THE BEST OF COUNTRY AT ‘BAKGAT COUNTRY OPSKOP’

DATE                     Sunday 1 June 2014

TIME                      15h00

VENUE                  Grand Arena, GrandWest

TICKETS                R135 – R165 from Computicket

Among the biggest names in South African Country music will perform at the Bakgat Country Opskop at the GrandWest Grand Arena on Sunday 1 June.

With a line-up headed by legends such as Lance James, Sally Vaughn, Jodi Wayne and Tommy Dell, Bakgat Country Opskop will also showcase young artists such as Ray Dylan, Christo and Cobus, and Wynand and Cheree. With his illustrious singing career and iconic radio programme Keep It Country, Lance James has been at the forefront of the South African Country music scene for decades. If anyone deserved to be called a Country Legend, it certainly is Lance.

Sally Vaughn, dubbed “Mama Country” by Lance James, has carried that name through a country singing career that has seen her earn many awards and accolades.  Sally has even performed twice at the American Country Music Association’s annual awards in Nashville. Jodi Wayne has also enjoyed a long and successful as a recording artist and performer, song writer and as a music producer who has discovered many successful recording artists such as Barbara Ray and the Stockley Sisters.

Tommy Dell has been at the top of the South African Country music scene for many years and his fans still demand that he sing some of his early hits such as Teddy Bear, Little Rosa and Do Not Worry About Me.

Ray Dylan has performed as a singer and guitarist since 2002. His style is best described as PopRock with a definite Country edge. Ray’s two ‘Good Old Country’ albums propelled him into the hearts of local country music fans and his voice and on-stage energy have earned him much acclaim from his audiences.  Ray earned a SAMA in 2010 for Best Afrikaans Country Album for Good Old Country. The three girls of BlackByrd stormed onto the music scene with their debut album, Strong which was released in 2012. Their music is an innovative combination of pop, ballads and country and they have had two hit singles so far, All For Me and I Feel Good Today. The latter song became the theme song for SABC3’s Expresso morning show.

Over the past 22 years, brothers Christo and Cobus have enjoyed much success as a duet and solo. They issued their most recent collective album, 20 Partytjie Treffers in 2013 and last year, each brother released a solo album. Christo recorded a romantic album called Three Chord Love Songs and Cobus a country album called Cowboys and Crooks. The brothers are working on releasing a new album this year.

Since they met at a festival in 2006, Country duo Wynand and Cheree have been inseparable both on and off stage. This husband and wife team now perform together to audiences who appreciate their warm and harmonious music. Their latest album, So onthou ons die Highwaymen, pays tribute to their musical heroes Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson.

Bakgat Country Opskop starts at 3pm. Tickets are from R135 to R165 and booking is through Computicket.