog updates at azstarnet.com/calientetunedin throughout the weekend.


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Contact reporter Cathalena E. Burch at cburch@azstarnet.com or 573-4642.