The 23rd Annual Depot Days Music Festival is set for Sept. 24 and 25 on historic Front Street in downtown Newport.
Part of the Monster Nights Downtown Entertainment Series, the festival is a showcase of local, regional, and national talent paying tribute to the early history of rock and roll.
Music begins at 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 24, and at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 25, on the Terry Scoggins Memorial Stage in the Front Street Park.
All events will be held outdoors this year and admission is free.
Depot Days will closely monitor CDC guidelines so that the event can be held in a safe manner.
On Friday, Sept. 24, Newport native and singer/songwriter Jim Ranger (pictured above, right) will bring an acoustic set to Depot Days.
According to a release from Depot Days organizers, Ranger “…has impressed music legends Blake Shelton, John Legend, and Gwen Stefani on season 19 of NBC’s ‘The Voice,’ where Jim eventually placed runner-up on an incredibly talented season.’ Jim continues to make music with friends, perform at sold-out shows, and create authentic songs of hope and heartbreak.”
Northeast Arkansas favorites Nightwing will open the Friday night show at 6 p.m. playing a wide range of rock hits from the ’60s, ‘80s, and ’80s.
A full line-up has been secured for Saturday, Sept. 25. Headliners The Artimus Pyle Band (pictured above, left) will honor the music of Ronnie Van Zant’s Lynyrd Skynyrd, featuring legendary Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer and Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame member Artimus Pyle.
Organizers say “…The Artimus Pyle Band is a high-energy, true to the music, true to the era, rock group. They deliver hit after hit, night after night from ‘Free Bird’ To ‘Sweet Home Alabama,’ they give fans the best of Skynyrd with one of the men who made it.”
For most of the ‘50s, Bill Haley was a presence on the record charts, and he appeared in several rock and roll movies aimed at teenagers. Now his son, Bill Haley Jr. & The Comets, will recapture the heyday of his famous father and carry on the family tradition. Re-creating the music, the feel, the excitement, and the authentic stage costuming, Bill Haley Jr. & The Comets will perform hits like “Shake, Rattle & Roll” and “Rock Around the Clock.”
For more information on other artists performing at Depot Days as well as information about the festival, find Depot Days on Facebook, head to depotdays.org, or contact the Newport Area Chamber of Commerce at (870)-523-3618.
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