Florida Georgia Line, Jake Owen and Boston to perform at the 2014 Illinois State Fair

[March 15, 2014]  SPRINGFIELD — Country music's hottest group is coming to the 2014 Illinois State Fair. Florida Georgia Line, known as FGL, has been booked to perform at the Grandstand on Aug. 10.

The vocal duo has rocketed to stardom since the release of "Here's to the Good Times," their debut studio album, slightly more than a year ago. The first four singles from the platinum-selling effort shot to No. 1 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, including "Cruise," the best-selling digital country song of all time and the Country Music Association's 2013 "Single of the Year."

"The Illinois State Fair has a long tradition of bringing the biggest names in the music industry to the Grandstand stage, and I think this booking ranks among the best," said Amy Bliefnick, state fair manager. "I'm looking forward to a great concert and invite fairgoers to join me in welcoming the band to Springfield."

FGL's chart-topping success has won critical acclaim as well. The band was named the CMA's "Vocal Duo of the Year" last November and the Academy of Country Music's "New Artist of the Year" and "New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year." The duo's other No. 1 hits are "Get Your Shine On," "Round Here" and "Stay."

The Illinois State Fair has filled two more slots in its 2014 Grandstand entertainment lineup, booking country singer Jake Owen and classic rock band Boston.

Owen, the 2012 American Country Awards "Breakthrough Artist of the Year," already has nine top 20 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart to his credit, including the No. 1 smash hits "Barefoot Blue Jean Night" and "Alone with You." He will perform Aug. 16 with Parmalee and The Cadillac Three. Ticket prices range from $15 for a Tier 3 Grandstand seat to $35 for a VIPit track ticket in front of the stage.

Boston will headline a classic rock show Aug. 12. The supergroup, which has sold more than 31 million albums, released a string of hits in the late 1970s and early '80s that remain a staple of classic rock radio today, including "More Than A Feeling," "Peace of Mind," "Long Time," "Don't Look Back" and "Amanda."

Joining Boston on the "triple bill" will be the Canadian rock group April Wine, which has released more than 20 albums and performed together for more than 40 years, and Sweet, a British glam band best known for songs such as "Ballroom Blitz" and "Little Willy."

The state fair also announced that country rapper Colt Ford will open the Florida Georgia Line concert on Aug. 10. Ford's most recent studio album, "Declaration of Independence," reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and produced his biggest hit, "Back," a duet with Jake Owen.

Tickets will go on sale through Ticketmaster on April 12 at 10 a.m. The Grandstand box office on the fairgrounds will open for walk-up sales beginning June 9 at 8 a.m. For more information, visit the Illinois State Fair website at http://www.illinoisstatefair.info/ or call 217-782-1979.

Additional information, including the on-sale date and ticket prices, will be posted on the fair's website, http://www.illinoisstatefair.info/, as soon as it becomes available.

The 2014 Illinois State Fair will run Aug. 7-17.

[Text from Illinois State Fair news release]