AV Fair & Alfalfa Festival announces country headliners for 2023 concert series

Organizers of the Antelope Valley Fair & Alfalfa Festival are pleased to announce two of the four Palmdale Auto Mall Grandstand Arena concert headliners for the 2023 AV Fair & Alfalfa Festival, “A Barn Good Time.”

Headlining Friday, Sept. 22 on opening day will be country artist/songwriter Randy Houser. Opening for Houser will be Rodney Atkins. Monday, Sept. 25, Grammy Award winner Clint Black will grace the stage. Opening for Black will be country artist Ned LeDoux. The 2023 concert series is sponsored by the City of Lancaster and the City of Palmdale. All concerts start at 7:30 p.m.

Houser first appeared on the country music scene in 2008, with “Anything Goes,” his first charting single, and an album of the same name. In the decade since then, the baritone-voiced singer has released four additional records, with his fifth and latest disc, Magnolia, coming in early 2019. Houser’s five studio albums have spawned a handful of No. 1 hits, platinum-selling songs and awards nominations. From songs about love to songs about loving the country, Houser does it all.

Opening artist, Atkins, has achieved success with his first No. 1 hit “If You’re Going Through Hell” and the fast-climbing follow-up single “Watching You.” With over 10 million units sold, Atkins has become a staple in the country music industry and continues to inspire fans with his music. His latest album, “Caught Up in the Country,” released in 2019, features collaborations with Fisk Jubilee Singers, the Music City Indian® and the title track was a Top 20 hit on Country radio. Atkins has also won multiple awards, including the Academy of Country Music’s Top New Male Vocalist and BMI’s Songwriter of the Year. He is an avid supporter of various charities, including the Holston United Methodist Home for Children and the National Council for Adoption. Atkins’ unwavering dedication to his craft and community has solidified his place as a beloved country music icon.

Grammy Award-winning, Country Artist Clint Black is known for one of the most storied careers in modern music. Black surged to superstardom as part of the fabled Class of ‘89, reaching No. 1 with five consecutive singles from his triple-platinum debut, Killin’ Time. He followed that with the triple-platinum Put Yourself in My Shoes, and then a string of platinum and gold albums throughout the ‘90s. Perhaps most impressively, Black wrote or co-wrote every one of his more than three dozen chart hits, including “A Better Man,” “Where Are You Now,” “When My Ship Comes In,” “A Good Run of Bad Luck,” “Summer’s Comin’,” “Like the Rain” and “Nothin’ But the Taillights,” part of a catalog that produced 22 No. 1 singles and made him one of the most successful singer/songwriters of the modern era. Black has sold over 20 million records, earned more than a dozen gold and platinum awards in the U.S. and Canada including a GRAMMY, landed nearly two dozen major awards and nominations, and earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The opening act will be Ned LeDoux. LeDoux is the son of famed late country singer Chris LeDoux. Ned LeDoux is an American country music singer and songwriter, with over 30 original released singles including the hit “Wahtcha Gonna Do with a Cowboy.” LeDoux is known for keeping the country in country music and will serenade the audience with a mixture of his originals and covers of his father’s music. Additional concerts will be announced in the next few weeks.

AV Fair & Event Center Board of Director President, Angie Hughes commented, “There is a certain special kind of joy that takes place when it’s fair time. This year’s event will be a mix of nostalgia, excitement and childlike celebration that will delight guests of all ages. Our concert series is something that residents look forward to year after year, and we are thrilled to be once again able to bring high-caliber headliner entertainment. We deeply appreciate the tremendous generosity of both the City of Lancaster and the City of Palmdale for their continued generosity, which makes it possible for us to feature award-winning entertainment. Of course, our family-friendly event will also offer free live music, including a Battle of the Bands, a world-class carnival and one-of-a-kind fair food vendors throughout the fairgrounds. It truly is going to be ‘A Barn Good Time,’ and we’re looking forward to a record-breaking attendance year.”

Select concert tickets go on sale June 1. In-field track seating is limited and Fair Fans are encouraged to purchase concert tickets early. Complete ticket information and Fair details are available at avfair.com. This year’s 2023 AV Fair & Alfalfa Festival theme, “A Barn Good Time” is a 9-day fair, running Sept. 22 through Oct. 1. Wednesday, Sept. 27 will be dark.

About the AV Fair & Event Center

The AV Fair & Event Center is a well-managed, safe, multi-purpose, year-round facility that meets the diverse educational and entertainment needs of the residents throughout the region. We are committed to preserving and caring for our agricultural heritage while fostering new cultural traditions through innovation, education, and creating opportunities and lifelong memories for all. Learn more at http://www.avfair.com.