Toby Keith, Nelly, Joe Nichols, David Nail, Jana Kramer, Parmalee Added to LA's TAILGATE FEST LINEUP

Randy Houser, Eric Paslay, Nelly, Joe Nichols, David Nail, Jana Kramer and Parmalee have all been added to the lineup of the First Annual TAILGATE FEST (LATailgateFest.com) headlined by country music super star Toby Keith, taking place Saturday, September 1, 2018 (Labor Day Weekend) on the outdoor grounds of the Forum in Los Angeles (Inglewood). As a one-day country music and tailgating extravaganza, TAILGATE FEST caters to the fans who show up hours before to turn the preshow into the party. It brings the stage outside to the tailgate. No packing up the party to head inside, no need to stop that game of cornhole, no need to stuff all your belongings in your pockets to last you the evening. Fans will fire up those barbeques, crack open those coolers, play games and tailgate in the hot California sun while they listen to their favorite country stars from their own tailgate as TAILGATE FEST brings the stage to the tailgaters!

"That's a Labor Day Weekend done right! This line up is going to be so much fun. All of these artists have tons of hits that will make Tailgate Fest feel like the soundtrack to our country loving lives. When you tailgate you want to know every word so you can jam out and that's what this line up accomplishes. Oh yeah, and we're not even close to finished yet. Lot's more on the way!" said Tailgate Fest creator, Melissa Carbone

Tailgate Fest will super serve the fan experience by offering the unique concept of experiencing the show truck-side, car-side, the more traditional style of stageside or even poolside. The choice belongs to the fan.

Headlined by superstar Toby Keith on his Should've Been A Cowboy Tour XXV presented by Ford F Series, the additions to the festival lineup feature some of the best musicians in country music. Academy of Country Music (ACM) Award-winning and Grammy Award-nominated Joe Nichols, on tour promoting his eighth studio album Never Gets Old released in 2017, joins the line-up along with ACM and Grammy Award-nominated country star David Nail. Composed of brothers Matt and Scott Thomas (lead vocals and drums), cousin Barry Knox (bass), and their best friend Josh McSwain (lead guitar), Parmalee are the quintessential American Country Band and they also join the lineup alongside one of country music's brightest new stars, Jana Kramer, whose platinum debut single "Why Ya Wanna" rocketed to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in 2012 made her the most played new artist that year. Also added to the lineup is St. Louis, Missouri-born rapper, singer, songwriter Nelly who has been ranked by the Recording Industry of America as the fourth best-selling rap artist in American music history, with 21 million albums sold in the USA.

In addition to the music performances, TAILGATE FEST will also feature several genre-curated activities including The Tailgate Cornhole World Championships which will kick off early in the day at the "Extreme Cornhole Court" where tailgate groups can compete against each other for prizes. Those who want to flex their truck muscles can enter their spruced-up truck in theJacked Up Truck Competition where a panel of judges will select the "Best in Show" truck of the day, with the winner taking home a brand new tailgating dream machine. TAILGATE FEST will also feature the Two Step Honky Tonk for those wanting to show off their dancing skills and a Dunk Tank for those wanting to stretch out their pitching arms. Food and beverages will also be available for purchase on site.

TICKETS

Tickets start at $109 for General Admission all the way up to a Super VIP with reserved Lawn Chair Viewing, access to a stageside pool (Yes, we said pool) and access to the VIP Forum Club (plus any applicable fees). For some fans who are "Country AF" but don't want to tailgate, General Admission stage-side and pit passes offer the more traditional experience to get up close to the stage. A Lawn Chair viewing platform, Terrace viewing and even a pool stage-side make Tailgate Fest perfect for every taste. A limited number of people can secure a pit and pool pass to kick back and keep cool while watching the best Country music has to offer.

Tickets are on-sale NOW!! For full ticket descriptions and detailed festival map, visit LATailGateFest.com.

