TICKETS: $35.00-$45.00 In Advance, $45.00-$50.00 Day of Show (Includes Fees) In Person or Online/Mobile Orders | Grand Ballroom | Reserved Seating
7th Annual Winter Blues Guitarmageddon
Headliner Alexis P. Suter Band
with
Deb Callahan Band
Clarence Spady and the Electric City Band
NO REFUNDS / NO EXCHANGES
Event Seating is Reserved Seating, cabaret style, patrons will be seated at tables with other patrons who may not be in their party. Event is held in the Grand Ballroom of the Scranton Cultural Center. The Seating chart reflects the general layout for this event, but specific seat locations are subject to change.
Buyer Beware: If you purchase tickets from a non-authorized person, outlet or online site that is not our primary distribution channel Ticketmaster.com, you risk purchasing a lost, stolen or fake ticket that is not valid for admittance, regardless of the event. Only valid tickets will scan to authorize entry for an event. Lost or stolen tickets may be deactivated and thus will not be valid for entry. Anyone who purchases tickets from a “scalper” or ticket broker does so at their own risk and in most cases is paying a premium.
When you visit the venue, our first priority is your care and safety. To that end, please be aware in advance of increased security measures for all events. Backpacks, oversized bags, outside food and beverage, and weapons of any kind are not permitted in the building. Also, upon entry, bags and coats must be open and ready for inspection by our security team. Thank you for your cooperation!
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day the Scranton Cultural Center way! Join us in our Grand Ballroom for cold drinks, good food and great fun! We’ll feature music by Kilrush Celtic Band as well as some very special guests from along the parade route!
Admission is free and families are welcome! Food & Drinks available for purchase.
Sponsored by LT Verrastro.
Magic City Productions presents
Killer Queen
A Tribute to Queen
Featuring Patrick Myers as Freddie Mercury
Wednesday, March 29th, 2023 at 7:30pm | Weinberg Theatre | Reserved Seating
Click Here to Visit the Tour Website
The English rock group Queen is an iconic sensation stacking up 18 number one albums, 18 number one singles and is one of the world’s best-selling music artists. Their performance at 1985’s Live Aid is regarded as one of the greatest in rock history. The music of Queen continues to inspire generations of young and old fans through their infectious rock songs played in numerous films (Revenge of The Nerds, Highlander, Wayne’s World, High Fidelity, A Knight’s Tale, Iron Man 2, and Academy Award winning movie Bohemian Rhapsody) and the Broadway musical We Will Rock You.
This year marks the 48th anniversary of Queen’s first international hit, Bohemian Rhapsody, which gave them their first top ten hit in America and catapulted them to the world stage and rock stardom. They also gave us two of rock’s most recognizable anthems, We Will Rock You, and We Are the Champions.
Now, here is your opportunity to relive the Queen phenomenon! Formed back in 1993, Killer Queen has distinguished itself as the world’s foremost Queen tribute show. Their first public concerts were at London University, following in the footsteps of the original Queen who had played their first shows there 23 years earlier. By 1995, they secured a residency in London’s West End, the first tribute band to do so, and continued to grow both in the UK and Europe, culminating in winning the award for “Worldwide Best Tribute Band.” During their various careers, the musicians have worked and recorded with a vast array of artists including Roger Taylor and Brian May. Killer Queen was also selected by Sir Bob Geldof to represent Queen in a restaged tribute Live Aid concert.
Killer Queen will take you back to the ‘70s and ‘80s as they re-create the charismatic and uncannily accurate renditions of Queen through appearance, sound and energy of the original stars that defined rock music. Authentic costumes, impeccable harmonies, with lead singer Patrick Myers resurrecting Freddie Mercury both physically and vocally, all come together to give the audience the Queen “live in concert” experience.
For more information, and to sample music and video on the band, please go to: www.killerqueen.com
Due to the nature of theatrical bookings all performances, dates, times and prices are subject to change without notice.
Buyer Beware: If you purchase tickets from a non-authorized person or outlet, you risk purchasing a lost, stolen or fake ticket that is not valid for admittance, regardless of the event. Only valid tickets will scan to authorize entry for an event. Lost or stolen tickets may be deactivated and thus will not be valid for entry. Anyone who purchases tickets from a “scalper,” ticket broker, or online secondary merchant other than Ticketmaster.com does so at their own risk and in most cases is paying a premium.
