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2011 Umatilla County Fair Court Selected

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Location

Umatilla County Fair
PO Box 94 515 W Orchard Ave. Hermiston, OR 97838
1-541-567-6121 phone 1-541-567-8115 fax
1-800-700-3247 toll free

The fairgrounds are open 8 am. to 5 pm. Mon. through Fri.
 
Location and hours for other County offices

2012 Entertainment to be Announced

Tuesday August 7th "Charlie Daniels" 9PM Main Stage

Charlie Daniels is partly Western and partly Southern. His signature “bull rider” hat and belt buckle, his lifestyle on Twin Pines Ranch (a boyhood dream come true), his love of horses, cowboy lore and the heroes of championship rodeo, Western movies, and Louis L’Amour novels ,identify him as a Westerner. The son of a lumberjack and a Southerner by birth, his music - rock, country, bluegrass, blues, gospel — is quintessentially Southern.

It hasn’t been so much a style of music, but more the values consistently reflected in several styles that have connected Charlie Daniels with millions of fans. For decades, he has steadfastly refused to label his music as anything other than “CDB music,” music that has been popularized on a variety of radio formats. Like so many great American success stories, the Charlie Daniels saga begins in rural obscurity. Born in 1936 in Wilmington, North Carolina, he was raised on a musical
diet that included Pentecostal gospel, local bluegrass bands, and the rhythm & blues and country music emanating respectively from Nashville’s 50,000-watt mega broadcasters WLAC and WSM.

While enroute to California in 1959 the group paused in Texas to record “Jaguar,” an instrumental produced by the Bob Johnston, which was picked up for national distribution by Epic. The two wrote “It Hurts Me,” which became the B-side of a 1964 Presley hit. In 1969, Daniels moved to middle Tennessee to find work as a session guitarist in Nashville. Among his
more notable sessions were the Bob Dylan albums of 1969-70 Nashville Skyline, New Morning, and Self Portrait. Daniels produced the Youngblood’s albums of 1969-70 Elephant Mountain and Ride the Wind.

Daniels broke through as a record maker, himself, with 1973’s Honey In the Rock and its hit song “Uneasy Rider.” His rebel anthems “Long Haired Country Boy” and “The South’s Gonna Do It” propelled his 1975 collection Fire On the Mountain to multi-Platinum status.

Following stints with Capitol and Kama Sutra, Epic Records signed him to its rock roster in New York in 1976. The contract, reportedly worth $3 million, was the largest ever given to a Nashville act up to that time.

In the summer of 1979 Daniels rewarded the company’s faith by delivering “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” which became a Platinum single, topped both country and pop charts, won a Grammy Award, became an international phenomenon, earned three Country Music Association trophies, became a cornerstone of the Urban Cowboy movie soundtrack and propelled Daniel’s Million Mile Reflections album to Triple Platinum sales levels. The CDB was voted as the
Academy of Country Music’s Touring Band of the Year Music in both 1980 and 1981. Daniels was the recipient of The ACM’s prestigious Pioneer Award in 1998, and in 1997, Daniels and long time manager, David Corlew started Blue Hat Records.

Daniels’ annual Volunteer Jam concerts, world-famous musical extravaganzas that served as a prototype for many of today’s annual daylong music marathons, always featured a variety of current stars and heritage artists and are considered by historians as his most impressive contribution to Southern music. Among the artists “Jam Daddy” has hosted at these mega musical samplers are Roy Acuff, Don Henley, Tanya Tucker, Amy Grant, Leon Russell, Billy Ray Cyrus,
the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, James Brown, Duane Eddy, Pat Boone, The Outlaws, Kris Kristofferson, Dwight Yoakam, Steppenwolf, Bill Monroe, Exile, The Judds, Orleans, Willie Nelson, the Allman Brothers, Link Wray, Ted Nugent, Billy Joel, the Marshall Tucker Band, Solomon Burke, Little Richard, B. B. King, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Eugene Fodor, Woody
Herman, and Bobby Jones and the New Life Singers, to name a few.

On Saturday night, January 19th, 2008, Charlie’s life long dream became a reality. He was inducted as a full-fledged member into the Grand Ole Opry. “It is an honor that I can’t begin to articulate, there is no way I can express what it means to me”, says Daniels. “I pursued my dream in music and by the goodness of God have been able to have a wonderful career, which has spanned fifty÷ years”. “I have been blessed with Gold, Platinum and Multiplatinum albums, I have appeared many times on network television, even in moving pictures. I have won multiple awards from The Country Music Association, The Academy of Country Music, The Gospel Music Association and even a Grammy. I have even played on the Grand Ole Opry many times. But I was always on the outside looking in. I was always a guest, never a member.”“Ain’t God good”!!!!!!!!!!