About Toby Keith

The familiar maxim of the triple threat - singer, songwriter, musician - doesn't begin to cover it for Toby Keith, one of the modern era's most complete self-directed hit makers. And Keith's most recent months are a remarkably accurate representation of his entire career. In September 2017 he released The Bus Songs which went on to set a Billboard Comedy Albums chart record for a country artist by holding the No. 1 spot for 11 consecutive weeks. The collection of humorous, just-for-fun compositions includes two new songs "sty Golfer" and "Wacky Tobaccy," whose accompanying music video features Willie Nelson and quickly became a surprise runaway viral hit. This past year also saw the continuation of the Toby Keith Interstates & Tailgates Tour presented by Ford F-Series with sold out shows coast to coast and filled venues nationwide throughout its two-year run. The Academy of Country Music also honored Keith with their Poet's Award for songwriting in recognition of his musical and lyrical contributions as a songwriter throughout his career, and his songs' impact on the culture of country music. Rounding out the year full of music-related accomplishments was his 14th Annual Toby Keith & Friends Golf Classic which raised $1.6 million, a record-breaking amount of funds for a single event in the Toby Keith Foundation's history, to aid sick children and their families in Oklahoma.

From the moment Toby's debut single "Should've Been A Cowboy" released 25 years ago and shot up the charts to become his first No. 1, the engine driving everything has been the music. At the core is his songwriting, as recognized in his 2015 induction into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame in New York City. The Nashville Songwriters Association International named him Songwriter/Artist of the Decade and he is a three-time BMI Country Songwriter/Artist of the Year. His songs have received more than 91 million BMI performances on commercial radio stations worldwide. Keith's albums have sold more than 40 million copies. His tours have drawn more than a million fans each year for more than a decade straight, with recent expansion into Europe and Australia. The awards are too numerous to count and include Artist of the Decade nods from Billboard and the American Country Awards, as well as the ACM's Career Achievement honor and twice their Entertainer of the Year award winner in back-to-back years. Toby's most rewarding experiences, however, have come from giving back locally, nationally and abroad. His golf classics fund the Toby Keith Foundation and OK Kids Korral, a cost-free home for families of children dealing with critical illnesses. His 11 USO Tours to date have enhanced the lives of nearly 256,000 troops and military families and have been recognized with the Spirit of the USO Award (2014). Triple threat? How about singer, songwriter, musician, producer, entertainer, humanitarian, Oklahoman and patriot, for starters.

About Nelly

Two-time Grammy Award-winning rapper and songwriter Nelly began his solo career in 2000 with his debut album Country Grammar, which debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 and went on to peak at number one. Country Grammar is Nelly's best-selling album to date, selling over 8.4 million copies in the United States. His following album Nellyville, produced the number-one hits "Hot in Herre" and "Dilemma" (featuring Kelly Rowland). Other singles included "Work It" (featuring Justin Timberlake), "Air Force Ones" (featuring Murphy Lee and St. Lunatics), "Pimp Juice" and "#1". With the same-day dual release of Sweat, Suit (2004) and the compilation Sweatsuit (2006), Nelly continued to generate many chart-topping hits including the single "Over and Over" featuring Country music legend Tim McGraw. Sweat debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 342,000 copies in its first week. On the same week of release, Suit debuted at number one, selling around 396,000 copies in its first week on the same chart. Nelly's fifth studio album, Brass Knuckles, was released in 2008, and produced the singles "Party People" (featuring Fergie), "Stepped on My J'z" (featuring Jermaine Dupri and Ciara) and "Body on Me" (featuring Akon and Ashanti). In 2010, Nelly released the album 5.0. The lead single, "Just a Dream", was certified triple platinum in the United States. It also included the singles "Move That Body" (featuring T-Pain and Akon) and "Gone" (a sequel to the 2002 single "Dilemma" in collaboration with Kelly Rowland). The Recording Industry Association of America ranks Nelly as the fourth best-selling rap artist in American music history, with 21 million albums sold in the United States. In 2009, Billboard ranked Nelly the number three Top Artist of the Decade.

Born in St. Louis, Missouri Nelly has always stayed true to his Midwest-country roots and in 2013 he teamed up with Country music super stars Florida Georgia Line for the remix to their single "Cruise" which logged 24 weeks at No. 1 on Hot Country Songs, becoming the longest-running No. 1 single on that chart at that time. In 2017 Nelly joined the country music duo's Smooth tour, performing in stadiums across the country.

