ONEIDA, Tenn. — Scott County, Tenn., is the place to be this summer . . . if you like music!
Against the scenic backdrop of the Cumberland Mountains and the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area, Scott County will play host to several exciting concerts throughout the summer, beginning with a wide-open Memorial Day weekend.
The holiday weekend starts at the Oneida Performing Arts Center, on the campus of Oneida High School, where critically-acclaimed singer/songwriter Anthony Smith will perform an acoustic concert. Smith — whose 2002 studio album If That Ain’t Country produced three Top 40 singles — will be coming back to his roots. The Oneida native spent much of his youth in Scott County before chasing his dreams to Nashville. There, he has found mega success as a writer, penning songs for some of the biggest names in country music, including George Strait, Tim McGraw and Blake Shelton.
The weekend heats up the following night, where Day 2 of the White Knuckle Event at Brimstone Recreation near Huntsville, Tenn., will find Nashville star Lee Brice in concert.
The three-day festival will be headlined by Brice, whose latest studio album, I Don’t Dance, peaked at No. 1 on the U.S. Country charts and sold nearly 250,000 copies. Brice has had a string of hit singles, such as “Woman Like You,” “Parking Lot Party” and “Drinking Class.”
White Knuckle Event is one of the largest ATV-themed festivals in the world, attracting guests from across the eastern United States and beyond.
The fun continues in June, when Possum Trot — Scott County’s western-themed town — transforms into an indy music festival grounds for dozens of artists who will attend the AyerWaves Music Festival from June 1-4. Among the artists will be The Voice contestants Dan O’Rourke and Kata Hay. Festival-goers will be encouraged to participate in hiking, mountain biking, campfire jamming and other activities with the bands and artists.
The AyerWaves Music Festival is organized and promoted by AyerWaves Entertainment, a member of the Scott County Chamber of Commerce. Attendees will not want to miss out on legendary singer-songwriter Darrell Scott, who will headline Saturday night. Scott has written songs for some of the biggest names in country music, such as the Dixie Chicks (“Long Time Gone”) and Travis Tritt (“It’s A Great Day to Be Alive”).
The fun won’t stop in June. Another great act for later in the summer will be announced at a later day. And there is also the Firemen’s Fourth Festival in Huntsville on July 3-4, which will feature two days of entertainment and festivities.
