Dodge County Fair

SAMMY KERSHAW

Iconic entertainer, Sammy Kershaw, has amassed three platinum and six gold albums that have scanned and streamed in excess of 5 million records and nearly 100 million combined songs sold. Often referred to as the “heir apparent” to legendary ‘voice’ George Jones, the GRAMMY nominated performer helped shape and make the ‘90s a shining decade for country music. His multi-platinum albums were propelled into the record books by hits such as “She Don’t Know She’s Beautiful,” “Queen of My Doublewide Trailer”, “I Can’t Reach Her Anymore,” “National Working Woman’s Holiday,” “Love Of My Life,” “Cadillac Style,” “Don’t Go Near The Water,” “Haunted Heart”, “Vidalia” and many other milestones. Growing up in Kaplan, Louisiana, Kershaw was enthralled with the masters at an early age – names like Conway Twitty, Mel Street, and George Jones. In fact, as a teenager, Kershaw had developed such a reputation for his vocals – even then – that he was often called upon to open for those acts, and others like them. Jones was so impressed with Sammy that he frequently invited him to perform on his shows whenever he was playing in the region.

From the time that he released his debut single for Mercury Records, “Cadillac Style,” critics and fans all made the comparison to George. Rather than run from them, Kershaw embraced them. After all, that stone Country sound was what Sammy Kershaw was all about – and that’s what he was going to give his fans! “Cadillac Style” made it up the Billboard charts and, from there (to quote Jones), the race was on! Follow-ups such as “Don’t Go Near the Water” and “I Can’t Reach Her Anymore” established him as one of the finest traditional artists of his time, while records like “Yard Sale” showed that haunting Jones influence was very much a part of everything he is about. In 1993, Sammy Kershaw topped the singles chart with “She Don’t Know She’s Beautiful,” which has become one of the most-played records at Country Radio over the past three decades. Albums such as Don’t Go Near the Water and Haunted Heart were both certified as million-sellers by the RIAA, and only continued to add to his stature. The hits kept coming on the airwaves, as well. He added to his resume such classics as “I Can’t Reach Her Anymore,” “Meant to Be,” his cover of The Amazing Rhythm Aces’ “Third Rate Romance,” and 1998’s “Love of My Life,” which cemented his reputation as a balladeer.

Kershaw’s chain of major hit records continues to sell-out shows and he can be found touring on the road – both on his own as well as part of his successful Roots & Boots Tour with Collin Raye and Aaron Tippin. The three continue to bring their signature sounds to the fans year-after-year all over North America.

In addition to performing to sell-out audiences, Sammy Kershaw continues to record and release new music with three albums currently in the works, along with putting the finishing touches on his long- awaited autobiography – which promises to be as juicy as a bowl of the gumbo he loves to prepare in his Louisiana home!

The past has been a great, long-winding road of highs and lows for the legendary Sammy Kershaw, but to quote one of his past singles, the goal isn’t to rest on those accomplishments, but to be “Better Than I Used to Be.”

COREY KENT

With the small-town charm of a boy from Bixby, OK, the big-city energy of Dallas, TX, and vocal prowess that rivals Nashville’s best – Corey Kent has been poised for a career in music from the beginning.  

Growing up influenced by various genres and artists, Corey started his journey in music at an early age. Taking the stage at age 11 as the lead singer for a touring Western Swing band, Corey hit early career milestones opening for legendary acts like Roy Clark and The Oak Ridge Boys. A few years later, he would be booking gigs around his hometown of Bixby, OK. It was then, and as a teenager, that his life and drive to pursue music took full focus. While attending a Willie Nelson concert, Corey was brought on stage to perform with the music icon – forever changing the scope of what Corey believed possible. By 17 years old, Corey said goodbye to his parents and moved to Nashville.  

In 2019, Corey signed a publishing deal with Combustion Music and has since written songs for Kolby Cooper, Brandon Jenkins, and Clark Green’s #1 hit, “Hit You Where It Hurts.” The following year, Corey and his family moved to Dallas, TX and released his From the West LP. The project garnered 3.5+ million aggregate streams and set the stage for his next chapter. In 2021, Corey was providing support on tours with artists like Parker McCollum, Eli Young Band, Cody Johnson, and Koe Wetzel – along with a share of successful hard-ticket, headlining shows of his own. All the while, Corey continued releasing his music – his song “Gold” captured 2.5 million streams and crowd favorite, “Ain’t My Day,” quickly amassed 2 million streams and was picked up for Apple Music’s prominent Country playlist, “Today’s Country.” 

In December of 2021, Corey released his sophomore album, ’21, to an overwhelmingly positive reception, with the record making its way up to the #4 debut album on Spotify in the U.S. that week, landing the cover of Amazon Music’s Texas Music Forever playlist and being touted in the prime spot of New Releases on Apple Music Country. The album’s focus track, “There’s Always Next Year” found its way onto numerous playlists such as New Music Friday, Country Risers, Country Caffeine, Texas Music Now, Next from Nashville, and Texas Forever. He was also given the honor of being named Country Riser of the Month for March 2022; a program launched by Apple Music in February 2022 with Hailey Whitters.  

2022 is already proving to be a standout year for Corey. His latest single, “Wild As Her,” is quickly climbing streaming charts, hitting the #1 spot on Apple Music’s Country Chart for 10 days, and landing on Spotify’s U.S. Viral Top 50 Chart (all-genre) at #7 and GLOBAL Viral Top 50 Chart at #36 as the only Country act featured. Since then it has racked up over 25 Million streams in the first two months and currently can be heard on Sirius XM’s The Highway, Spotify’s Hot Country, Apple Music’s Today’s Country, and Amazon Music’s Country Heat!  Corey can also be seen out on the road supporting acts such as Chase Rice, Eli Young, Parker McCollum, Flatland Cavalry, and Kolby Cooper – in addition to stops at top music festivals around the country.

DYLAN BLOOM

Dylan Bloom is a rising country music artist known for his authentic storytelling and soulful blend of country, folk, and Americana influences. Based out of Nebraska, his heartfelt lyrics and raw, relatable performances have earned him a growing fanbase across the Great Plains. Drawing from his Midwest roots, Bloom’s blend of traditional sounds with a modern twist make him a standout talent in the independent country music scene.

→