WEEKEND: ArtSlam on Bradenton Riverwalk, Gloriana at Joyland, Ribfest in St. Pete

Bradenton Riverwalk continues to be the area's top destination spot.

After relocating to the newly renovated park from downtown, the long-running Taste of Manatee reported its best year ever last weekend.

The third annual ArtSlam, formerly held on Old Main Street, is ready for similar success Saturday.

The Realize Bradenton event will again bring together professional artists, students, faculty and the public for a celebration of collaborative creativity.

Read more.

• Popular country act Gloriana to play Joyland in Bradenton following postponement in July

• Buddy Guy, Heart, Montgomery Gentry bring the noise to Ribfest in St. Petersburg

• 'Little Nemo in Wonderland' to have world premiere at Sarasota Opera 

And more in Weekend

• Also, don't forget about the fabulous Suncoast Food & Wine Fest. The 11th annual bash sponsored by the Lakewood Ranch Rotary Club will be 1-4 p.m. Nov. 10 at the Sarasota Polo grounds

WEEKEND: Florida Georgia Line at Joyland, Trampled Under Foot at Aces, Boyz II Men at Mahaffey

Tyler Hubbard, left, and Brian Kelley of country music duo Florida Georgia Line.

The parents of Lakewood Ranch High seniors Josh "Bubba" Rogers and Brett "Bswag" Wagner have teamed with Joyland and one of the hottest new acts in country music for a benefit concert to celebrate their sons' birthdays and raise seat belt awareness.

The 1st annual B.U.B.B.A. Birthday Bash concert on Friday will feature a performance by Florida Georgia Line, with all of the ticket sales going to the Buckle Up for Bswag and Bubba Association.

Also known as B.U.B.B.A, the organization was started by Gena Rogers and Debbie Wagner, the mothers of the two boys who lost their lives as a result of a car accident on Christmas night last year.

Tyler Hubbard, of Monroe, Ga., and Brian Kelley, of Ormond Beach -- they formed FGL a couple years ago in Nashville -- will be holding a special meet and greet for the families and friends of Josh and Brett at the Bradenton country music venue.

During a recent phone interview with the Herald, Kelley recalled that some high school friends of his lost their lives in a car crash.

"We've always been about giving back and when we heard about this event we jumped at the chance," he said.

Read more.

• One of the most buzzed about acts on the blues scene of recent years, Trampled Under Foot makes a highly anticipated stop at Aces Live today in Bradenton.

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2012/10/04/4224962/trampled-under-foot-at-aces-live.html#storylink=cpy

• Boyz II Men, which have a date in St. Pete today, brilliantly updated R&B in the 1990s with a New Jack Swing sensibility while never overshadowing the group's rich, smooth, timeless vocals.

• The Village of the Arts celebrates the opening of Bradenton's new Riverwalk (grand opening Oct. 18) and the inaugural Bradenton Blues Festival (Dec. 1) with "A River of Art in Blue" Artwalk.

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2012/10/04/4224954/blues-artwalk-at-village-of-the.html#storylink=cpy

• And more in Weekend.

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2012/10/04/4224960/boyz-ii-men-at-the-mahaffey-in.html#storylink=cpy

—Photo: Tyler Hubbard, left, and Brian Kelley of country music duo Florida Georgia Line. Adam Taylor/Republic Nashville

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2012/10/04/4224952/florida-georgia-line-headlines.html#storylink=cpy

Lakewood Ranch seniors Josh Rogers and Brett Wagner celebrated with benefit concert at Joyland in Bradenton feat. Florida Georgia Line

Debbie Wagner gets a hug from Ann Marie Colwell as Gena Rogers watches at a Click it or Ticket event held at the Manatee County Sheriff's Office in May. Wagner and Rogers both lost their sons, Brett Wagner and Josh Rogers, in a terrible crash on Christmas Eve of 2011 while they were in the mangled truck seen behind them. TIFFANY TOMPKINS-CONDIE/Bradenton Herald TTOMPKINS@BRADENTON.COM

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2012/05/14/4038314/moms-of-brett-wagner-and-josh.html#storylink=misearch#storylink=cpy

An association started by the parents of Josh “Bubba” Rogers and Brett “Bswag” Wagner, the two Lakewood Ranch seniors who lost their lives as a result of an accident on Christmas night last year, is holding a benefit concert to celebrate the boys' birthdays and seat belt awareness.

