A free celebration of country music, which began as an experiment last year, proved so popular that local impresario Billy J. Walsh is bringing an updated rendition to the amphitheater behind Scott’s Seafood in Folsom’s historic district on Friday, June 23 at 7:30 p.m.
“It is a Grand Ole Opry-style show at the Zittel Family Amphitheater to celebrate the history of country music,” said Walsh, a Folsom resident who performs with his bands the Sky Kings and Rangers and works as a sound technician during the summer concert series at the amphitheater. “This is a multi-artist show featuring some of the best country musicians on the west coast.”
The outdoor stage will be shared by 16 musicians, including Walsh; locally-based Nashville recording artists Cynthia Renee and Michael Gregory; Aaron Gayden, who leads the annual Hometown Parade singing “America the Beautiful”; Michael Curtis, Jr.; Flying Eugene Flowers; Rich Gularte; Kevin Jachetta; Barbara Johnson; Giorgi Khokhobashvili; Danielle Walsh Mata; Sunny Mitchell; Jerry Verseput; John Voelz; Mark Wheeler; and Ian Worley. Folsom’s Ian Cornell will serve as guest emcee.
“We will perform a chronology of songs from classic country artists such as Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn and Hank Williams, through the country-pop era of Alabama, Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton, and into the country-rock era of The Eagles, Poco and Linda Ronstadt before rejoining the current era with songs from Chris Stapleton, Maren Morris and Darius Rucker,” said Walsh. “Stellar musical performances combined with fantastic vocalists will provide an entertaining show unlike any other here in our hometown of Folsom.”
The event is free and family friendly. Walsh said guests are encouraged to arrive early, set-up low-back lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy dinner in the historic district before the show.
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