Country Artists Kellie Pickler, Phil Vassar to Perform At This Year's Dixon May Fair

By Brianna Boyd

Special to Dixon Patch

Country music’s piano man and a former American Idol contestant turned country star will entertain thousands at the 137^th annual Dixon May Fair.

Fair officials announced this week that Kellie Pickler and Phil Vassar will co-headline a concert in the fair’s arena on Friday, May 11.

Kellie Pickler’s life has played out like a classic country song. From her hardscrabble, small town roots to center stage on American Idol to the top of the country charts, Pickler has proven that talent, beauty, hard work and determination are a potent combination.

Pickler finished sixth on the fifth season of the popular American Idol competition and signed with 19 Recordings/BNA Records. Her debut set, Small Town Girl, launched with the hit “Red High Heels”, and she continued to earn fans with hits like “I Wonder” and “Things That Never Cross a Man’s Mind”. Her self-titled sophomore album included the songs, “Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful”, “Best Days of Your Life”, and “Didn’t You Know How Much I Loved You”.  Her new album is titled 100 Proof.

Phil Vassar’s unbounded energy and limitless talent have proven him as one of Nashville’s most prolific and versatile stars. The songwriter and musician is not only known for his gift for songwriting, but also for his compelling and highly entertaining skills on the piano.

His resume boasts numerous hits for artists that include Alan Jackson, Tim McGraw, Jo Dee Messina and Collin Raye. In his self-titled debut album, Vassar took his seat as country’s leading piano man with the success of songs like “Carlene”, “Just Another Day in Paradise”, and “Six-Pack Summer”. Altogether, he has released six albums that have included the hits “American Child”, “That’s When I Love You”, “In a Real Love”, “I’ll Take That as a Yes (The Hot Tub Song)", “Last Day of My Life” and “Love is a Beautiful Thing”.

Some of his accolades have included two-time ASCAP Songwriter of the Year, Billboard Magazine Top New Country Artist, ACM Top New Male Vocalist and ACM Song of the Year.

Tickets for the Kellie Pickler and Phil Vassar concert will go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 24 at all TicketMaster Outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com, at the Dixon May Fair Box Office, 655 South First St., in Dixon, or charge by phone at (800) 745-3000.  Tickets prices are $65 and $45 for reserved and $29 for general admission. All ticket prices include admission in to the fair.

Kellie Pickler and Phil Vassar join an already impressive May Fair concert line-up. Hip-hop star Snoop Dogg and special guest One Block Radius will perform on Wednesday, May 9. The fair is planning a “soft” opening that evening for people attending the concert. The English Beat and The Romantics will perform on Thursday, May 10 and Larry the Cable Guy, a nationally known comedian and actor, will entertain on Saturday, May 12. Comedian Reno Collier will open the show.

Tickets for both Snoop Dogg and Larry the Cable Guy are on sale for $75 and $45 reserved, and $35 general admission. Reserved seat tickets for The English Beat and The Romantics are $25 and general admission seating is $20. All children 12 and under can enter The English Beat concert for free, with paid fair admission.

The 137^th annual Dixon May Fair will open on Thursday, May 10 and entertain thousands of visitors through Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 13. The fair will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. all four days, with a “soft” opening planned the evening of Wednesday, May 9.   For more information, visit www.dixonmayfair.com.

Editor's note: Brianna is the editor of the