Country Music legend Earl Thomas Conley and rock’n’roll favorite Night Ranger will headline the 65th Annual White River Water Carnival August 1st and 2nd. Having sold over 16 million albums including the power ballad Sister Christian and Sentimental Street, Night Ranger will headline a rock n’ roll lineup that promises to be a great show for fans of all ages. Current band members include Jack Blades on lead vocals, Kelly Keagy vocals, Brad Gillis guitar/vocals, Joel Hoekstra guitar, and Christian Matthew Cullen on keyboards. Opening for Night Ranger will be local favorite Dog House, along with River Rock Fest winner Mayz End and runner-up Lost Endd.
With over 20 top-ten hits and 17 number one hits, Earl Thomas Conley has found his way onto the radio of a wide variety of listeners. His first Top 40 Hit, Dreamin’ Is All I Do, put him on the map and soon after he followed with Silent Treatment. During the span of number one hits and top ten songs, he set a record for the first artist in any genre to have four singles from his album, Don’t Make It Easy for Me, all reaching number one. Conley was also the first and only artist to appear on Soul Train in 1986.
One of the artists opening for Earl Thomas Conley will be Dr. Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys. Dr. Stanley, born in Big Spraddle Creek, VA, is well known for his rich bluegrass voice and banjo playing style called “Stanley Style”. Stanley was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Music from Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, TN in 1976 and in 1992 was inducted into the International Bluegrass Hall of Fame. In 2000, Stanley was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry Hall of Fame. In 2006, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts, as well as being featured in the hit Hollywood movie O Brother Where Art Thou in which he sings the Appalachian dirge O Death, of which, he won a 2002 Grammy Award. He was also featured in the Josh Turner hit in 2006 Me and God.
Also opening for Earl Thomas Conley is up and coming country music artist Ashton Shepherd. Ashton, the 21-year old native of Coffeeville, Alabama, whose hit single Takin Off This Pain was released the same month as her premier on the Grand Ole Opry, has proved already she is here to stay on the country music scene. Takin’ Off This Pain is currently number 9 on the Billboard Hot Country Hits and will soon release another single this summer. Ashton will prove to be a great performer along with Earl Thomas Conley and Dr. Ralph Stanley.
Ticket prices for Friday night will be $20 for reserved seats and $15 for general admission. Saturday night prices are $25 for reserved, and $15 for general admission. Tickets will go on sale Friday May 16th in Batesville at the Chamber of Commerce and Tommy’s Famous in Mountain View for a special one-day price of $15 for all seats, for each night. Tickets at the gate on Friday night will be $25 for reserved, and $20 for general admission and Saturday night will be $30 and $20 for general admission.
For more information about the artists, purchase tickets online, ticket outlets, or other questions, please go to www.whiteriverwatercarnival.com or call 870-793-2378.
