Excitement is building for the 16th annual Country Thunder USA next week. Can you say Tim McGraw? Alan Jackson? How about cheaper beer? Yeah, that's what we're talking about. New owners Brian Andrews and Troy Vollhoffer are bringing in a stronger lineup and creating an overall bigger and better festival.
The pair know what it takes to put on a thrilling four-day event. With their Nashville-based Premier Global Productions, they stage 150 concerts and festivals a year throughout North America, including the hugely popular 25-year-old Craven Country Jamboree in Saskatchewan.
This year, Andrews and Vollhoffer whipped out the checkbook to tap McGraw and Jackson as co-headliners with Montgomery Gentry, the duo that made was virtually unknown when it made its Country Thunder debut in 1999.
The supporting cast includes several artists who are destined for big things, including platinum-selling Rodney Atkins ("It's America"), Jason Michael Carroll ("Where I'm From"), Little Big Town ("I'm With the Band") and Heidi Newfield ("Johnny & June").
"It seems like they've done some really good things," said Texas singer Neal McCoy, who's been on the Country Thunder lineup seven of the last 10 years and recently appeared with Vollhoffer on Fox Business Channel's "Strategy Room" to discuss the festival.
"In talking to Troy and seeing what he's done, it looks like he's improved the lineup. … He's cut his beer prices. He's done the right things … to bring back maybe some of the folks they had lost in the past either because of higher prices or not having the big names there. I think it's working."
In the Fox appearance, Vollhoffer said advance ticket sales were up 40 percent over last year.
Last year's lineup was arguably the weakest in the festival's Arizona history. The biggest name on the bill was rising duo Sugarland. Dierks Bentley, McCoy and Phil Vassar headlined the other nights. The rest of the lineup was a mixed bag of newcomers — Luke Bryan, Bucky Covington, Danielle Peck — and those past their prime — Billy Ray Cyrus and Sawyer Brown. Also on the bill, inexplicably, was John Fogerty, who is about as country as Sugarland is hip-hop.
About 100,000 fans turned out anyway over the four days, promoters said. That was a dip from past years when attendance topped 120,000.
This year's lineup also features a healthy representation of newbies, including the Lost Trailers, which is on the main stage this year. The band played a side stage two years ago.
"I remember being out there and being blown away at the numbers of people," said frontman Ryder Lee, who added that the band is excited about this year.
"(Country Thunder) is reputed as being one of the best, if not the best, festival in the country."
This year's Howlin' Coyote Dance Hall side stage will feature late shows following the mainstage concerts April 3 and 4. Former Trick Pony guitarist Keith Burns brings his new duo Burns Poe at 10:30 p.m. April 3. Singer-songwriter Shawn Hammonds performs at 10:30 April 4.
If you go
• What: Country Thunder USA.
• When: Wednesday through April 4.
• Where: Canyon Moon Ranch, 20585 E. Price Road, off Arizona 79, in Florence.
• Tickets: $119 in advance for a four-day pass, available at www.countrythunder.com; daily admission is $65 at the gate, $25 for Wednesday.
• Camping: Sold out.
• Details: 1-520-868-9711.
• Reviews: Watch for daily concert reviews in the Star's Tucson/Region section and frequent blog postings at go.azstarnet.com/mycountry
