(Image courtesy of The Queen Mary)
Head on over to the world-famous Queen Mary and get ready to enjoy festival fun at the 2nd annual ShipKicker fan fair filled with country music, entertainment, activities, drinks — and of course line-dancing!
Soak up the sunshine with family and friends or enjoy an adults-only “date night” as the Queen Mary goes country with ShipKicker, the 2nd annual country music festival at the Waterfront Events Park this Saturday, June 4.
Easton Corbin will headline the day into night festival joined by favorite country artists including, Clare Dunn, Dylan Scott, Scotty Mac Band, Honey County, and Daniel Bonte & The Bona Fide. Easton Corbin’s self-titled debut album took country music by storm in March 2010, featuring the two number one hits “A Little More Country Than That” and “Roll with It”, as well as the number 14 hit “I Can’t Love You Back”. His second album, All Over the Road, was released in September 2012. By 2013, Corbin had sold over 470,000 albums and over 2 million singles.
Country favorite, Stephen Wesley, was also just added to the list and is set to perform. Stephen Wesley is an award-winning singer and songwriter from Indiana transplanted to California. Wesley’s life is all about writing music, recording and playing shows. After 10 years of hard work and dedication to his craft, he signed with EnnEcho Records and has been collaborating with some of pop music’s biggest names since. Wesley’s current hit single “Cowgirl” features Slash of Guns N Roses and Velvet Revolver fame and his single “All Night Long” features Steve Harwell of Smash Mouth.
The ShipKicker Saloon will keep the entertainment rolling in between sets on the main stage, featuring a full bar, dance floor, and DJ Goodtime Gordie spinning the top country hits. Olivia Ooms and Dylan Uribe will strip things down with a special acoustic performance in this intimate and boot-kicking fun Saloon.
The 2nd annual ShipKicker country music festival will also offer food vendors, a beer garden, cocktails, line dancing lessons from Cindi Massengale, and country yard-games to entertain in between musical acts.
I had the opportunity to speak with two country music favorites performing at this year’s ShipKicker festival: Colorado native and high-energy wonder-woman of country music Clare Dunn, and award-winning singer and songwriter Stephen Wesley originally from Indiana who now calls California home. What’s good Gab got the scoop from these two country sensations to find out more about the festival, get a preview of their performance, and learn about what cool projects they have planned.
Clare Dunn
How do you feel about being a part of the Queen Mary’s ShipKicker?
CD: I can’t wait to be there! I’ve just heard so many awesome things about it and I’ve never played anything like this so I’m definitely excited, for sure!
What can fans expect for your performance at Saturday’s Shipkicker?
CD: First of all, in my experience, California country music fans are absolutely amazing — and they’re such avid country listeners and supporters, so the shows are always so rowdy and energetic, and that’s perfect because that’s sort of the intention of my show. It is a very high-energy show and I want everyone to feel comfortable and as little self-conscious as possible about just letting their hair down, getting rowdy, having fun, and just forgetting all their problems for a little bit because we’ve all got plenty of those.
Who have been your biggest musical influences growing up? What inspired you?
CD: I’m from a farm in southeast Colorado so a lot of my childhood was spent by myself, driving a tractor or towing water to cattle. And so many hours a day you’re by yourself and there’s nothing but the radio as your companion — and in that part of the world, you basically had two options, it was either country or you had classic rock that you could tune into depending on where you were that day — so those were a lot of my huge influences like George Strait, Alan Jackson, Clint Black, Keith Urban, and then on the Classic Rock side you’ve got Bob Seger (who I got to tour with last year), The Eagles, and Credence Clearwater Revival.
How would you describe your music and style?
CD: I’m just a true blue farm girl. I come from nothing, I come from nowhere but I’ve always had this insatiable desire to make music. The basic essence of who I am and what I do is I’m just a farm girl who was lucky enough to grow up with a love of music and now I get to make my own — so my music itself is high-energy but the stories are of how I grew up, my point of view on the world as a farm girl and mixing in the types of music I grew up with.
Any upcoming projects you can share with us?
CD: The main thing that just happened that I am so excited about is the video for “Tuxedo” just came out a couple of week ago, and I’m so excited to have it out there because I really wanted to give people more of a picture of who I am as a farm girl — so they didn’t think I grew up with an acre and a lawn mower. The EP for “Tuxedo” is currently out and the album is actually done. Of course, I’m always creating, as my background, as a songwriter I constantly create and I live for that.
In the fall, we got some really exciting things that are going to be happening so everybody just stay tuned to my socials and my website, we’ll be announcing some cool stuff here in a little while!
Stay connected with Clare and her music at claredunn.com.
Stephen Wesley
How do you feel about performing at the legendary Queen Mary’s Shipkicker?
SW: SO excited! Easton Corbin?! Come on! And SO killer that I’ll get to see my fellow Colorado artist, Clare Dunn. That’s going to be insane.
How would you describe the ShipKicker country music festival?
SW: A 10 hour party. Haha! Friends, food, AWESOME music, California sun. What more could you want?
Tell me about bit about your performance? What can fans expect on Saturday?
SW: Well, I was injured last year in a car accident as I was rear ended by an 18 wheeler on the freeway so I’ve had to be sparse in the performances as well as set time. But I’ve been rehabbing to the best of my ability so that I can go out blow the fans away. I may not be fully healed but I’m going to give it all away on that stage. I promise you that!
How did you get started in music?
SW: I’ve always loved music, coming from a musical family. But kind of like Johnny Cash, I picked up the guitar in prison when I was very young and realized that playing music and helping others was what I wanted to devote my life to.
Who have been your biggest influences in music?
SW: Michael Jackson. Of course. Haha. I love Dwight Yoakam Uncle Kracker.
How would you describe your music and style?
SW: I’m kind of all over the place, musically. I LOVE country. But I also LOVE a big rock guitar, which is why I got Slash to play on one of my tunes. I’m also nostalgic and love hip hop so I try and blur a line that won’t offend too many country lovers but also NOT sound like everything on the radio.
How would you describe your music to someone that hasn’t heard it?
SW: I’d call it more southern rock with a hip hop vibe.
Any upcoming projects you can share with us?
SW: Been working on demos for and with Uncle Kracker and my production partner Josh Bright on tunes for what I hope to be Kracker’s new album. That’s a dream come true just to work with him. Also, been writing and getting ready to record my own new album soon but taking time to heal after my car accident. Really set me back. But I never quit. And I never give up the fight!
Get all the latest news and information on Stephen at stephenwesleymusic.com.
Tickets start at $45 online in advance and $55 day-of and at the door. Meet and Greet passes will be available during the festival for $25 each for Easton Corbin and Clare Dunn and $20 for Dylan Scott. VIP tickets are also available and include access to a private bar, two drink tickets, and complimentary Queen Mary ship access for the day. VIP ticket holders will also have the luxury of relaxing on the latest in festival lounging: The Hangout™ sofas. Upgrades are also available to VIP tickets for second level bar access and seating.
WHEN: Saturday, June 4, 2016, from 1PM-11PM
Festival doors open at 1PM and the event welcomes country music fans of all ages.
WHERE: The Queen Mary is located at 1126 Queens Highway in Long Beach.
TICKETS: On sale now at www.queenmary.com/events/shipkicker.
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