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With rock tribute acts proving successful in the summer, Sunrise Entertainment is boot-scootin' to Yankee Lake to see if country can have the same appeal during the winter.
This week, the promoter of the River Rock at the Amp concert series at the Warren Community Amphitheatre announced 12 shows that will be part of the new Country at the Boot series at Bootlegger's Ballroom, formerly Yankee Lake Ballroom.
Sunrise Entertainment President Ken Haidaris said, "The guys from Yankee Lake came to me. It's just sitting there right now, but it's a great facility. It's a huge wooden structure, beautiful hardwood floors, ceiling, everything is wood. The inside reminds me of a country honky tonk, a mini Gilley's (the legendary Texas bar featured in the film "Urban Cowboy"). It just screams country.
"In the wintertime, I think people will be looking for something to do. It will be just like River Rock at the Amp, but inside and country."
River Rock has dabbled in country music in this past. The just-concluded season featured the Garth Brooks tribute No Fences paired with country artist Chris Higbee, a favorite in the area dating back to his days with the band the Povertyneck Hillbillies.
Both acts will be part of Country at the Boot, including a New Year's Eve show by Higbee for the only non-Saturday show on the schedule.
And the initial lineup has some acts with appeal to rock fans. 7 Bridges (performing Dec. 16) has played River Rock as often as any act. While The Eagles were considered a rock band in the '70s, its sound has been a major influence on contemporary country.
Southern rock will be represented with the Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band Turn It Up and the Allman Brothers Band tribute Revival.
Along with Higbee, the one non-tribute act on the bill is Craig Wayne Boyd, who won season seven of the NBC reality competition series "The Voice" under the tutelage of Blake Shelton.
"One of his agents called," Haidaris said. "He's pretty popular in Nashville and has a big following. We don't want to get stuck completely in a rut and are willing to try different things."
Bootlegger's Ballroom can accommodate about 1,300 concertgoers and with its open floor, the venue lends itself to dancing, something that wouldn't be possible if Sunrise Entertainment tried to do the series at Warren's Robins Theatre, which it also operates.
"We've had some country acts at the Robins -- Lorrie Morgan was just there -- but I don't know if people think of tribute country at the Robins," Haidaris said. "This will be more of a honky tonk kind of thing. We'll have line dancing and may have line dancing lessons where people can learn the different dances."
Country at the Boot
Nov. 18 -- American Ride (Toby Keith tribute)
Nov. 25 -- Shania Twin (Shania Twain tribute)
Dec. 2 -- Craig Wayne Boyd (season seven winner of "The Voice")
Dec. 16 -- 7 Bridges (Eagles tribute)
Dec. 31 -- New Year's Eve Party with Chris Higbee
Jan. 13, 2024 -- Terry Lee Goffee (Johnny Cash tribute)
Jan. 27, 2024 -- Broken Road (Rascal Flatts tribute)
Feb. 10, 2024 -- ZBTB (Zac Brown Band tribute)
Feb. 24, 2024 -- Turn It Up (Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute)
March 9, 2024 -- No Fences (Garth Brooks tribute)
March 16, 2024 -- Revival (Allman Brothers Band tribute)
March 30, 2024 -- Vegas McGraw (Tim McGraw tribute)
All shows are at Bootlegger's Ballroom, 1814 state Route 7, Yankee Lake. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the music starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 for all shows except New Year's Eve, which is $20. Tickets are available in advance at Sunrise Inn in Warren and online at
thebootlive.com and at the door the day of the show.