Dierks Bentley, Kix Brooks, Punch Brothers & More Set for St. Regis Big Stars, Bright Nights this Summer

Park City Institute celebrates its 11th summer of presenting the St. Regis Big Stars, Bright Nights concert series at Deer Valley Resort with ten, powerhouse concerts: The Bacon Brothers (June 28), Punch Brothers (July 6), Dierks Bentley (July 24), Kix Brooks (July 31), Muscle Shoals Live and Lisa Fischer (August 3), Five For Fighting (August 16), Trampled by Turtles (August 19), Nashville Café (August 23), Vince Gill and the Time Jumpers (August 30) and a TBA show. All concerts are slated to be held rain or shine at Deer Valley Resort's Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater. Tickets go on sale to PCPAF members on Wednesday, April 9 and are available for purchase by the general public on Wednesday, April 16.

The Bacon Brothers cut loose with the summer series kick-off on June 28. Actor Kevin (The Following, Apollo 13, Mystic River, Footloose...) and Emmy award-winning composer Michael put on a show that seamlessly blends hard-charging tunes with mellow, country-folk ballads. Both brothers sing and play the guitar. Kevin adds harmonica and percussion to the mix and Michael shows off his classical training on the cello. The duo is backed up by Paul Guzzone (bass and vocals), Joe Mennonna (keyboards and accordion), Frank Vilardi (drums) and Ira Siegel (lead guitar, mandolin, and backing vocals).

The Punch Brothers celebrate Independence Day weekend with music steeped in Americana roots on July 6. Created by mandolin virtuoso - and youngest ever MacArthur genius grant winner - Chris Thile (formerly of Grammy-winning Nickel Creek), this newgrass/bluegrass/rock quintet is comprised of the genre's 20- and 30-something all-stars: guitarist Chris Eldridge bassist Paul Kowert, banjo player Noam Pikelny and violinist Gabe Witcher. With "sawing fiddles, jittery banjos, flinty guitars, and flickering mandolins" (New York Daily News), the edgy string band is a whole new classification and generation of "dazzling" (The New York Times).

"Country's most charismatic centrist" (Washington Post), Dierks Bentley delivers modern country, classic country, bluegrass and rock on July 24. He sings of pick-up trucks and red, white and blue, parties and love. And the sizzling, chart-topping, country star has garnered 11 Grammy nominations, topped the charts with seven albums and earned an invitation to join the Grand Ole Opry.

Kix Brooks adds some legendary country to the line-up on July 31. After two decades as one half of the duo Brooks & Dunn, Kix took the solo trail in 2012 with his album, "New to this Town." The syndicated radio host and Nashville-based singer (and songwriter) has earned platinum sales, Grammys, Country Music Association Awards... and yet he isn't resting on his laurels. As one Florida Times-Union reviewer put it, his show has a "hard rocking, gritty feel that put[s] the music first." A special, preconcert winetasting (by-invitation-only) event featuring sips from Brooks' Arrington Vineyard will accompany the festivities.

Muscle Shoals Live - named for the little Alabama town that drew some of rock and R&B's biggest names (Aretha Franklin, Dylan, the Stones) to its recording studio - returns for a St. Regis Big Stars, Bright Nights encore on August 3. On the "Singing River" roster: Harvey Thompson of the Muscle Shoals Horns, Angela Primm of Still Waters, jazz musician and vocalist Thomas Cain and Candi Stanton and Mike Ferris. Grammy winner Lisa Fischer - think jaw-dropping "Gimme Shelter" duet with Mick Jagger - headlines the evening. Recently featured in the documentary "Twenty Feet from Stardom," Fischer (a.k.a. "Brown Sugar") has long been the instantly recognizable voice accompanying rock stars, ranging from Sting and the Rolling Stones (she's been a part of every Stones tour since 1989) to Beyoncé and Bobby McFerrin.

