From the Kentucky Speedway

SPARTA, Ky. – Classic country music groups Sawyer Brown and Diamond Rio will take the Kentucky Speedway concert stage this summer in pre-race performances. Sawyer Brown will perform June 12 prior to the NASCAR Nationwide Series “Meijer 300 presented by Ritz.” Diamond Rio will perform Sept. 4 prior to the IndyCar Series race on Labor Day Weekend.

Diamond Rio

Sawyer Brown

Sawyer Brown vocalist Mark Miller and fellow founding members keyboardist Gregg “Hobie” Hubbard, bassist Jim Schloten, drummer Joe Smyth and guitarist Bobby Randall launched their steady hit-making run by winning the 1983 “Star Search” television competition. They began recording soon-to-be country favorites in 1984. Randall left the group in 1991 and Duncan Cameron filled the spot until his 2004 departure brought current guitarist Shayne Hill to the lineup.
Sawyer Brown’s musical arsenal includes No. 1 singles “Some Girls Do,” “Step by Step” and “Thank God for You” in addition to the popular “All These Years,” “Café on the Corner,” “I Don’t Believe in Goodbye,” “Six Days on the Road,” “The Dirt Road,” “The Race is On,” “The Walk,” “They Don’t Understand,” “This Time,” “Trouble on the Line” and more. The group released its Christmas-themed “Rejoice” collection in 2008.
This year will mark the 10th year of the NASCAR Nationwide Series event at Kentucky Speedway. Two-time and defending "Meijer 300 presented by Ritz" champ Joey Logano will return to take on a 43-driver field that is scheduled to include big-name stars such as Roush Fenway Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competitor Carl Edwards.
Diamond Rio is fronted by lead vocalist, acoustic guitarist and Lebanon, Ohio, native Marty Roe. The group also features the talents of bassist and baritone vocalist Dana Williams, of Dayton, Ohio, mandolin player and tenor vocalist Gene Johnson, guitarist Jimmy Olander, drummer Brian Prout and keyboardist-pianist Dan Truman.
Diamond Rio became the first group in country music history to reach No. 1 on the charts with a debut single in 1991 with “Meet in the Middle.” The impressive self-titled introductory collection and the 15 studio releases that followed all achieved gold or platinum sales. Diamond Rio’s well-known musical creations have garnered nine No. 1 singles, 13 Grammy nominations, two Academy of Country Music Vocal Group of the Year awards as well as four Country Music Association Vocal Group of the Year awards.
Other well-recognized Diamond Rio hits include“Beautiful Mess,” “God Only Cries,” “How Your Love Makes Me Feel,” “I Believe,” “Imagine That,” “In God We Trust,” “In a Week or Two,” “Love a Little Stronger,” “One More Day,” “That’s What I Get for Loving You,” “Unbelievable” and many more.
The group released “The Reason” in September 2009 and the story of the band titled “Beautiful Mess: The Story of Diamond Rio” is available in bookstores.
The concert will be part of a doubleheader race day that will begin with the Firestone Indy Lights "Drive Smart. Buckle Up Kentucky 100" and conclude with a 300-mile IZOD IndyCar Series battle that will feature defending Kentucky Speedway race champion Ryan Briscoe along with Danica Patrick, Marco Andretti, Helio Castroneves, Scott Dixon, Dario Franchitti, Dan Wheldon and many more.
Kentucky Speedway event tickets and “Big Deals” can be reserved online through the tickets pages at www.KentuckySpeedway.com; or by phone at 1-888-652-RACE (7223); and through the Kentucky Speedway ticket offices in Ft. Mitchell, Ky., at 400 Buttermilk Pike, Suite 100, near the Montgomery Inn restaurant. Tickets may also be purchased at the track Fan Center located off of I-71, Exit 57, in Sparta, Ky.