About Joe Nichols

As Joe Nichols began work on a brand-new batch of old-school country music, he found himself looking back for inspiration. Back to his early career, back to true friends and the simple perfection of pure country music ... back to things that never get old. "Full circle is the term I would use," the Arkansas native says about his new project, fittingly titled Never Gets Old. "The whole theme of the record is 'Let's get back to where it all began for me. Let's get back to where my passion for music began.'" Lead single and title track "Never Gets Old" points the way. Written by Connie Harrington and Steve Moakler, Nichols says it reminds him of the mid-'80s country era, a song that "wasn't necessarily deep, but it was meaningful." Tracks like "This Side of the River," "Billy Graham's Bible," and "We All Carry Something" are charged with soul-stirring power, while "Diamonds Make Babies" and "So You're Saying" inject the project with heartwarming fun. But it's a bit of carefree craziness adapted from his live show which is sure to leave listeners with the biggest smile - an honest-to-goodness country cover of Sir Mix-a-Lot's hip-hop favorite, "Baby Got Back." What began as a joke between Nichols and his band years ago went on to become a beloved moment onstage, and now it caps off Never Gets Old, proving that whatever this veteran song stylist sings, it's gonna sound country. Nichols and his team invited comedian Darren Knight and his "Southern Momma" character to revamp the iconic spoken-word parts, and what came out in the studio was so much fun it had to be included on the album.

From 2002's Man With a Memory on, Nichols has harnessed that passion as a steady hit maker, racking up six Number Ones and eight Top 10s, including chart-topping modern classics like "Brokenheartsville" and "Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off." He's a four-time Grammy nominee, an ACM, Billboard, CMA, and CMT Award winner, and his last album offering, Crickets, kept the success going, sending both "Yeah" and "Sunny and 75" to Platinum-certified Number One status.

About David Nail

During the making of his fourth MCA Nashville album, Academy of Country Music and Grammy Award-nominated David Nail underwent a transformation - and so did his music. Fighter is the most vulnerable, personal record the Missouri native has ever made, and it signals the beginning of a new phase of his career. Following the birth of his long-hoped for twins, the singer-songwriter found his world turned upside down. The mark he wanted to leave and things he wanted to say had changed, and despite an early version of Fighter being already finished, he decided to record four new songs, completely changing the project's tone. In short, Nail decided to get real in a way he never would have allowed himself before. Already known for powerful, emotionally-charged vocals, he took the same approach to choosing Fighter's 11 tracks (seven of which he wrote or co-wrote himself), celebrating life's victories but also exposing the knock downs he's endured - and it wasn't always flattering. Big-name collaborations also abound on Fighter, with Nail inviting Vince Gill, Brothers Osborne, Lori McKenna and Logan Brill to help tell his story, as well as Bear and Bo Rinehart of NEEDTOBREATE.

About Jana Kramer

Just ask Jana Kramer and she'll tell you she's: "Just getting started." And it's that drive and love for music that has been the driving force behind her career. After all, in just over five years, she has become one of country music's brightest new stars. Her platinum single, "Why Ya Wanna" rocketed to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in 2012 making her the most played new artist that year. Her self-titled debut album hit No. 5 in 2013, the Academy of Country Music honored her with its Top New Female Artist Award, and the following year was nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year. Kramer still says that she has a lot to prove though. She was already a star when she broke into country music, with a massive fan base she had built as an actress in numerous films and TV shows. What few knew was that long before reciting her first scripted line, Kramer was a passionate lover of country music. In fact, she ended her high-profile, two-year run on The CW's "One Tree Hill" to focus on her singing, songwriting and onstage performance. In 2015, her second studio album thirty one debuted with career-best sales numbers, landing in the Top 10 of the all-genre Billboard 200 albums chart at No. 3 om the Country Albums chart. In April of this year, Kramer released her newest single "Dammit," a song about the disappointment over the loss of an almost-perfect love, which she hopes will become part of a new album.

