More Wild Concerts

By Dean Poling
The Valdosta Daily Times

June 18, 2009 12:10 am

— VALDOSTA — Wild Adventures has added some soul and bluegrass to its concert line-up.
Bluegrass master Ricky Skaggs will play Sept. 19. The park presents Soulfest 2009, July 11.
Soulfest is a festival that will stretch throughout the day, featuring three separate shows by Fred Hammond, Tye Tribbett, and Luther Barnes. Wild Adventures provides backgrounds and scheduled playing times for each musician.
Fred Hammond “is a world famous songwriter, musical arranger, producer, bassist and vocalist. Few gospel artists can boast of the sales, radio airplay and concerts that Hammond has achieved during the course of his career, selling more than 8 million albums and maintaining spots on Billboard’s gospel chart Top 10. His release, “Free to Worship,” bombarded Billboard’s No. 1 position on the gospel charts, and was hailed as one of the year’s best-selling gospel albums for 2006.” Hammond is scheduled to perform 8 p.m., July 11.
Gospel performer Tye Tribbett & his choir, Greater Anointing, “broke into the popular mainstream in 1998 and have gone on to perform with some of the biggest names in music. Tribbett’s first album under Columbia Records,” Victory Live!” entered the Billboard top gospel albums chart at No. 1, generated the No. 1 gospel single, “Victory,” and earned two Stellar Awards and three Grammy nominations. Not only is the performance soulful and moving, but also entertaining.” Tribbett is scheduled to perform 6:15 p.m., July 11.
Luther Barnes. “Through years of performing with The Sunset Jubilaires, The Red Budd Gospel Choir and the popular Barnes Family aggregation, Luther Barnes, in his own quiet, unassuming manner, has become one of gospel music’s premier male vocalists. He is a visionary who holds up the triumphant heritage of gospel music, as evident by his moving performances.” Barnes is scheduled to perform, 4:30 p.m., July 11.
Reserved seating is already available for Soulfest 2009.
Ricky Skaggs is a bluegrass legend. He’s been performing bluegrass, as well as a chart-topping stint in country music, for nearly four decades.
“By the time Ricky Skaggs launched his solo career on Sugar Hill in 1979, he’d already amassed a resume that most retirees would envy,” according to Sugar Hill records regarding the 2008 CD release of “Ricky Skaggs: The Best of the Sugar Hill Years.” “He’d been a member of Ralph Stanley’s Clinch Mountain Boys and the legendary Country Gentlemen. He’d made vital recordings with his friend and collaborator Keith Whitley. He’d been in Emmylou Harris’ Hot Band, and he’d been part of the pioneering neo-bluegrass band Boone Creek, whose album ‘One Way Track,’ had in fact been Sugar Hill’s first release as a label.”
Ricky Skaggs is scheduled for 8 p.m., Sept. 19.
These two events are added to concerts remaining on the Wild Adventures schedule.
At 8 p.m., July 23, the Country Rat Pack performs. This show features three country stars: Tracy Bird, Tracy Lawrence, and former Lonestar member Richie McDonald. These stars will play acoustic versions of their country hits and tell stories from their lives.
Other shows include contemporary Christian of Chris Tomlin, July 18; the rock of Foreigner, Aug. 15; the hard rock of Bret Michaels, Oct. 10.
While reserved seating is available for each show, festival seating for concerts is also included in the park’s regular admission price, and Passports. More information: Call 219-7080; or visit wildadventures.com

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