When you visit the theatre, our first priority is your care and safety. To that end, please be aware in advance of increased security measures for all events at our Theatre. Backpacks, oversized bags, outside food and beverage, and weapons of any kind are not permitted in the building. Also, upon entry, bags and coats must be open and ready for inspection by our security team. Thank you for your cooperation!
String Fling
Friday, March 31, 2023
Doors at 7:00 PM | Show at 7:30 PM
Tickets: $28.25 Advance, $38.25 Day of Show | General Admission | Shopland Hall
FEATURING
Dishonest Fiddlers
JP Biondo
Little Toby Walker
The Hot Club of Scranton
The Dishonest Fiddlers are an acoustic ensemble based in Northeast PA. Since its inception, the Americana/Roots band has performed traditional folk/bluegrass material but always prioritized original songs.
This “front-porch band” balances strong vocal harmonies and tight instrumental prowess with bluegrass inflections and jug band sensibilities.
What began as a loose rag-tag style group in 2014 has been picking its way throughout the Northeast, performing and collaborating with countless members of Northeast Pennsylvania’s burgeoning music collective.
The Dishonest Fiddlers are currently performing as a trio featuring:
Dave Brown (Harmonica/Guitar)
Shawn Caden (Mandolin/Banjo)
Jasper Paciotti (Upright Bass)
James “JP” Biondo (CABINET) grew up in Gouldsboro, PA and has been writing songs since his early teens. He has been a singer most all his life, always enjoying the voice as an instrument. JP has helped progress the band with his songwriting skill and mandolin playing for more than 12 years and is responsible for much of the original material for the band. When not working with Cabinet you can find him out solo supporting his debut full length release “Blue Radio”. With Pappy as Owl & Crow and on guitar in his new found local all star group The Mule Team. JP will be joined by Chris Kearney.
Internationally and nationally acclaimed Toby Walker has been hailed as an award winning, roots music fingerstyle guitar virtuoso and songwriter who has toured the US, the United Kingdom, Canada and Europe. Blending the styles of blues, ragtime, country, bluegrass, old-time jazz and rock, Walker has developed his own style and as such received numerous awards, including being the 1st place recipient of the International Blues Challenge Award in Memphis and the NY Music Award for best instrumental CD. Walker has also been inducted into the NY Blues Hall Of Fame.
Walker is a nationally recognized guitar instructor, having taught at Jorma Kaukonen’s Fur Peace Ranch, Woody Mann’s Guitar Seminars, The Swanannoa Gathering, The New Jersey Big Guitar Camp and the Guitar Intensive in Maine. Walker also has eight instructional DVD’s on Happy Traum’s Homespun Music Instruction and has produced hundreds of instructional videos for his own website.
Toby’s passion for blues, rags, folk, and other traditional American music drove him to leave an apartment crammed full of recordings, books and instruments for the Mississippi Delta, Virginia and the Carolinas where he tracked down some of the more obscure – but immensely talented – music makers of an earlier era. He learned directly from Eugene Powell, James “Son” Thomas, Etta Baker, and R.L Burnside, among others.
“If he doesn’t get them with his phenomenal guitar playing or catchy songs, he gets them with his wonderful stories. True entertainers have an engaing spirit that puts a smile on your face. Arlo Guthrie has it. David Bromberg has it. And so does Toby. ”
– John Platt – WFUV
“Flat out… you have to hear this great musician… I’m blown away”
Jorma Kaukonen of Hot Tuna and the Jefferson Airplane
“A fingerpicking guitar virtuoso”
– Happy Traum
The Hot Club of Scranton celebrates the swing music and hot jazz of the 1920’s through the 1940’s. They play the style of music made popular by Django Reinhardt, Charlie Christian, Benny Goodman and other musicians of the swing era. The Hot Club gets their name and takes on this style specifically from Django Reinhardt and his image of jazz. The Hot Club of Scranton is Roy Williams (Lead Guitar), Nick Driscoll (Clarinet), Mark Woodyatt (Violin), Mike Williams (Rhythm Guitar) and Ian O’Hara (Bass).