Five For Fighting rocks the amphitheater on August 16. With "vocals of warmth and vulnerability" (Los Angeles Times), Grammy-nominated John Ondrasik is something of a poetic "Superman." His one-man band, Five For Fighting (named for a hockey penalty), has topped the charts with ballads, such as the poignant, piano-driven "100 Years," "What If" and "The Riddle." Ondrasik released his 6th album last fall and continues to deliver his distinctive lyrical pop-rock that packs an oft-heartrending punch.

It's a string stampede as Trampled by Turtles (August 19) creates an acoustic sound that "seeps deeply into our pores and permeates our core until their riffs merge with our pulse." (The Washington Post). Dave Simonett (guitar, vocals), Tim Saxhaug (bass, vocals), Dave Carroll (banjo, vocals), Erik Berry (mandolin) and Ryan Young (fiddle, vocals) - all of whom jammed in rock and punk before unplugging their instruments - have delivered a half dozen albums of unbridled bluegrass mayhem or as Esquire put it, "Supercharged songs with a hooky playfulness and white-knuckle power..." Elephant Revival and Hurray for the Riff Raff serve as opening bands for the evening.

On August 23, it's time to ditch TV for reality as Nashville Café fills the amphitheater. Stars of the ABC hit drama "Nashville" step into the spotlight for live country music glory. On tap for the evening: Charles Esten, who plays singer/guitar playing Deacon Claybourne; Australian-born actress/singer Clare Bowen, who plays the sweet Scarlett O'Connor; and sisters Lennon and Maisy Stella, who play Maddie and Daphne Conrad (and stole the show at the 47th Country Music Association Awards with their rendition of a Taylor Swift tune).

"One of the best all-arounders in country music: a soulful singer, a dexterous songwriter, a renowned guitar player," (Chicago Tribune), Grammy- and CMA-decorated Vince Gill comes to the line-up on August 30 with genuine talent and none of the slick accoutrements that sometimes overshadow the genre. The Time Jumpers - currently comprised of Brad Albin (upright bass), Larry Franklin (fiddle), Paul Franklin (steel guitar), Vince Gill (vocals, electric and acoustic guitars), "Ranger Doug" Green (vocals, acoustic rhythm guitar), Andy Reiss (electric guitar), Dawn Sears (vocals), Kenny Sears (vocals, fiddle), Joe Spivey (fiddle, vocals) Jeff Taylor (accordion, piano) and Billy Thomas (drums, vocals) - are some of Nashville's best and brightest studio musicians. They first gathered together in 1998 just to drink beer and play jazz, swing, country and pop with their gifted brethren. After big stars (Bonnie Raitt, Jimmy Buffet...) started popping in, the posse released its own Grammy-nominated recordings and, to the delight of fans, unleashed that collective, Music City talent onstage.

One additional show will be announced in coming weeks.

"Thanks to incredible support from St. Regis Deer Valley as well as individual sponsors and businesses, we've been able to book a season of diverse acts - all of whom are truly icons of the stage," says PCI executive director Teri Orr. "As always, we can't imagine a better spot to present these big stars, than outdoors on the slopes of Deer Valley Resort."

All St. Regis Big Stars, Bright Nights concerts take place at Deer Valley Resort's Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater. Lawn and reserved tickets as well as summer season punch cards are available at the Box Office at The Mega Genius Supply Store and IQ HQ (435 Swede Alley, Park City), via phone at 435-655-3114 or online at www.ecclescenter.org. As of April 16, lawn tickets are also available at Deer Valley Signature & Etc. stores, The King's English Bookshop (Salt Lake City) and Hugo Coffee Shop (inside Park City's Visitor Center). Discounted tickets are available for children (under age 16) as well as seniors (age 62 and older).

Gates open 90-minutes before show time. Coolers are permitted and a nine-inch chair height restriction (i.e. you shouldn't be able to roll a basketball under the seat) is enforced. Concerts will be held rain or shine.

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