Festival Features Jimmy Wayne and New Faces of Country

Friday night, June 4 the Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival will feature three of the newest stars on the country music scene beginning with headliner Jimmy Wayne.

Wayne’s career first took off with a remake of Hall & Oates’ pop classic “Sara Smile.” He sang the tune regularly during his days as a North Carolina prison guard, auditioned with it in 2002 and got a contract with DreamWorks Records. His debut CD appeared in 2003 and produced the top-10 hits “Stay Gone and “I Love You This Much.” After DreamWorks shut its doors, Wayne signed with Valory Music Company and released “Do You Believe Me Now” a No. 1 for three weeks in 2008-09.

On Saturday, April 3, Wayne celebrated making it to his halfway point for his walk for homeless teens titled “Meet Me Halfway.” Wayne was in Amarillo, Texas after walking 93 days and 977 miles from his starting point of Nashville, Tennessee. He will end the walk in Phoenix, Arizona. No stranger to adversity, Wayne’s father abandoned his family. His mother went to prison, and Wayne was shuttled to a series of foster homes. His stepfather tried to murder him and he was a homeless teen until a North Carolina couple took him in and encouraged his love of music. Wayne’s walk can be followed at http://meetmehalfway.jimmywayne.com or you can follow him on twitter.com/JimmyWayne.

The Band Perry and Bomshel will also be in concert Friday as part of the Country Friday lineup. The Band Perry currently has their hit song “Hip to My Heart” at #24 on the Billboard Country Song Chart, and has spent 22 weeks on the charts. Comprised of siblings Kimberly, Reid and Neil Perry, the family band had their first country recording session in 2008, caught the ear of Scott Borchetta and Jimmy Harnen, the CEO and president of Republic Nashville, and signed with the new label in the summer of 2009. The group is finishing their debut album due to come out later this year.

Bomshel, a vivacious duo act of fiddle player Kristy Osmunson and lead singer Kelley Shepard, rounds out the three-act show. Their song “Fight Like A Girl” released late last year peaked at No. 30 on the Country Charts. Their album of the same title, was released in October and has peaked at No. 24. In January the duo was nominated by the Academy of Country Music for Top New Duo. The awards are this month.

Tickets for the Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival are available online now at reduced rates. Prices at the gate during the Festival will be higher. Friday adult tickets are $20, Saturday $22, Sunday $15. Juniors ages 7-12 are $5 Children ages six and under are free. There is a weekend combo ticket available online that will include all three days for $50 per adult.

Saturday’s concerts include Paul Rodgers, Vertical Horizon and the Gin Blossoms. Sunday’s entertainment includes the smooth jazz mega stars Spyro Gyra on the Wine Garden Stage and the WGAS Freestyle Motocross show on the main stage.

The 2010 Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival returns to Lake Skinner June 4-6, 2010. It includes wine tasting from over 20 area wineries, a wine and food pairing experience, kids faire and giant arts and craft fair. For more information visit www.tvbwf.com or call (951) 676-6713


ADDITIONAL LINKS.
http://meetmehalfway.jimmywayne.com/
http://www.thebandperry.com/
http://www.bomshel.com/
http://www.ginblossoms.net/
http://www.verticalhorizon.com/
http://www.paulrodgers.net/
http://www.tvbwf.com/