The 4th Annual String Fling is sponsored by UGI Utilities and LT Verrastro. Supported by Lackawanna County and the PA Council on the Arts.
Cash Bar and Concessions available. Cabaret style seating.
Event seating is General Admission, First-Come, First-Served, held in Shopland Hall on the 4th Floor of the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple.
The seating chart does not reflect the layout for this event.
NO REFUNDS / NO EXCHANGES
Due to the nature of live performances, artists, dates, times, venues and prices are subject to change without notice.
Buyer Beware: If you purchase tickets from a non-authorized person or
outlet, you risk purchasing a lost, stolen or fake ticket that is not valid for
admittance, regardless of the event. Lost or stolen tickets may be
deactivated and thus will not be valid for entry. Anyone who purchases
tickets from a “scalper” or ticket broker does so at their own risk and in
most cases is paying a premium.
When you visit the theatre, our first priority is your care and safety. To that
end, please be aware in advance of increased security measures for all
events at our Theatre. Backpacks, oversized bags, outside food and
beverage, and weapons of any kind are not permitted in the building. Also,
upon entry, bags and coats must be open and ready for inspection by our
security team.
Scranton Cultural Center and JZTours presents
The Ultimate Elvis Experience starring Shawn Klush
Friday, April 14, 2023 at 8:00pm
Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Theatre | Reserved Seating | Doors Open 7:30pm | $40.75 -$52.15 | VIP PreShow Package available 7:00pm $87.50
The Closest Thing to the King in Concert
Winner of BBC TV’s ‘World’s Greatest Elvis’ and Elvis Presley Enterprises ‘First Ever’ Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist contest! As seen on the Late Show with David Letterman and HBO’s Vinyl.
Born and raised in the small coal-mining town of Pittston, Pennsylvania, Shawn’s love for music led him to begin imitating his musical idol, Elvis Presley. He performed in the famous Poconos region followed by a tour of Canada where he entered and won the $5,000.00 prize in the “Worldwide Elvis Competition” in Montreal. This caught the attention of the award winning Las Vegas show, “Legends in Concert” where for many years he starred as ‘Elvis’ in their Myrtle Beach, Las Vegas, Branson and Atlantic City show rooms. Each January he stars in the “Elvis Birthday Tribute Tour”, an extravaganza with Elvis’ own musicians, singers, and friends, in major venues in multiple cities.
Shawn has released 5 CDs. He has performed with Elvis’ closest friends, musicians and singers such as JD Sumner and the Stamps Quartet, The Jordanaires, The Imperials, DJ Fontana, Charlie Hodge, Jerry Scheff, The Sweet Inspirations, Joe Guercio, Jerry Schilling and Joe Esposito. He portrayed Elvis in the hit TV miniseries “Shake, Rattle and Roll” which aired on CBS and VH1 and HBO’s Vinyl.
On Elvis’ 70th Birthday, Shawn became grand champion at the $25,000.00 “World Elvis Tribute Artist Competition”. He then received “The Peoples Choice Award” from Gibson Guitar Co in Nashville for “Best Concert Elvis”. Shawn was then named the “World’s Greatest Elvis” by 6.5 million international viewers on BBC1 Television in the United Kingdom. Finally, on August 16th, on the 30th anniversary of Elvis’ passing, Shawn was named the ‘First Ever’ “Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist” by Elvis Presley Enterprises in Memphis TN. Shawn has record breaking performances in the US, Switzerland, Canada Australia, the UK and South America. He was named “Worldwide Ambassador of Elvis” at the Las Vegas Hilton where he headlines the annual the Las Vegas Elvis Fest, celebrating Elvis’ historic Las Vegas Performances. Shawn is the most popular Elvis Tribute Artist in the World.
Shawn was a featured performer on the Late Show with David Letterman performing to over 5 million viewers with the entire CBS Orchestra on Network Television and portrayed Elvis in HBO’s Vinyl. produced by Martin Scorsese and Mic Jagger.
Shawn Klush is “The Closest Thing to the King in Concert”
Due to the nature of live event bookings all performances, dates, times and prices are subject to change without notice.