In 2009, Charlie Daniels was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame along with Chet Atkins, Billy Cox, Dick Dale, Victor Feldman, Fred Foster, Paul Riser, and Toto. Dickey Betts, former guitarist for the Allman Brothers Band, hosted Daniels' induction in Nashville. The CDB performed a tight performance that included "The Devil Went Down to Georgia." That same year, Music City awarded Daniels with a star on the Walk of Fame along with other 2009 honorees, Dolly Parton, Kid Rock, Tootsie Bess, and Ernest Tubb at the official unveiling of commemorative sidewalk markers on at the Hall of Fame Park in downtown Nashville. “I used to say, ‘I’m not an outlaw, I’m an outcast,’” says the Grammy Award winning star. “When it gets right down to the nitty gritty, I’ve just tried to be who I am. I’ve never followed trends or fads. I couldn’t even if I tried. I can’t be them; I can’t be anybody but me. CDB music is purely American music with something for everyone, At least that’s what I’ve hope for in my 50+
years in music.”

Wednesday August 8th "Battle of the Bands" 7PM Main Stage

Umatilla County Fair Battle of the Bands Competition Looking for the best talent around!

Think you’re the best? Prove it for a chance to play a great venue and win amazing opportunities and cash prizes!

“The Umatilla County Fair will host a Battle of the Bands competition on the Thursday, August 9th at 7:00pm on the Main Entertainment Stage.

The Fair is looking for bands who want to participate in this competition. Bands are asked to submit an application, along with a demo CD, or YouTube video as an audition. Click here for to down load an application. Applications are also available  at  the Fair Office located at 515 W Orchard Ave, Hermiston, OR. A panel of professional judges will pre-screen the auditions and select the finalist to perform on the Main Stage in order to keep the competition within the time limit of 7-10PM. Applications must be dropped off to the Umatilla County Fair office no later than 5pm on July 2, 2012.

Contestants will be evaluated on vocal and instrumental performance, musical interpretation, originality, and stage presence. At the final performance bands will also be evaluated according to fan reaction, by use of a decibel meter. The winner will be announced after the competition. The winning band will receive: $750 cash and receive a special guest interview on the radio with 102.7 KORD or 98.3 The Key, depending on the winning bands genre. 2nd place will receive $500 cash. 3rd place will receive: $250 cash. Each participating band will also receive fair admission passes for their band. Each selected band will have the opportunity to have a table in the media tent to sell merchandise.

The Umatilla County Fair’s mission is to bring unknown, local talent to the forefront of the entertainment at the fair. Official rules and guidelines are outlined on the application. Selected bands will be notified by July 20th, 2011. The Umatilla County Fair has the right to reject any application for any reason. Everyone is encouraged to apply!

For more information contact:
Umatilla County Fair Grounds
fair@umatillacounty.net
515 W. Orchard Ave
PO Box 94 Hermiston,
OR 97838 (541) 567-6121

Thursday August 9th "Josh Gracin" 9PM Main Stage

Josh Gracin has a diverse and impressive set of skills. The most obvious is the voice that captured the attention of millions of American Idol fans during his season two run on what has become an American cultural phenomenon. His all-American good looks, earnest charm and passionate vocal style earned him a devoted legion of fans, but beyond the stage, Gracin possesses a poet’s heart and an ex-Marine’s discipline and work ethic. It’s that potent combination of talent and tenacity that set Gracin apart and is fueling the newest chapter in his career.

“I want to sing. I want to write. I want to produce. I want to put myself on the chopping block,” says Gracin, who recently signed with Average Joe’s Entertainment. Signing with an independent record label feels like the right fit for Josh, allowing him room to grow and challenge himself while still providing structure and an outlet for his product.

A Michigan native who grew up listening to country and R&B music, Gracin auditioned for Idol (placing fourth on season two) while serving in the Marine Corps. Following his run on American Idol and the completion of his military service, he signed with Lyric Street Records and released his self-titled debut album in June 2004. The album was RIAA-certified gold and spawned three top five singles—“I Want to Live,” “Stay With Me (Brass Bed),” and the No. 1 hit “Nothin’ to Lose.”

