Sawyer Brown, Royal Wade Kimes to Open 2017 Mo State Fair

Opening day at the 2017 Missouri State Fair will feature Sawyer Brown with Royal Wade Kimes as the opening act on the Pepsi Grandstand Stage Thursday, Aug, 10.

Sawyer Brown was founded in 1981 in Apopka, Florida, by five members of Don King's road band.

The band consists of: Bobby Randall (guitar) and Jim Scholten (bass guitar), both from Midland, Michigan; Joe Smyth (drums), Gregg "Hobie" Hubbard (keyboards), and Mark Miller (lead vocals).

After King retired in 1981, the five members formed a band, first choosing the name “Savanna” before switching to Sawyer Brown, also happened to be the name of a road near where they practiced their music.

Kimes tours around the world and has had many number one hits. He reportedly promotes a sold out concert and trail ride in the Boston Mountains each year raising money for the “Back Packs for Children Program", which covers Western Arkansas and Eastern Oklahoma. Kimes last performed in Sedalia last fall at the Hayden Liberty Center.

His songs include Night Birds, Strikin' Matches and Crossing The Roads.

The show will start at 7:30 p.m.  Tickets are $5 for grandstand seats and $10 for track seats for the Thursday, Aug. 10 show.

Concert tickets will be on sale starting at 9 a.m. on June 20 through ticketmaster.com or by phone at (800) 796-6776 or (800) 745-3000.  All concert seats are reserved.  Convenience charges apply to all tickets.

The Missouri State Fair Box Office opens at noon on June 26 for walk-up orders (while tickets remain).  Box Office hours are: June 26 – Aug 4, 12 pm – 6 pm (M-F); Closed July 4 in observance of Fourth of July Holiday; Aug 7-9, 9 am – 6 pm; Aug 10-20, 9 am – 9 pm

Grandstand tickets do not include admission to the Fair, it should be noted.

For more info on the 2017 Missouri State Fair, go to www.mostatefair.com.