Grand Funk Railroad to Play at Maryland State Fair

Are you ready for 4-H, livestock, rides, greasy fair food and good old fashioned rock-n-roll?

The Maryland State Fair kicks off on Friday, Aug. 22, and the band that took the 1970s by storm, Grand Funk Railroad, is scheduled to perform at the fair on Thursday, Aug. 28, as part of the 45 Years of Grand Funk tour.

“You cannot talk about rock in the 1970s without talking about Grand Funk Railroad!” said David Fricke in Rolling Stone magazine, April 3, 2003, according to the Grand Funk bio page.

The music written and performed by Grand Funk Railroad laid the groundwork for bands like Foreigner, Journey, Van Halen and Bon Jovi.

Drummer and lead vocalist of Grand Funk Railroad, Don Brewer, tells Patch that fans at the fair can expect to hear hits like “We’re an American Band,” “Footstompin’ Music” and “The Loco-Motion,” along with a few new songs.

“It’s a real high energy, uplifting, let’s have some fun show,” Brewer said.

Current band members Bruce Kulick, Mel Schacher, Don Brewer, Max Carl and Tim Cashion have been performing together for about 14 years, but the band formed in 1969, according to the band’s history page.

In 1973, Grand Funk Railroad released its first No. 1 hit single, “We’re an American Band,” along with their ninth gold record. The following year, another hit single, “The Loco-Motion,” was released.

The band stopped touring after 1982, but in 1995, the three original members began talking of a possible reunion. The result was a 14-show tour across the country in 1996; the lineup has changed since and the current members debuted in December 2000.

Fans of Grand Funk Railroad can look forward to a possible new release of songs.

“We’ve been working now for 14 years with this band,” Brewer said. “Over those 14 years there’s been 10 or 12 [new songs] that have come and gone in the show. At some point we’ll probably have something live with some old hits and new material.”

One of those new songs, “Lighting and Thunder,” is an all-percussion piece that Brewer said fans at the Maryland State Fair can look forward to hearing.

While older generations will remember Grand Funk Railroad and their hits from the ‘70s, Brewer thinks younger generations can also appreciate the classic rock music the band plays.

“I think a lot of young people go to our show because they’re curious,” Brewer said. “They’ve heard of Grand Funk Railroad. They’ve heard us on the radio. I think they’re really amazed at the energy that still comes from a bunch of old guys. I don’t think they’re used to seeing that kind of situation with a classic rock band.”

But while Brewer thinks younger listeners can still appreciate Grand Funk Railroad’s music, he prefers to listen to satellite radio and the “old stuff” rather than newer music.

“I like the new stuff by Train. I like Sheryl Crow. St. Paul & The Broken Bones is a great, new, young band that’s going back and digging up a lot of the R&B stuff,” Brewer said. “I haven’t heard anybody that’s made me go, ‘Oh my God, listen to that!’”

State Fair Highlights

The Maryland State Fair, 2200 York Road, Lutherville-Timonium, runs from Friday, Aug. 22, to Monday, Sept. 1.

This year, attendees will not be allowed to bring backpacks, coolers, large bags or wheeled carts into the fairgrounds. All permitted bags - camera bags, diaper bags, purses, strollers etc. -- are subject to search.

A full schedule of the fair can be found online. Fair tickets are $8 per person, $6 for senior citizens and $3 for children ages 6-11. Tickets can be purchased online or at the fair.

Concert tickets for Grand Funk Railroad, 38 Special with Great Train Robbery and Phil Vassar with Lyndsey Highlander are $25 each and include fair entry

>>Grand Funk Railroad band members from left to right: Tim Cashion, Bruce Kulick, Don Brewer, Max Carl and Mel Schacher. Credit: Jim McGuire