Gracin’s highly-anticipated sophomore effort, We Weren’t Crazy, was released in 2008 and delivered title track, “We Weren’t Crazy,” the ballad “Unbelievable (Ann Marie),” written solely by Gracin about his wife, and fan favorite “Favorite State of Mind.” Gracin has lent his vocals to The Disney Songbook on “When I See An Elephant Fly” with Jim Brickman and the soundtrack to Herbie: Fully Loaded on “Working for the Weekend.”

Friday August 10th "Jo Dee Messina" 9PM Main Stage

With the release of “Unmistakable: Love,” the first in a series of three EPs to be released in 2010, JO DEE MESSINA steps firmly into the front ranks of country singers with staying power. A collection that displays both her songwriting prowess and her abilities as a co-producer, Unmistakable is above all a showcase for one of the genre's most remarkable and distinctive voices.

The Unmistakable EPs--“Love,” “Drive” and “Inspiration”--are being released throughout the year, and include live bonus tracks of Jo Dee’s biggest hits on each.  “I think this is a great way to let the fans hear all the recordings made in the last six years,” says Jo Dee.  “They not only get to experience the finished product, but the complete collection of songs recorded along the way.”

That irrepressible spirit of country music has been in Jo Dee’s DNA since her childhood in Holliston, Massachusetts. She was first attracted to country in the music of Alabama and Hank Jr. as well as Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire. She appeared in local plays and musicals as a girl, and by 16 she had a band that included her sister on bass and her brother on drums. She performed in clubs throughout the Northeast, booking shows and hauling gear, with a work ethic she inherited from her single-parent mother.

At 19, she loaded a car and headed to Nashville, where she entered talent contests and got a regular gig on Nashville's "Live at Libby's" radio show. Producer Byron Gallimore heard her and introduced her to another struggling newcomer named Tim McGraw. Jo Dee was signed, then dropped, by one major label before, at a backstage meeting at Fan fair, she met and charmed a Curb Records executive and got a record deal on the spot.

With Gallimore and McGraw producing, Jo Dee gained attention out of the box with "Heads Carolina, Tails California" and "You're Not In Kansas Anymore." Her follow-up album, I'm Alright, exploded with its back-to-back-to-back chart-toppers "Bye Bye" (ASCAP's Song of the Year), "I'm Alright" and "Stand Beside Me" made her a star. Jo Dee won the ACM's Top New Female Vocalist award, the CMA Horizon award and the nod for Most Played Country Female of 1999 from Billboard. The Burn album entered the Country Albums chart at #1, went platinum and earned two Grammy nominations. Hits like "Lesson in Leavin'," "Because You Love Me," "Downtime," "Bring On The Rain," "That's The Way" and "My Give A Damn's Busted" would cement her reputation as one of country's most loved and enduring hit-makers. Along the way, Jo Dee earned a well-deserved reputation as an electric live performer, becoming one of the first women of country to mount a major headlining tour.

That sense of exploration has always gone into her art, and it infuses the Unmistakable trilogy.

"In the midst of your creativity is when you're most in tune with God. There is a creative rebirth on these records, and it came so effortlessly. I can't wait for people to finally hear them."

www.JoDeeMessina.com
Tickets go on sale Thursday March 15, 2012 at the Umatilla County Fair Office for Charlie Daniels, Jo Dee Messina, and Smash Mouth

Saturday August 11th "Smash Mouth" 9PM Main Stage

Collectively the band Smash Mouth has sold more than 10 million albums worldwide. Along with their number one hits – Walkin' on the Sun and All Star – they have consistently impacted radio with other recognizable hits like Then the Morning Comes, Can't Get Enough Of You Baby, and a cover of The Monkees classic I'm a Believer, which was prominently featured on the Shrek soundtrack (4, Billboard Adult Top 40).

A quick listen to their music and you realize the multi-platinum Smash Mouth is a 60s influenced garage band with a keen pop sensibility that maintains a timeless quality, a style they have created and that is all their own.

Having long since established itself as the ultimate true-to-life California party-band the vibe surrounding Smash Mouth is indeed – at its core – about having fun.

"When we play it's a nonstop party," Harwell says.

Reserved Seating

Click here to view the reserved seating map

Other Entertainment

Click here to learn more about other entertainment at the fair