Buyer Beware: If you purchase tickets from a non-authorized person or outlet, you risk purchasing a lost, stolen or fake ticket that is not valid for admittance, regardless of the event. Only valid tickets will scan to authorize entry for an event. Lost or stolen tickets may be deactivated and thus will not be valid for entry. Anyone who purchases tickets from a “scalper,” ticket broker, or online secondary merchant other than Ticketmaster.com does so at their own risk and in most cases is paying a premium.
When you visit the theatre, our first priority is your care and safety. To that end, please be aware in advance of increased security measures for all events at our Theatre. Backpacks, oversized bags, outside food and beverage, and weapons of any kind are not permitted in the building. Also, upon entry, bags and coats must be open and ready for inspection by our security team. Thank you for your cooperation!
Studio Two – The Beatles Tribute
Friday, May 5, 2023 at 8:00pm
General Admission | Shopland Hall, 4th Floor | Doors at 7:00pm
Tickets: $33.25 In Advance | $43.25 Day of Show (Including Fees)
Tickets originally purchased for the January 20th date are valid without need for exchange.
Hailed as “New England’s Best Beatles Tribute Band” by The British Beer Company, Beatles tribute band, Studio Two, continues its tour in celebration of the 50th anniversary of The Beatles coming to America.
Studio Two is a headlining Beatles band that pays tribute to the early Beatles years, choosing songs from the pre-Sgt. Pepper era.
Featuring graduates from Berklee College of Music and Beatles devotees, Studio Two band mates met in a “cellar full of noise” in a town slightly west of Liverpool (Milford, New Hampshire!) to pay homage to the greatest rock band of all time.
Band members are experienced musicians of today’s generation dedicated to preserving the memory and fan culture of The Beatles generation.
By recreating the Fab Four’s music, appearance, instruments, and onstage banter, Studio Two performs your most favorite hits that will bring people to the dance floor.
Studio Two has performed at numerous large and small venues, from large open-air festivals to nightclubs.
“Voted the BEST Beatles tribute band in New England” ~ The Boston Globe
“Voted Best Tribute band in New Hampshire” ~ Editors of NH Magazine
Stephen Murray as John Lennon
Al Francis as Paul McCartney
Robert Murray as George Harrison
Richard Rampino as Ringo Starr
Click Here to Visit the Band Website
Due to the nature of live event bookings all performances, dates, times and prices are subject to change without notice.
NO REFUNDS / NO EXCHAGES
Buyer Beware: If you purchase tickets from a non-authorized person or outlet, you risk purchasing a lost, stolen or fake ticket that is not valid for admittance, regardless of the event. Only valid tickets will scan to authorize entry for an event. Lost or stolen tickets may be deactivated and thus will not be valid for entry. Anyone who purchases tickets from a “scalper,” ticket broker, or online secondary merchant other than Ticketmaster.com does so at their own risk and in most cases is paying a premium.
When you visit the theatre, our first priority is your care and safety. To that end, please be aware in advance of increased security measures for all events at our Theatre. Backpacks, oversized bags, outside food and beverage, and weapons of any kind are not permitted in the building. Also, upon entry, bags and coats must be open and ready for inspection by our security team. Thank you for your cooperation!
$168.00 VIP Packages, $64.45 – $46.90 Regular Admission (Includes Fees) | Reserved Seating | Prices Subject to Change
Mainstage Concert | Weinberg Theatre, Reserved Seating Only | 7:00pm, Doors Open at 6:15pm
Stars perform in an intimate “guitar pull” style show and share
the stories behind their songs
Guitars & Stars Lineup:
- Jelly Roll
- Bretty Young
- Craig Morgan
- Jackson Dean
- Shane Profitt
Please note when selecting tickets on Ticketmaster.com that you select the correct VIP Package. Not All Seats are available for each package.
VIP Jelly Roll Gift Package | $168.00
VIP Jelly Roll Package Ticket Holders MUST Arrive by 5:00pm and Includes:
One (1) reserved ticket in the first 7 rows, one (1) entry to a private catered pre-show party with exclusive pre-show entertainment with artist Chris Shrive with Special Guest Gracie Jane Sinclair on the SideStage. Jelly Roll Gift Package holders will receive one (1) pre-autographed photo of Jelly Roll (there is no meet and greet).
