GCP&T Announces Nationally Known Nashville Artists for Caesar Ford Summer Fest on June 1, 2019

The sounds of nationally-known Nashville country recording artists will fill the air at Greene County Parks & Trails Second Annual Caesar Ford Summer Fest on Saturday, June 1, at Caesar Ford Park, 520 S. Stringtown Rd., Xenia.

Headliner Joe Diffie will take the stage at 8:30 p.m. to sing about untarnished love in “John Deere Green,” the perennial appeal of “Pickup Man,” or the heartbreak of dreams unrealized in “Ships That Don’t Come In,” Joe Diffie paints a portrait of real life with all its joy and angst. Diffie has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry for 25 years. His very first single in 1990, “Home,” hit No. 1. He continued to dominate the charts throughout the 90s with such hits as “New Way (To Light Up an Old Flame),” “If the Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets),” “Is It Cold in Here,” “Prop Me Up Beside the Jukebox (If I Die),” “So Help Me Girl,” “Bigger than the Beatles” and “Third Rock from the Sun.”

Special guests include Justin Bryan, The Cleverly’s and Mo Pitney that will provide an afternoon full of country music.

Taking the stage at 2:30 p.m., Justin Bryan has been singing for as long as he can remember. Since auditioning for The Voice, he formed the Justin Bryan Band and has opened for Clint Black, Frank Foster, Clark Manson, American Idol’s Alexis Gomez, and Blind Joe. Along with legendary writers Frank Myers and Billy Montana, Justin wrote his first single, "Faster Than Angels Can Fly." After a successful impromptu audition at Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge in Nashville, he performs daily on Broadway.

The Cleverly’s are a one-of-a-kind comedy/music blend coming from the remote part of the Ozark Mountains and will perform at 4:30 p.m. The band has performed at some of the nation’s largest festivals like Stagecoach, Telluride, CMA Music Fest and the Grand Ole Opry. The Cleverlys’ set list includes genius arrangements of tunes like Psy’s “Gangnam Style,” a medley of Blackstreet’s “No Diggity,” and Flo Rida’s “Low” that recently went viral on Facebook, with over 11 million views.

Mo Pitney will begin performing at 6:30 p.m. When Mo Pitney sings "let me tell you about country" in his debut single "Country," he's describing who he is in word and deed. The vocal delivery, storytelling, musicianship and reflections of his outdoor lifestyle – as well as faith, family and patriotism – offer a spot-on portrayal. Joined by early fan favorites "Clean Up On Aisle Five" and "Come Do A Little Life," the song carves an unmistakably country yet completely fresh groove for the genre.

Concert seating will open at 1 p.m.; fireworks by Rozzi will end the evening with a show beginning at 10 p.m.

Tickets for the country music festival will go on sale at 10 a.m., Friday, February 1, at gcparkstrails.com/summerfest or may be purchased at the park office headquarters, 575 Ledbetter Rd., Xenia, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday.

Tickets are $50, stage front; $35, reserved seats; and $25, general admission. Each ticket will allow access to all four of the performances.

Admission to Caesar Ford Summer Fest is free and will open at noon with a Car Show from noon to 2 p.m., food trucks and vendors on the grounds.

For more information, contact Greene County Parks & Trails at 937.562.6440, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit gcparkstrails.com.