The 1st Annual B.U.B.B.A. Birthday Bash concert on Friday, Oct. 5 will feature the popular new country group Florida Georgia Line.  All of the ticket sales will go to Buckle Up for Bswag and Bubba Association, also known as B.U.B.B.A., according to a press release sent on behalf of the families.

B.U.B.B.A. was started by the mothers of the two boys, Gena Rogers and Debbie Wagner.  The goal of the association is to create awareness for seatbelt safety for teens and young adults, through their website BubbaSavesLives.org, Facebook page and through speaking at, attending and sponsoring area events.

Florida Georgia Line's ebullient, summer-love new single "Cruise" is at No. 27 on the Billboard's Top Country Songs chart. Earlier this year the band signed with the Big Machine Label group that's home to Nashville stars like Taylor Swift, Tim McGraw and Rascal Flatts.

Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door and are available at Honda Cars of Bradenton, Joyland, Crowder’s Ace Hardware and Gifts, Joyland Feed Company and online at JoylandCountry.com.

Moms of Brett Wagner and Josh Rogers start safety campaign with MSO

Gloriana has new date at Joyland in Bradenton

County music trio Gloriana has a Nov. 10 date at Joyland in Bradenton after canceling in July because Tom Gossin, lead singer, had been put on vocal rest until further notice.

Read more here: http://heraldbuzzworthy.blogspot.com/2012/07/gloriana-joyland-bradenton-postponed.html#storylink=cpy

Gloriana's single "(Kissed You) Good Night" is at No. 5 on Billboard's Top County Songs chart.

Band member Rachel Reinert used to live Sarasota and has family there, Gossin said when I talked to him in July.

Tickets for the July 13 date will be honored.

Details: 7 p.m. (doors) Nov. 10, Joyland, 5520 14th St., Bradenton. Tickets: $10 (advance); $15 door. Info: 941-756-6060 or www.joylandcountry.com

Read more here: http://heraldbuzzworthy.blogspot.com/2012/07/gloriana-joyland-bradenton-postponed.html#storylink=cpy

—Publicity photo of Gloriana with (from left) Tom Gossin, Rachel Reinert and Mike Gossin.

Read more here: http://heraldbuzzworthy.blogspot.com/2012/07/gloriana-joyland-bradenton-postponed.html#storylink=cpy

Gloriana concert at Joyland in Bradenton postponed

Popular country music act Gloriana has postponed its show Friday (July 13) at Joyland in Bradenton.

"It appears that the Gloriana concert is going to be rescheduled," the venue tweeted.

A phone call from the promoter confirmed the announcement regarding the band with the Top 10 hit “(Kissed You) Good Night.”

"The Gloriana show at Joyland this Friday has been postponed!" reads a Facebook message by radio station 106.5 CTQ, which is sponsoring the concert. "Tom Gossin, lead singer, has been put on vocal rest until further notice. We will let you know the reschedule date once it is announced. If you have tickets for the show, KEEP THEM (sic) and they will be honored for the reschedule date. More updates as we get them."

I interviewed Gossin on July 3 for a story scheduled to run in Thursday's edition of Weekend.

Details: 7 p.m. (doors) July 13, Joyland, 5520 14th St., Bradenton. Tickets: $10. Info: 941-756-6060 or www.joylandcountry.com

—Publicity photo of Gloriana with (from left) Tom Gossin, Rachel Reinert and Mike Gossin.

Bradenton-bound country singer Jerrod Niemann's bus burns in Tenn.

Country singer Jerrod Niemann, who I interviewed last week for a story to advance his March 9 show at Joyland in Bradenton, and everyone aboard his tour bus are safe after the vehicle burned in Chattanooga, Tenn., reports the Associated Press.

I just got off the phone with Niemann's Nashville-based publicist who confirmed he is fine and will perform Friday at Joyland in Bradenton.

"Thanks to everyone for all the bus comments & wishes," Niemann tweeted around 11:30 a.m. today. "Had friends, family (Dad & Uncle) & we thank God for letting us wake up today!"


UPDATED 3/8: Read my interview with Niemann:

Jerrod Niemann ready to ‘shine’ at Joyland

INTERVIEW: Jerrod Niemann on new single 'Shinin' On Me'

Rising country star Jerrod Niemann —whose hits include "Lover, Lover," "What Do You Want" and "One More Drinkin' Song" — just released his new song, "Shinin' on Me."