VIP Brett Young Meet and Greet Package | $168.00
VIP Brett Young Package Ticket Holders MUST Arrive by 5:00pm and Includes:
One (1) reserved ticket in the first 7 rows, one (1) entry to a private catered pre-show party with exclusive pre-show entertainment with artist Chris Shrive with Special Guest Gracie Jane Sinclair on the SideStage. Brett Young Package holders will gain one (1) entry to meet & greet and one (1) digital photo with Brett Young. *meet and greet photos may be shot in groups per artist management.
VIP Craig Morgan Meet and Greet Package | $168.00
VIP Craig Morgan Package Ticket Holders MUST Arrive by 5:00pm and Includes:
One (1) reserved ticket in the first 7 rows, one (1) entry to a private catered pre-show party with exclusive pre-show entertainment with artist Chris Shrive with Special Guest Gracie Jane Sinclair on the SideStage. Craig Morgang Package holders will gain one (1) entry to meet & greet and one (1) digital photo with Brett Young. *meet and greet photos may be shot in groups per artist management.
VIP Info You must purchase a VIP level ticket to gain access to the VIP Lounge/PreParty inside the Ballroom at the Scranton Cultural Center. VIP’s must present their ticket at check-in table in order to be admitted into the lounge area.
VIP’s please check in by 5:00pm.
Froggy 101’s Guitars & Stars
Featuring
Jelly Roll JellyRoll615.com
Tennessee multi-genre phenomenon, Jelly Roll, explores themes of addiction, pain, and struggling in his various styles that range from Southern rock, hints of R&B, acoustic country, and hardcore rap.
Born and raised in Nashville’s Antioch neighborhood, Jelly Roll released his album Ballads of the Broken in 2021, ahead of his sold-out hometown show at the famous Ryman Auditorium, which sold out in under an hour. The introspective 10-track album shows Jelly Roll’s growth as an artist and man, drawing from his personal experiences to tell the story of a man who has been through the ringer and isn’t afraid to share his raw truth, featuring his multi-week No. 1 Rock hit “Dead Man Walking” and his No. 1 Country debut single “Son of a Sinner.”
Jelly Roll recently announced the name, date, and album cover of his highly-anticipated new album, WHITSITT CHAPEL, arriving June 2nd. Titled after the church the Antioch-native grew up attending, the debut full-length Country project on BMG/Stoney Creek Records features 13 tracks, including his current single, “Need A Favor,” which dictates “the internal fight between faith and vices” (American Songwriter). Jelly Roll teased the announcement with images of Whitsitt Chapel’s outdoor sign featuring song lyrics from current and not-yet-released tracks on the album. Additional track list information will be announced at a later date.
“This album is about growth and gratitude happening in my life. I wanted to create a project that felt hopeful. I believe the worst feeling a person can have is feeling hopeless or worthless. This is therapeutic music. Real music for real people with real problems,” Jelly Roll shared.
The announcement comes on the heels of a massive, history-making year for Jelly Roll, including selling out his hometown venue – Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena – for more than 16,000 fans, making his Grand Ole Opry debut, scoring his first Country radio No. 1 and a two-week Rock No. 1, and topping Billboard’s Emerging Artist chart for an astounding 25 straight weeks. Jelly’s run marked the longest reign ever to date, for any artist, on the chart.
Additionally, the Antioch native was named to CRS New Faces at the 2023 Country Radio Seminar, and announced his upcoming 44 date Backroad Baptism Tour, which will kick off this July. Having “cemented his rising mainstream stardom” (Tennessean), Jelly Roll continues to break records, independently building his fan base and amassing more than 4 Billion collective career streams to date. Jelly Roll became the first act this decade to top the Rock charts while simultaneously having a Top 30 song on Country radio with his #1 hit, “Son Of A Sinner,” and he is the first artist in Billboard history to do so with debut singles. For more information on Jelly Roll, his upcoming album WHITSITT CHAPEL, or his upcoming Backroad Baptism Tour, visit Jellyroll615.com.
