Dwight Yoakam among entertainers for this summer's Sikeston rodeo

SIKESTON, Mo. — The entertainment for this summer’s Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo will feature a singer with a history of hits as well as performers with songs rising on the charts.

Grammy award winner Dwight Yoakam, known for his hit song “Guitars, Cadillacs,” will appear Aug. 12.

Chase Rice, who appeared on “Survivor: Nicaragua” in 2010 — the same year he released his debut album “Friday Nights & Sunday Mornings” — will kick off the rodeo Aug. 10, followed by Granger Smith on Aug. 11.

Chase Rice

Smith’s debut album, “Remington,” was released earlier this month.

Performing Aug. 13 will be Frankie Ballard, whose 2014 single “Sunshine & Whiskey” was certified platinum and reached No. 5 on the U.S. Hot Country chart.

“We feel, with our entertainment lineup, all four nights of our rodeo will bring out all ages,” said Craig Templeton, Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo entertainment chairman.

Granger Smith

Organizers announced several changes to the rodeo.

The first change was a partnership with Anheuser-Busch to be the beer vendors at the rodeo for the next five years, Sikeston Jaycee general chairman Zach Fayette said.

Fayette also said the bull fights will be expanded to two nights this year.

Frankie Ballard

“Every year, it seems to get more popular, and we’ve received several requests to expand it to multiple nights,” Fayette said. “This year, we will do long-round bullfighting on Thursday (Aug. 11), with the top three coming back Friday night (Aug. 12) to compete for $5,000 extra and the championship.”

Bullfighting has become one of the major draws of the rodeo.

“While no bulls are harmed in long-round bullfighting, bullfighters are risking their lives,” said De Bizzell, Sikeston Jaycee president. “The rodeo clowns do their best to distract and avoid the bull by dodging, jumping and using the barrels. Being a freestyle form of bullfighting developed in rodeo, it’s only a 70-second competition, but it’s a long 70 seconds. It’s a really intense event featuring Mexican fighting bulls designated solely for bullfighting.”

Another change will take place Saturday, Aug. 13, when the Jaycees are encouraging patrons to join them in wearing purple for Domestic Violence Awareness Night.

“We just felt it was a worthy cause and way to take a stand,” Fayette said.

To learn more or purchase tickets to the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo, visit SikestonRodeo.com or call (800) 455-BULL.

Pertinent address:

1220 N. Ingram Road, Sikeston, Mo.