About Parmalee

Composed of brothers Matt and Scott Thomas (lead vocals and drums), cousin Barry Knox (bass), and their best friend Josh McSwain (lead guitar), Parmaleeare the quintessential American Country band. Named after the small town where the band started, Parmele, NC (population 278), the chart-topping quartet pays tribute to their humble Carolina upbringings with their name and sound, Raised on a diet of Southern rock, Country, and blues, they formed in 2001 as a bunch of small-town boys chasing wild weekend nights, but their talents eventually took them beyond the little cement block barn they rehearsed in and onto Country music's biggest stages, not to mention the top of Billboard's Country chart. The bands blue-collar persistence made their 2013 breakout single, "Carolina" into a Platinum-certified #1 hit, while their debut album landed in the Top 10. Two more singles ("Close Your Eyes" and "Already Callin' You Mine") rose to #3 and #10 on Billboard's Country Airplay chart, all while they kept their noses to the grindstone, touring hundreds of dates a year. Awards nominations from the Academy of Country Music and Teen Choice Awards came rolling in, and headlining tours were launched. The work continued with the release of their most recent album, 27861 in July of 2017. Both singles from the project, "Roots" and "Sunday Morning" enjoyed chart time on Billboard's Top 40 Country Airplay chart and have seen more than 30 million combined streams on Spotify.

About Tailgate Fest, LLC Team

Tailgate Fest creator/founder, Melissa Carbone was the founder and CEO of Ten Thirty One Productions, creator of the iconic Los Angeles Haunted Hayride and immersive entertainment attractions throughout the country with a cumulative attendance of over 600,000 tickets sold to her events. She has been featured in Forbes, Fortune, Entrepreneur Magazine, The Today Show, and Bloomberg, to name a few. Carbone was awarded the Entertainment Visionary Award by CSQ Magazine, was a Keynote Speaker at Music Matters Singapore, and also well known for securing the largest investment in the history of NBC's Shark Tank. She recently launched her first book Ready, Fire, Aim: How I Turned a Hobby into an Empire which became an October 2017 Business Bestseller, among many other awards. Carbone's business partner and co-founder, Giancarlo Chersich, is the co-founder/CEO of Empowered Media which operates the Jillian Michael's brand. Chersich is an investor in Lucky Jack Coffee, Krave Jerky, PopChips, Barry's Bootcamp, FlyWheel, Thrive Market and AQUAHydrate, to name a few. Carbone and Chersich brought in renown producer Ford Englerth, owner of Red Rock Entertainment, a subsidiary of Live Nation. Ford is the former head of production for Live Nation for over 20 years and has produced every major festival and show in Southern California including Route 91 Harvest, Lollapalooza, Blake Shelton, Florida Georgia Line, Toby Keith, Red Hot Chili Peppers, U2, Jay-Z, The Rolling Stones and even Kenny Chesney.

About The Forum

The award-winning "Fabulous" Forum, is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2018. The Forum, located in Inglewood, California, is the largest indoor performance venue in the country designed with a focus on music and entertainment, in addition to select sporting events. The interior of the bowl features flexible seating that ranges from 17,500 seats to 7,000 seats, enabling the venue to attract a wide variety of premier events. Fans at the Forum enjoy approximately 8,000 square feet of event level hospitality offerings, including merchandise, along with food and beverage options from some of SoCal's most celebrated brands. A tinted glass wall separates this concession area from the arena, ensuring fans do not miss a moment of the performance. A 40,000 square foot outdoor terrace surrounds the perimeter of the building and offers food and beverage options, as well as comfortable furnishings, to further elevate guests' enjoyment. The Forum delivers a one-of-a-kind experience for all thanks to its superior acoustics, intimate ambiance and state-of-the-art facilities. Designed with entertainers and performers in mind, the Forum includes nine, star-caliber dressing rooms that provide unparalleled comfort. The Forum is owned and operated by The Madison Square Garden Company. In addition to the Forum, The Madison Square Garden Company owns or operates Madison Square Garden, The Theater at MSG, Radio City Music Hall, the Chicago Theatre, the Wang Theatre, and the Beacon Theater. For more information on the Forum, please visit www.fabulousforum.com.

 

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