SEMO District Fair grandstand lineup announced

The grandstand lineup for the 158th SEMO District Fair has been released, and it includes the performances of a legendary classic-rock band, an award-winning country group and a former college football player-turned-musician.

The fair, scheduled from Sept. 7 to 14, will have a truck and tractor pull on opening day, barrel racing Sept. 8, a "freestyle madness" FMX [freestyle motocross] and BMX event Sept. 9, dual-demolition derby Sept. 10 and the 13th annual Heartland Idol on Sept. 11. The musical acts start Sept. 12.

"We try to catch different age groups," said Pete Poe, fair board president. "We think that having a combination of classic rock with different styles of country music will go over well with fairgoers."

The grandstand music kicks off Sept. 12 with the venerable Three Dog Night, a band that has earned 13 gold albums and had 21 Top 40 hits between 1969 and 1975. They achieved their first gold record with their ode to loneliness, "One," and had three No. 1 songs: "Mama Told Me Not to Come," "Joy to the World" and "Black and White." Three Dog Night sold more than 40 million albums during the height of their popularity, and they were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2000.

The Mavericks will take the stage Sept. 13. A sometimes unconventional group with their blend of country, neotraditional country and Tex-Mex, The Mavericks released their first album, "From Hell to Paradise," in 1992. Their second album, "What a Crying Shame," produced four Top 40 country hits. The Mavericks won the Academy of Country Music's Top Vocal Group award in 1994 and 1995, and won the Country Music Association's Vocal Group of the Year award in 1995 and 1996. Also in 1995, the group's "Here Comes the Rain" single won a Grammy award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

Lee Brice, who will perform Sept. 14, once attended Clemson University on a football scholarship until an arm injury ended his playing days. In 2007, he released his first album, "Picture of Me," which spawned his debut single, "She Ain't Right." Brice released the album "Love Like Crazy" in 2009, and the title song reached No. 3 on the country charts and was nominated for Song of the Year by the Academy of Country Music. Brice released his third album, "Hard 2 Love," in 2012, which produced his first No. 1 song, "A Woman Like You."

Poe said he expects fair attendance to exceed last year's count, which was just more than 97,000 people. Something new to the fair that may increase attendance is online ticket sales for all events in addition to regular box office sales.

"We hope that online sales help put us over last year's attendance," Poe said. "That's our goal, and we're looking forward to a great fair."

Tickets for all events will go on sale July 25 and may be purchased at semofair.com or at the fair box office in the Arena Building. For more information, contact the fair office at 334-9250 or by email at info@semofair.com.

klewis@semissourian.com

388-3635

Pertinent address:

410 Kiwanis Drive, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

Grandstand entertainment:

Sept. 7: Truck and tractor pull

Sept. 8: Barrel racing

Sept. 9: FMX and BMX

Sept. 10: Dual-demolition derby

Sept. 11: Heartland Idol

Sept. 12: Three Dog Night

Sept. 13: The Mavericks

Sept. 14: Lee Brice