Brett Young has captured the hearts of fans everywhere through his honest lyrics and West Coast-meets-Southern sound, aptly dubbed “Caliville” style. With an undeniable string of seven No. 1s – “In Case You Didn’t Know” (5X PLATINUM), “Mercy” (3X PLATINUM), “Sleep Without You” (PLATINUM), “Like I Loved You” (PLATINUM), “Here Tonight” (PLATINUM), “Catch” (PLATINUM) and “Lady” (PLATINUM) – and two albums defined by a transcendent romantic spark, he has cemented his status as Country’s master over matters of the heart. The star broadened his emotional scope on WEEKENDS LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT THESE DAYS, out now along with an acoustic version via BMLG Records. The project features his current single “You Didn’t” and “Lady,” whose lyrics inspired Young’s debut children’s book LOVE YOU, LITTLE LADY, published by Tommy Nelson (an imprint by HarperCollins). He is also featured on Ashley Cooke’s “Never Til Now” and Riley Clemmons’ “Godsend.” Young previously debuted atop the Billboard Country Albums chart with his GOLD-certified TICKET TO L.A. while his PLATINUM self-titled debut dominated the Top 20 on the Country Albums chart for 37 weeks, all contributing to over 5.5 billion global streams. Young was named ASCAP’s 2018 Country Songwriter-Artist of the Year for his “melodic craftmanship” (Billboard) and has also garnered nominations from ACM, Billboard, Teen Choice, CMT and CMA Awards as he continues to rack up nonstop hits as “one of country’s most consistent radio stars” (Rolling Stone). Alongside Shay Mooney and Bear Rinehart, Young also penned “Long Way Home (From The Motion Picture ‘Father Stu’),” a new song featured in the Sony Pictures film starring Academy Award Nominee Mark Wahlberg.
Craig Morgan craigmorgan.com
Over the years, Craig Morgan has come to think of his career like a house, hand built over time and resting on a firm foundation. Faithful Christian. Dedicated family man. Distinguished veteran of the US Army. Those are the pillars that have allowed the chart-topping singer, songwriter and live performer to add room after room to his house – now more like a sprawling mansion. But with God, Family, Country, his 2020 album for Broken Bow Records, the Nashville native admits it felt like he was putting on the final touches.
Marking his ninth studio set, God, Family, Country combined five new songs with some of the most powerful tracks of his career, including hits “That’s What I Love About Sunday,” “Almost Home,” and more. It was an album of contrast, both created in the moment and capturing a bigger picture, with Craig stepping back to consider the “what” and “why” of his creation. But in becoming “one of the most special records I’ve ever done,” it was ultimately far more than a craftsman checking his work. It inspired a whole new addition
Now, the hitmaker behind “Redneck Yacht Club,” “International Harvester” and “Little Bit of Life” has expanded his God, Family, Country chapter, adding a new Deluxe Edition to the album, a gripping, best-selling memoir and more. The blueprints are back on the table – and this time they include more personal touches than ever.
“I feel so good,” Craig says. “Career wise, family wise, my heart, my soul, my spirit, my faith, all those things are good – unbelievable, really. Every time I think I’m about ready to start slowing down, God throws a wrench in it and it gets me right back in the middle.”
Call it a renaissance if you want, but Craig today continues to evolve from the guy who released country-radio classics like the four-week chart-topper, “That’s What I Love About Sunday” – Billboard’s Number One country single of 2005. He still has an unquenchable spirit and joy for life, but he and his family have also known great loss with the passing of their son Jerry in 2016. Instead of snuffing out Craig’s artistry, however, that unimaginable tragedy led to him writing his most personal and emotional song to date, “The Father, My Son and the Holy Ghost,” released in 2019.
The aching ballad topped the iTunes all-genre sales chart and led directly to this new career chapter, becoming the centerpiece of God, Family, Country and the inspiration to go further. Released on Veteran’s Day (November 11), God, Family, Country (Deluxe Edition) adds four new songs to what was already a deeply personal project, three of which he wrote.
“Ask Him” arrives as a head-over-heels romantic stunner with long-lasting devotion. “I May Drink a Little,” finds a man of faith maintaining his beliefs, even though he’s not perfect. And “Sounds Like Home,” features a sentimental front-porch sway that could be the soundtrack to a picturesque country sunset.
Mixing old-school grit with a modern country pulse, it’s a tune for the times, which resonated with the star right away.
