Opening Acts Set for Trace Adkins Concert

By Monica Wood - Fort Sill MWR

Two up-and-coming country performances will open for the July 5 Trace Adkins concert on the Fort Sill Polo Field.

The Josh Abbott Band and Bri Bagwell, both Texas-based bands, will open the Independence Day Weekend concert, headlined by Trace Adkins and presented by Fort Sill Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation.

Josh Abbott Band

The Josh Abbott Band is an American Texas Country, Red Dirt band composed of Josh Abbott, Austin Davis, Preston Wait, Edward Villanueva, James Hertless and Caleb Keeter. They started touring in 2008. They released their first album “Scapegoat,” in 2009. A second album, “She’s Like Texas,” followed in 2010. This album made the Top Country Albums charts. It includes the single “Oh Tonight,” which debuted at number 59 and peaked at 42 on the Country Songs chart in early 2011. Michael Berick of Allmusic rated the album a four stars out of five, comparing it to Steve Earle and said Abbott’s songwriting showed maturity.

They recorded their first official sell-out crowd at the World’s Largest Honky Tonk, “Billy Bob’s Texas,” located in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards on Feb. 10, 2010, which sold 6,000 tickets.

The band’s third CD, “Small Town Family Dream,” was released April 24, 2012, and peaked at number 5 on the charts. Singles from the CD include “Touch,” which peaked at 41 on the charts, “I’ll Sing About Mine,” and “She Will Be Free.”

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bri Bagwell

Bri Bagwell started out singing and playing keyboards with her identical twin brothers in their soft rock band “On Tap” when she was 14 years old. She later moved to Texas to attend the University of Texas in Austin and pursue a degree in Marketing with a minor in management. During the summer of 2010, Bagwell wrote and cut an acoustic EP “Midnight Hour,” with six original songs. She is a former reality television contestant on “CMT’s Next Superstar,” and she recently signed with talent agency William Morris Endeavor of Nashville. The agency’s roster includes the Randy Rogers Band, Stoney Larue, Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert and Taylor Swift.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trace Adkins

Adkins, better known for hits such as “You’re Gonna Miss This,” and “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk,” is a long-time supporter of the military and recently recorded several radio public service announcements with his new song, "Tough People Do."

This is his third trip to Fort Sill to perform for the military community.

He is also a spokesman for the Wounded Warriors Project, and he was a past honoree at their Courage Awards and Benefit Dinner, where he was recognized for his efforts to help raise awareness for the men and women who have been wounded in service to their country.

He's performed on seven United Service Organization tours in the past 11 years; most recently in December in Okinawa and at U.S. bases on the Japanese mainland.

Adkins made his debut in 1995 with the album “Dreamin’ Out Loud.” He is also author and an actor, both on television and in the movies. May has been busy on the reality show "Celebrity Apprentice," which he went on to win.

Adkins has released nine studio albums and 30 singles on the Country charts. His songs include; “Every Light in the House,” “(This Ain’t) No Thinkin’ Thing,” “I Left Something Turned On at Home,” “Rough and Ready,” “Ladies Love Country Boys,” “Marry For Money,” “Brown Chicken, Brown Cow,” and “Ala-Freakin-Bama,” among others.

Adkins has racked up more than 30 hits on the singles charts, four Grammy nominations and five Academy of Country Music and Country Music Television awards in his 17 years as a country artist.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

About the Concert

According to Brenda Spencer-Ragland, Fort Sill Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation director, the concert is Family and MWR’s way of ensuring high-class talent is made available locally so residents in the area don’t have to travel to see big-name entertainment.

“Usually shows of this caliber are only available in Dallas or Oklahoma City but we bring the talent close to home for the community and to show our appreciation to the Soldiers and their families for the sacrifices they make each and every day,” she said.

The concert not only offers the community quality entertainment close to home, it is also the biggest fundraiser for Family and MWR of the year and the money helps to generate quality of life programs for Soldiers and families.

“The concert is not supplemented by Department of the Army dollars,” said Spencer-Ragland. “The concert ticket price allows us to reinvest in our facilities and maintain our programs. This is pure business. We bring quality entertainment to the area at a reasonable price. We chose the long holiday weekend to ensure that the community has a safe, close-to-home entertainment option to enjoy over the holiday weekend.”

Tickets

Tickets for the July 5 Trace Adkins concert are on sale now at both Adventure Travel Offices, in the Welcome Center at 4700 Mow-Way Road and in Central Mall, and at EZ Go stores in Lawton. Tickets are also available online at www.sillmwr.com.

Advance tickets to the concert, featuring Trace Adkins and special guests, cost $30. Tickets at the gate will cost $35.

The concert is co-produced by Fort Sill's Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation and the U.S. Army FMWR Command, Army Entertainment Division and is part of the Army Concert Tour. It is slated for July 5 as the highlight of the post Independence Day celebration. Gates open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m.

The concert is sponsored locally by Coors Light, Billingsley Family of Dealerships, Coca-Cola, USA Discounters, USAA, REMAX Pam and Barry’s Team, Freedom Furniture and Electronics, Fort Sill Federal Credit Union, Corvias Military Living, EZ Go, People’s Cab Company, KSWO 7 News, K-LAW 101 and the Lawton Constitution.

For more information, call the Adventure Travel office at (580) 250-4040.