Justin Moore, Dan + Shay, Clare Dunn added to Riverbend lineup

photo Country star Justin Moore will headline the Riverbend Festival on June 12.
photo Country singer/guitarist Clare Dunn will bring her guitar-driven sound to Riverbend on June 8.

Justin Moore, a new country artist who is trying to put the "Old Back in the New School," will headline the Riverbend Festival on June 12.

Also announced for this year's festival are country-rocker Clare Dunn, who will perform June 8 on the Unum Stage, and Dan + Shay, a duo that Fuller says could be this year's surprise mega-hit a la Florida Georgia Line in 2013. Moore will be on the Coca-Cola Stage.

"We work closely with WUSY on our country acts, and we feel very good about all of these," says Friends of the Festival Talent and Production Coordinator Joe "Dixie" Fuller. "Justin Moore is young and cutting edge like an Eric Close when we got him. Clare Dunn is a smoking guitar playing and Dan + Shay are the most added duo in the history of country radio."

According to Country Aircheck, a service that monitors such things, "19 You + Me," a bro-country songs about beaches, sunshine, girls and sweet tea by Dan + Shay, aka Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney, got 59 first-week adds at country radio.

Moore has garnered a trio of No. 1 hits with "Small Town USA," "If Heaven Weren't So Far Away" and "Til My Last Day," in addition to the Top 10 single "Backwoods." He's also connected with fans through lines such as "Just 'cause something's hip don't make it cool/Let's put a little old back in the new school."

Nashville based singer/guitarist Dunn hasn't released a full album yet, but released a single, "Get Out," in December and appeared as a backing vocalist on Luke Bryan's "Country Girl (Shake It For Me)."

Previously announced Riverbend acts are country star Gary Allan, who will perform on the Coca-Cola Stage on opening night June 7. Headlining the Bud Light Stage on June 11 will be singer/songwriter Allen Stone and, on the same stage the following evening will be guitarist/vocalist Paul Barrere and guitarist/mandolinist Fred Tackett, both from Little Feat. They'll be playing with the New Orleans Suspects, which feature bassist Reggie Scanlan from The Radiators, drummer Willie Green from The Neville Brothers, guitarist Jake Eckert from the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, sax player Jeff Watkins from James Brown's band and funk piano master CR Gruver.

The festival is set for June 7-14.

Contract Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.

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