This year's headline act will be Thomas Rhett, with the very popular
Brushville (formerly Brushfire) opening the evening's entertainment
again this year. The Saturday night show is on Aug. 2 and starts at
7:30, with gates opening at 6:30.The 24-year-old Rhett began his
music career as a youngster. He learned how to play the drums in
junior high. When he was old enough, Thomas would go onstage with
his dad, singer and songwriter, Rhett Akins, and play the drums for
him.
Thomas Rhett co-wrote the song "I Ain't Ready to Quit" on Jason
Aldean's 2010 album, "My Kinda Party," and signed a recording
contract with Big Machine Records' Valory Music Group division in
2011. He released his debut single, "Something to Do with My Hands"
in 2012, followed later that year by "Beer with Jesus." Both of
these made top 15 on the Hot Country Songs charts. His third single,
"It Goes Like This," topped both the Country Airplay and the Hot
Country Song charts. "It Goes Like This" was a three-week No. 1 on
the country charts, and his current single, "Get Me Some of That,"
is currently in the top 10. His debut album, also titled "It Goes
Like This," was released Oct. 29.
Rhett also co-wrote the 2013 singles "1994" by Jason Aldean,
"Parking Lot Party" by Lee Brice and "Round Here" by Florida Georgia
Line. During the chart week of Sept. 21, 2013, the Country Airplay
chart included five songs within the top 10 that Rhett or his father
had co-written, including "It Goes Like This."
The opener, Brushville, is no stranger to the central Illinois
music fan. Brushville is described as "intense and explosive with an
unrelenting pressure on the audience of high energy." Publicity says
Brushville "has been igniting stages all over the Midwest for the
past four years" and is "being sought out by the biggest and best
events that the industry has to offer," including Chicago's country
music festival, and Country Fest and Country Thunder in Wisconsin
In early 2012, Brushville entered the "Battle for the Saddle"
competition at the legendary Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville, Tenn.
Out of the over 300 national bands that entered, Brushville came out
on top and was selected the winner by a panel of top industry
professionals including Michael Knox, the man credited with
"discovering" talents such as Jason Aldean, John Rich and Gretchen
Wilson.
