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Riverbend 2016 acts Chris Young, Brett Eldredge and Thomas Rhett have been tabbed to perform Sunday, April 3 at 8 p.m. as part of this year’s Academy of Country Music Awards show on CBS.
"American Idol" star Bo Bice is among the acts scheduled to perform at Riverbend. In addition, the latest round of announcements incliude Delta Deep, a "boutique" supergroup with a local connection, costumed funksters Here Come the Mummies and Led Zeppelin tribute band Get The Led Out.
As in past years, Riverbend officials announce the lineup for the city's largest festival after the acts are officially booked, which stretches the lineup naming over months rather than hours as some festivals do.
Riverbend Talent and Production Coordinator Joe "Dixie" Fuller says there might be a few additional acts booked on the smaller stages in the coming weeks, but this latest round of bands essentially wraps things up for the event, set for June 10-18.
"I think it came together very well with something for everybody," he says. "We've got the hottest thing in Christian music in For King & Country, and Thomas Rhett has been No. 1 on the country charts for three weeks and keeps getting better.
"Chris Young is about to release a new single, so our country acts are strong. We've got a classic rock act that has never played the festival in Heart and one that hasn't played in 14 years in REO Speedwagon."
Marketing and Promotion Coordinator Amy Morrow says the announcement of the acts set to perform during the Bessie Smith Strut on Monday, June 13, will be coming soon.
Fuller says he's also very excited about landing Delta Deep, a blues band featuring Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen with Stone Temple Pilots bassist Robert DeLeo, vocalist Debbie Blackwell-Cook and drummer Forrest Robinson, the Grammy-winning drummer who studied music at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
"They are one of a few boutique bands we've booked and we are very proud to have them," Fuller says. "I think people will be blown away by how raw and real they are."
Young will be the featured act Sunday, June 12, on the Coca-Cola Stage. Here Come The Mummies, known for their 4,000-year-old funk, will play the featured artist slot at 6:30 p.m. on closing night, June 18, ahead of Southern rockers 38 Special, who've had hits with "Hold On Loosely," "Rockin' into the Night," Back Where You Belong" and "Caught Up in You."
Fuller says the Mummies, who played the festival in 2012 and 2015 could become an annual featured act.
"I'm not ready to say they'll be here every year, but we want to make it available to them. People them and we want to give them that bigger stage to play here."
Delta Deep will play the Bud Light Stage on June 18, while Get The Led Out will play June 11 on the Bud Light Stage.
Blood, Sweat & Tears will play the early slot on Saturday, June 11, opening for Heart. Bice was the runner-up to Carrie Underwood in the fourth season of "American Idol" and joined Blood, Sweat & Tears in 2014. The brassy band is known for hits such as "Spinning Wheel," "You've Made Me So Very Happy" and "When I Die." Past BS&T lead singers include Al Kooper and David Clayton-Thomas.
Other previously announced Riverbend acts are singer/songwriter ZZ Ward, the early featured act on the Coke Stage in front of country singer Rhett on June 10; Heart and Ambrosia on June 11; Trampled By Turtles and Firefall on June 12; For King & Country on Faith & Family Night on June 14; Granger Smith, Brett Eldredge and Blackberry Smoke on June 15; rap icons Salt-N-Pepa and "improg" rockers Umphrey's McGee on June 16; and REO Speedwagon and Shovels & Rope on June 17.
Riverbend admission wristbands are currently available online only for $40. They will be available at area outlets May 1, Morrow says. They will cost $55 at the gate during the event. She says both the Star Seating tickets and wristbands "are selling in line with past year sales."
Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.