“It’s a societal story,” Craig says. “It’s what’s going on in our world. This song talks about how ‘you run, you crawl, you rise, you fall, you hit your knees until you learn to stand. That’s how you make a man.’ This is how we each become better as humans.”
It’s also 100-percent country, and the guiding principle Craig has followed like a North Star his whole career. God, Family, Country (Deluxe Edition) just puts it all in one place.
“This album is based on everything that’s happened in my life and my career,” he says. “I feel like I have some of the most quality songs I’ve ever recorded, and there is a new energy here. After all I’ve been through, I’m at one of the most inspired places I’ve ever been.”
That inspiration isn’t limited to music, though, as Craig also shared his full story for the first time. Co-authored with New York Times bestseller Jim DeFelice (who also co-wrote Chris Kyle’s American Sniper), Craig’s memoir GOD, FAMILY, COUNTRY: Soldier, Singer, Husband, Dad—There’s a Whole Lot More to Me reveals not only the roots of his country career and serve as a testament to his familial dedication, but also much of the behind-the-scenes action fans never saw.
A thrilling ride from the start, Craig opens up about his time as an elite military operator, teaming with the CIA and more to parachute into the Central American jungle, bust up human trafficking rings in Thailand, and even run a cover operation in Iraq at the height of his career.
“The thing is, I’ve talked about little snippets of these stories throughout my life,” he says. “Some on the radio, in interviews and different things. But I have never put everything together, and it wasn’t until then that I went, ‘Holy crap. I have done a lot.’”
Meanwhile, the inspiration has also taken him to TV. In the CBS/Paramount + adventure reality series Beyond The Edge, Craig returned to the Panamanian jungles to put the survival skills he learned in the Army to further use – the same ones he taught pilots training for a potential crash, and now offers clients through his Alaskan Off the Grid Experience.
It’s true, that house Craig’s been building has now grown in ways he never expected, but the foundation is still the same – and with his God, Family, Country headlining tour, folks could say that foundation is as strong as ever.
Wrapping in Nashville on Veterans Day with his first ever headlining show at the Ryman Auditorium – his hometown’s fabled “Mother Church of Country Music” – the Grand Ole Opry member still shines in front of an audience. He calls the sold-out show a mountaintop moment, perhaps the pinnacle of his long career and life story … so far, that is.
“Proud isn’t the right word as much as grateful,” he says. “I just want to inspire and motivate people to try to do good and be better for themselves and everyone else involved.”
Shane Profitt shaneprofitt.com
A salt of the earth Southerner with a straight-shooting swagger and kind smile, Shane Profitt’s musical toolbox is full of all-natural talent. At the end of 2021, he was still pulling overtime at his job with the city, busting his back about an hour south of Nashville and living for the weekend – with a few decades left to go. But now, the 22-year-old is rocking sold-out crowds at the historic Ryman Auditorium, touring with his chart-topping hero Chris Janson and writing modern Country tunes so genuine, they slip on like a pair of broken-in work boots. Because no one has to tell this singer/songwriter what a blue-collar life is all about. Profitt’s journey starts a few years ago, when his grandad asked what he wanted for Christmas and his wish was to learn how to play Hank Jr. songs on the guitar. Beginning with G, C and D chords, he stuck with it. Gifted with a heavy-duty vocal, Profitt became a regular draw at the popular Southern-cooking chain, Puckett’s, traveling all over Tennessee to weekend shows while still holding down his job back home. And while that made for some long hours, it also led to inspiration for original music. Today, the emerging artist debuts his boots-on-the-ground writing style and big, barrel-chested voice with a 3-song collection MAURY COUNTY LINE, available now via BMLG Records/Harpeth 60 Records. With tracks like the hook filled honky tonker “Better Off Fishin’,” chest-thumping charmer “Guys Like Me” and his hopeful heaven-on-earth Country radio single “How It Oughta Be,” Profitt puts his life to music – along with the lives of so many others. And this is just the beginning.
Pre-Show VIP SideStage
Chris Shrive and Gracie Jane Sinclair
Froggy 101’s 20th Guitars & Stars! Presented by Burke’s Gun Shop Indoor Shooting Range.
Tickets on sale Friday, April 7th @ 10am.
Including a limited number of VIP tickets including seats in the first 7 rows and access to the catered VIP pre-party with side stage