Diverse Musical Acts to Grace the Stage at This Year's Greeley Stampede

By Conor Hooley
The K99 Taste of Country Concert Series will bring a revamped and much improved roster of musical talent to the 89th annual Greeley Stampede. Made
possible by a partnership between the Stampede and local media conglomerate Townsquare Media, the new venture might just be a needed shot in the arm for the world’s largest 4th of July rodeo.
As in years past, 2011’s bill features a diverse slate of country and classic rock artists, including Clint Black, Cheap Trick, Blue Oyster Cult, Chris Young and Rodney Atkins. The new partnership’s initial concert series looks to be a great compromise of star power and, thankfully for Stampede attendees, reasonable prices.
“We are thrilled to take this partnership to the next level and excited to be working with the leading heritage rodeo event in the region,” said Townsquare Media Vice President/General Manager Cal Hall. “We look forward to many years of successful
partnership.”
“The dynamics should be different this year because [Townsquare] is producing the concert, not the Stampede,” said Townsquare Events Director Mark Tucker.
“Recently the Stampede has been in a financial hardship, so we stepped up and decided to take the risk, market it and bring people to the grounds to try and help the Stampede out.”
Concerts will be held on both weekends of the Stampede. The first will be on June 24, with performances from Rodney Atkins and Little Big Town. Atkins
was named the Academy of Country Music’s Top New Male Vocalist in 2006, and has scored no less than fi ve #1 singles since. Little Big Town is a quartet with over a decade spent playing together, and their tasteful, four-person harmonies have earned them a dedicated fanbase.
June 25 will feature Clint Black and Josh Kelley. Black, a bona fide country music legend, amassed 27 #1 singles in the ‘90s, and has spent the previous years splitting time between his music and his newfound passion for acting. Kelley is a recent convert to country music, and has hits to his name in both the pop (“Amazing”) and country (“Georgia Clay”) music spheres.
Concerts resume the following weekend with Chris Young and Steel Magnolia on July 1. Both acts actually owe their starts to television talent searches, with Young winning 2006’s Nashville Star and Steel Magnolia taking the crown in 2009’s Can You Duet? Success has followed both acts since their respective victories, with Young already notching three top ten hits and boyfriend/girlfriend duo Magnolia’s 2010 debut album reaching #3 on Billboard’s country music chart.
Everything wraps up emphatically on July 2, with a slate of ‘70s-fl avored rock courtesy of Cheap Trick and Blue Oyster Cult. Cheap Trick is an act that needs no introduction, boasting a slew of classics such as “I Want You to Want Me,” “Dream Police” and, most notably, “Surrender.” Blue Oyster Cult has spent most of their career together releasing critically acclaimed and commercially successful music, including the classic hit “(Don’t Fear) the Reaper.”
Due to waning Stampede attendance in recent years, event producer Townsquare Media (which also owns local radio stations 94.3 MAX FM and K99), has made a concerted effort to both bring out an attractive, modern collection of talent, and to do so at a reasonable price.
“We used our knowledge base, tasteofcountry.com and our partnerships to look at what’s popular and what’s developing and to find out what was going to be the best fit for the [Stampede],” explained Tucker. “I think in the past – and you’ll still see it today –there’ll be a big name, but it’s a $70-$90 ticket. That’s too much for this region. We tried to keep ticket prices reasonable and still have rock-solid entertainment, and I think we accomplished that.”
Tickets start at just $22 per day, and go no higher than $29. The option to purchase a “K99 Taste of Country Concert Pack” is also available, which ensures entry to all four shows for either $60 or $75 (depending on seating). Doors to all four shows open at 7:30pm and admission does include entry to
the Stampede grounds.
“Offering low cost, quality entertainment is what the Stampede needs to be about – shows you can bring the whole family to without breaking the bank,” said Greeley Stampede Night Show Chair Kyle Homan. “Townsquare Media’s partnership with the Stampede has provided a means of doing this.”
Find out more information at greeleystampede.org and tasteofcountry.com/greeley-stampede.