WILLIE NELSON’S COUNTRY THROWDOWN TOUR 2011

WILLIE NELSON’S COUNTRY THROWDOWN TOUR 2011
ENTERS THIRD WEEKEND OF MUSIC & FUN
 
Upcoming Dates Include: Columbia, MO (6/10), Sparta, IL (6/11) and Lawrenceville, GA (6/12)
 
 
 
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – June 9, 2011 – Willie Nelson’s Country Throwdown Tour 2011 made a highly anticipated stop in Nashville on June 3 before heading to North Little Rock and Orange Beach Alabama, where many artists donated their fees to tornado victims. The 25 city tour is laid back in nature and keep fans on their feet as musical surprises abound. For more information, please visit www.countrythrowdown.com. Here are some shots of this year’s tour.

 

Willie Nelson “On the Road Again” with the Country Throwdown Tour 2011
Photo credit: Steve Lowry
 
Any crowd adores the legendary Willie Nelson.  The iconic Texan is the creative genius behind historic recordings like “Crazy,” “Hello Walls,” “Red Headed Stranger” and “Stardust.”  His career has spanned six decades.  His catalog boasts more than 200 albums.  He’s earned every conceivable award and honor to be bestowed a person in his profession.

Family Tradition (Lukas Nelson on stage during Willie Nelson’s Country Throwdown Tour)
Photo credit: Steve Lowry
 Lukas Nelson might have gotten his start singing with his famous father, Willie Nelson, but with the recent release of his band’s (Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real) debut full-length album and their constant roadwork, it’s become quite clear that Nelson is emerging from the shadows of the Red Headed Stranger and accruing quite a following on his own merits. The group has performed for the first time on national late-night television on both Late Show with David Letterman and Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and has every major publication singing its praises.

Jamey Johnson 
Photo credit: Steve Lowry

Photo credit: Steve Lowry
Fans react to Jamey Johnson at Willie Nelson’s Country Throwdown Tour 2011

Photo credit: Steve Lowry
 
Behind the scenes, co-creator of Country Throwdown,  Kevin Lyman played grill master before handing over duties to newcomer Drake White.

Photo credit: Steve Lowry
 
Randy Houser goin’ out with his “Boots On”! Fans are welcome to drop by the Harley Saloon at 5:30 p.m. on every tour stop to meet country performer Randy Houser and see his personal custom-made Harley Davidson motorcycle on display.

Photo credit: Steve Lowry
Drake White serving up some tunes before taking over grilling duties. The enthusiastic 27 year-old EMI singer/songwriter is a Hokes Bluff, Alabama native who credits many country, blues, rock, freestyle and bluegrass influences for his unique musical sound.

Brantley Gilbert kickin’ it in the sticks!
Photo credit: Steve Lowry

At the young age of 25, Georgia native Brantley Gilbert already has a list of impressive industry accolades notched on his belt.  The rising star’s second album – the independently-released Halfway to Heaven — reached #1 on the Billboard Heatseekers Album Chart and #2 on the iTunes Country chart. Gilbert’s current single on The Valory Music Co, “Country Must Be Country Wide,” is a Top 35 hit and rising.

Photo Credit: Steve Lowry
 
Southern gals are all smiles after catching the Brantley Gilbert show at Willie Nelson’s Country Throwdown Tour 2011 in Nashville (6/3)

Lee Brice driving the crowd crazy! / Photo credit: Steve Lowry
Lee Brice’s “Love Like Crazy” reached the top five on the charts and was named Billboard’s #1 country song of 2010.  It currently holds the record for the longest charting song in the history of Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. ACM and CMT Award nominated Brice is also known for his songwriting, penning hits for many great artists including Garth Brooks and Tim McGraw.

Co-creator of Country Throwdown, Sarah Baer, cruisin’ around the laid back festival grounds.
Photo credit: Steve Lowry

The “Family Man,” Craig Campbell, performing at Fontanel
Photo Credit: Steve Lowry
With the release of his self-titled album, Craig Campbell has the highest first week sales for any debut male this year! The lead single “Family Man” is a Top 15 hit and will be included in an upcoming episode of HBO’s wildly popular “True Blood.” New single: “Fish”

Bluebird artists gathering backstage
(L-R): Caitlyn Smith, Austin Lucas, Brent Cobb, Dani Flowers and Erin Enderlin
Fans will have the opportunity to enjoy the unique and intimate “in the round”-style sets made famous at Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe.  Adam Hood, Caitlyn Smith, Austin Lucas, Brent Cobb, Dani Flowers, and Erin Enderlin have signed on for the Bluebird Cafe Stage and also will be front and center on a specially designed set during the main stage set changes.
 
 
Willie Nelson’s Country Throwdown Tour 2011 sponsors include COUNTRY WEEKLY, HARLEY-DAVIDSON, DICKIES, CMT, NAMM, THE BLUEBIRD CAFE, BMI, Y’ALLWIRE, KEEP A BREAST, SHIRTS FOR A CURE, AZUNIA, WARNER MUSIC NASHVILLE, SOUTHWEST AIRLINES, MARTIN GUITARS, UFC and U.S. MARINES.

Upcoming Tour Dates include:
 
6/10 – Columbia, MO @ Midway Exposition Center
6/11- Sparta, IL @ World Shooting & Recreation Complex
6/12 – Lawrenceville, GA @ Coolray Field
6/16 – Roanoke Rapids, NC The Rapids Jam Festival*
6/17 – Simpsonville, SC @ Charter Amphitheater at Heritage Park
6/18 – Waldorf, MD @ Regency Stadium
6/19 – Knoxville, TN @ World’s Fair Park
6/21 – Denver, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheater
6/23 – Del Mar, CA @ Grandstand
6/24 – Ontario, CA @ Citizens Business Bank Arena
6/25 – Pozo, CA @ Pozo Saloon
6/26 – Murphys, CA @ Ironstone Ampitheater
6/30 – Mission, TX @ Las Palmas Race Park
7/1 – Corpus Christi, TX @ Concrete Street Amphitheater
7/2 – Eufala, OK @ Eufala Cove Amphitheater
7/3 – Siloam Springs, AR @ Osage Creek Amphitheater, Willie’s Throwdown and Picnic
7/4 – Fort Worth, TX @ Billy Bob’s, Willie Nelson’s 4th of July Picnic & Throwdown

About 4 FINI, Inc.
4Fini is the creator and producer of Willie Nelson’s Country Throwdown 2011 Tour.  4Fini partners Kevin Lyman and Sarah Baer also are co-producers of the highly successful annual Rockstar Mayhem Festival, a summer metal festival featuring 15 metal bands including headliners Slipknot and Disturbed. A success by all standards, Rockstar Mayhem Festival perhaps most notably integrated the camaraderie Lyman had created on the Vans Warped Tour into a metal festival.  Best known for the successful Vans Warped Tour, the longest running traveling music and extreme sports festival in the world today, Lyman pioneered the successful integration of corporate sponsors with the extreme lifestyle, creating a blueprint for sponsorship integration widely duplicated in the marketplace today.  Kevin and his company 4 Fini, Inc. have produced numerous other successful tour productions. Kevin is a music industry authority on multiple corporate branding projects, helping companies maintain the valuable street level credibility that endears their products to the youth market.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit  

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