He wrote the lead single from his upcoming second album with buddies Lee Brice, Rob Hatch and Lance Miller. The four musicians were in Austin at Lake Travis playing AquaPalooza with Brad Paisley in 2010.

"It was just one of those magical moments," Niemann said when he called today while en route to a concert in Knoxville, Tenn. "We were back in the bus and there was this wonderful Texas breeze.

"It was such a great day and we were like,  'Why can’t everyday be like this when life sucks?'

"And we just started jamming and the song wrote itself, which doesn't happen very often. Those guys are all friends of mine and it's such a joy to write tunes with people you enjoy."

Niemann, on tour with Miranda Lambert, has been performing "Shinin' On Me" on acoustic guitar in concert.

"I always look at the philosophy of, 'If you can write it on guitar you should be able to perform it that way,'" he said. "It's fun to add stuff to it but at the end of day you have to be able to play it on your own."

I interviewed Niemann for an upcoming story to advance his March 9 show with Brice and Tyler Farr at Joyland in Bradenton.


—Jerrod Niemann publicity photo from www.jerrodniemannofficial.com

UPDATED 6/10: Pics of country star Josh Gracin parasailing off Anna Maria Island with local contest winner

 Country music artist Josh Gracin and contest winner Lisa Burns smile after sharing their first parasail off Coquina Beach on Friday. Photo by Grant Jefferies.

UPDATED 6/10: Herald photographer Grant Jefferies and I were on the boat that pulled the parasail for today's story (with more pics):  "Country star Josh Gracin parasails off Anna Maria Island."

UPDATED 6/9: "Josh Gracin to parasail over Anna Maria then perform at Joyland."

Country star Josh Gracin has decided to parasail for the first time.

And you could be joining the singer in the skies above the beautiful beaches of Anna Maria Island.

Gracin, who has sold-out Joyland in Bradenton three times, will join one local winner for his debut parasail trip at YOLO (You Only Live Once) Parasail Adventures.

The high-flying fun is part of a contest Joyland, Cool Today and YOLO Parasail are having to promote Gracin's June 10 concert at Joyland.

Titled "Cool Today's Up, Up n' Away with Josh Gracin," the contest can be entered online by clicking  Cool Today’s Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/getthebestfromTODAY?sk=app_28134323652.

The contest officially begins June 3 but organizers have given Bradenton Herald readers a head start — the link above is live and accepting entries now.

You can be entered until 6:30 p.m. June 8.

Only persons residing in Florida who are at least 18 years of age can enter.

Second Prize:

There will be eight winners who will be invited (with a guest) to a Beach BBQ with Gracin and his Band. The BBQ will occur in the day before his June 10 concert at Joyland. The Beach BBQ will be held on Anna Maria Island and will include food, drinks and a private acoustic performance  Gracin. You also win two tickets to the concert that night.

Third Prize:

There will be six third place winners who will win two tickets to Gracin’s June 10 Concert at Joyland, and Meet and greet Passes to meet Josh before the concert.

Gracin's hits include "Nothing to Lose," "I Want to Live," "Brass Bed" and "We Weren't Crazy."

Concert details: 8 p.m., June 10, Joyland, 5520 14th St., Bradenton.  Tickets: $10 (advance) $15 (door). Information: (941)  756-6060 or www.joylandcountry.com.

Justin Moore on new single 'If Heaven Wasn't so Far Away'

Justin Moore at Joyland in Bradenton on Friday/http://www.moorejustinmusic.com

Rising country star Justin Moore on his soon-to-be-released single "If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away" and new album that he wants to title "Outlaws Like Me." The singer/songwriter best known for the recent hit "Small Town U.S.A." performs at Joyland in Bradenton on Friday.

Moore interview running on Weekend cover of today's Herald:

Justin Moore’s homegrown hits “Small Town USA,” “Backwoods” and “How I Got to Be This Way” have made him one of country music’s most promising young stars.

But it’s another original from the singer/songwriter’s self-titled 2009 album that inspired his upcoming release.

“The song ‘Grandpa,’ about losing my hero, was one I wanted to be a single,” Moore said when he called last week from his tiny hometown of Poyen, Ark. “But when I found this song I wanted it to be the first single -- to fill that void.”

“If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away” will be released to country radio Feb. 22. It opens with the memories a rural boy makes in the company of a grandfather who owns a fruit stand and takes the youngin’ fishing.

Continue reading.

Justin Moore: "Outlaws Like Me"

Justin Moore: "Small Town U.S.A."