Country star Kellie Pickler and heavy metal/rock band Skid Row have been named as the headliners for the 36th Marion Popcorn Festival. Pickler will take the main stage on Friday, September 9, and Skid Row is set for Saturday, September 10. Both performances begin at 8:30 p.m. and are free to Festival attendees.
The main stage lineup for Thursday, September 8’s Bike Nite will feature Rock Brigade – a Def Leppard Tribute Band at 8:30 p.m., with classic rock band Sneaky Pete and The Players opening at 6:00. All performances are free of charge.
Kellie Pickler
Kellie Pickler grew up immersed in country music in the small town of Albemarle, North Carolina with the lyrics of Tammy Wynette, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, and Dolly Parton shaping her musical footing. She first came to national attention in 2005 at the age of 19 when she landed a spot on the fifth season of American Idol. Although she finished sixth, the former waitress and Miss North Carolina contestant garnered interest from the music industry that resulted in her debut album, Small Town Girl, in the fall of 2006. Three hit singles came from that effort: “Red High Heels,” “I Wonder,” and “Things That Never Cross a Man’s Mind.”
A self-titled release in 2008 yielded Pickler’s first Top Ten hit, “Best Days of Your Life,” a song she co-wrote with Taylor Swift. Having established herself as not only a vocalist but also a songwriter, Pickler released her third studio album, 100 Proof, in 2011 to huge critical acclaim. The album was named the Number One Country Album of The Year by Rolling Stone and was listed on “Best of 2012” lists by Washington Post, Rhapsody, AOL’s The Boot, and more.
In 2013, Pickler released her fourth album, The Woman I Am, on Black River Entertainment. She co-wrote three songs on the critically acclaimed album, including the title cut.
With many of Pickler’s songs and albums having also crossed over into the pop ranks, Festival goers will hear hits such as, “Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful,” “Didn’t You Know How Much I Love You,” “Tough,” “Makin’ Me Fall in Love Again,” “100 Proof” and “Little Bit Gypsy, ”as well as the 2015 releases “Feeling Tonight” and “My Christmas Caroline.”
In 2013, she appeared as a contestant on TV’s Dancing with the Stars and won the Mirror Ball Trophy with dance partner Derek Hough. Pickler has also recently launched her own home goods line “Selma Drye by Kellie Pickler” in cooperation with the Opry Stores. In addition, she is the star in the CMT hit reality show “I Love Kellie Pickler” airing in both the United States and Canada. Pickler is also an avid supporter of the U.S. military, having recently completed her eighth USO Tour.
Skid Row
Formed in 1986 in Toms River, New Jersey, Skid Row is a band that has been described as pop-metal, hair metal, hard rock, and heavy metal. They simply call their music American hard rock.
Skid Row burst onto the national scene in 1989 with their inaugural album, Skid Row, which went multi-platinum on the strength of two Top 40 singles, “18 and Life” and “I Remember You.” Their second album, Slave to the Grind, debuted at number one on the Billboard chart – an unprecedented accomplishment for a metal band – and it, too, went platinum.
To date, Skid Row has released five full-length albums, three EPs, a compilation album, and a live album. Although the band has had some ups and downs over the past three decades, Skid Row continues to tour to packed concert venues and has sold over 20 million albums worldwide. Belting out hits such as “Youth Gone Wild,” “We Are The Damned,” “Monkey Business,” and “Let’s Go,” the band and their devoted fan base will tell you, “The United World Rebellion continues.”
Rock Brigade – Def Leppard Tribute Band
Five musicians, all hailing from Northeast Ohio and all having played in various popular ‘80s original and cover bands, came together to form a tribute band dedicated to the sights and sounds of Def Leppard. The name Rock Brigade was chosen from the title of a song on Def Leppard’s first studio album. Concert goers will hear not only the song that inspired the band’s name, but also hits like “Love Bites,” “Hysteria,” “Animal,” “Foolin’,” “Pour Some Sugar on Me,” “Photography,” “Rock of Ages,” and many more.
The 2016 dates of the Marion Popcorn Festival are September 8, 9 and 10. All performances on the Festival’s main stage begin at 8:30 p.m. and are free of charge. A limited number of Kernel sponsorship seats are available for any of the main stage performances by calling 740-387-FEST. Other events include the Popcorn Parade with over 300 units, a popcorn cooking contest, a fine art show, crafts, Popcorn 5000 5K run/walk, Popcorn 100 bike tour, a community showcase stage, Marion’s Hometown Talent stage, Poppin’ Party stage, and much more.
For more information, visit www.popcornfestival.com or call 740-387-FEST. The Marion Popcorn Festival is sponsored in part by the City of Marion.
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