PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (Tuesday, June 27, 2017) — A number of performance careers have launched from the stages of Dollywood, and thanks to the upcoming New Faces of Country concert series, guests of the park have an opportunity to see more up-and-coming country artists on the verge of their big breaks.
Dollywood, in partnership with Knoxville-based country radio station WIVK, hosts several concerts throughout the summer with artists which surely will be tearing up the charts in the near future. The concerts take place at Back Porch Theater and are free with park admission. Entertainment is one of Dollywood’s calling cards, with the park earning the award for Best Theme Park Entertainment the last eight years. WIVK is a 10-time CMA Station of the Year and six-time ACM Station of the Year.
On Saturday, July 1, Runaway June kicks off the concert series with a performance at 5 p.m. This rootsy group combines bluegrass traditions with dusty, desert cool and infuses Western influences in their music. The group includes Jennifer Wayne, a granddaughter of John Wayne, and Hannah Mulholland who are both native Californians. The third member of the group, Naomi Cooke, hails from Nashville. Wayne co-wrote Eric Paslay’s recent top-20 hit, “She Don’t Love You.”
The concert series continues on Saturday, July 8 with Shreveport, Louisiana’s Jordan Davis. Davis comes from a musical family and applies his unique classic country songwriting skills with today’s current sound for a show that will have Dollywood guests singing along. Davis graduated from Louisiana State University with a major in resource conservation, but with dreams of Music City in his head, he moved to Nashville to pursue his dreams. Davis’ concert is slated for 7 p.m. on July 8.
Former Dollywood performer Carly Pearce also takes to the stage in July. While her show date will be announced at a later time, she returns to her roots at the award-winning park. When she was 19, Pearce moved to Nashville where she quickly earned a reputation as a songwriter to keep an eye on. The Taylor Mill, Kentucky, musician recently earned a contract with Big Machine Records which released her single “Every Little Thing” to country radio in February. The single currently is about to break in to the Billboard Country Top-20.
Georgia’s Seth Ennis visits Dollywood on Saturday, Aug. 5 to share his unique country sound with park guests. His music is inspired by his hero Vince Gill, the pop-punk bands he toured with on the Vans Warped Tour and from R&B superstars like Usher. Because his early years were spent on an American military base in Japan, his world experiences have helped him create a diverse and cultured style. For his debut single, “Woke Up in Nashville,” Ennis played every instrument, including guitars, bass, drums and piano. He even sang his own background vocals. Ennis’ concert takes place at 7 p.m. on Aug. 5.
Dollywood guests continue to enjoy the “Year of the Family” with exciting festivals, new attractions and special events designed to help them create lifelong memories. The New Faces of Country concert series takes place during summer at Dollywood. Until Aug. 6, Dollywood park hours are extended until 10 p.m. each evening to give families more time together. On July 1 and 8, the park remains open until midnight for the first time ever. Nightly fireworks shows and the “unbubbleievable” tricks of The Gazillion Bubbles Show ensure guests have plenty of entertainment for a full day of fun. Add Dollywood’s newest attractions, Drop Line and Whistle Punk Chaser, and summer at Dollywood can’t be beat!
For more information about Dollywood’s Year of the Family, please visit www.dollywood.com or call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD.
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About The Dollywood Company: A highly-awarded and widely-recognized leader in the amusement industry, The Dollywood Company consists of the 150-acre Dollywood theme park; the 35-acre Dollywood’s Splash Country; Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort; and Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Cabins. As unique as its namesake and owner Dolly Parton, Dollywood is the 2010 Applause Award winner, the theme park industry’s highest accolade; winner of more than 30 Golden Ticket Awards; and recipient of 26 Brass Ring Awards for Live Entertainment (more than any other theme park in the world). In 2014, Dollywood was named a top three US theme park by USA Today and TripAdvisor recognized Dollywood as a top 20 worldwide theme park in 2015. Dollywood is open nine months a year (late March through early January) and offers rides and attractions, shows, and a dozen crafters authentic to the East Tennessee region. Dollywood’s Splash Country, recognized by the Travel Channel as one of the country’s most beautiful waterparks and named 2009’s Must-See Waterpark by the International Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions, operates from mid-May to Labor Day. The 300-room Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort provides guests spectacular mountain views and family-friendly amenities next door to Dollywood theme park and Dollywood’s Splash Country. Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Cabins offers luxurious cabin accommodations overlooking Dollywood. For more information, call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD or visit dollywood.com. Operating days and hours vary.
Media Contacts:
Pete Owens: Director of Communications, (865) 428-9486, (865) 755-7972 or [email protected]
Wes Ramey: Public Relations Manager, (865) 428-9484, (865) 640-3805 or [email protected]
Amber Davis: Publicist, (865) 428-9601, (865) 591-1002 or [email protected]wood.com
Ellen Liston, Publicist, (865) 428-9629, (865) 919-7001 or [email protected]