Event brings country crooners to the river

Darryl Worley is the headliner on Sunday for the 24th annual A Day in the Country music festival at Augusta Riverfront Marina.

The gates will open at 11 a.m., and admission costs $20 in advance or $25 on Sunday. Tickets are available at tixonline.com, by calling (803) 278-4849 or at Anything Goes Gifts in North Augusta; Boots, Bridles & Britches in Grovetown and Aiken; the Country Club Dance Hall & Saloon and Road Runner Café in Augusta; and all Greg's Gas Plus locations.

Besides the mainstage acts, the festival will feature karaoke, the Foot Loose and Fancy Free Cloggers, and The Rhythm & Class Cloggers. Here's a look at the performers:

DARRYL WORLEY: Like Lee Greenwood, Mr. Worley has become identified with patriotic songs, in particular Have You Forgotten, after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and his more recent I Just Came Back (From a War), about a veteran who wants to readjust to civilian life.

JAMES OTTO: Mr. Otto was a hit last November on WKXC-FM's Guitar Pull, riding on the popularity of his single Just Got Started Lovin' You . He won the Academy of Country Music's Song of the Year award in March for co-writing Jamey Johnson's hit In Color . A new single, Since You Brought It Up , is set for a May 18 release.

COLT FORD: Mr. Ford, who grew up near Athens, Ga., has been a professional golfer and rap and hip-hop composer (he worked with producer Jermaine Dupri). He wrote the song Buck 'Em , adopted by the Professional Bull Riders Inc. as its new anthem.

JAMIE BUCKLEY: Sgt. 1st Class Buckley is probably the only active-duty soldier to perform on A Day in the Country. He is assigned to the Army's Recruiting Command, performing at high schools, festivals and other venues in support of the Army's recruiting mission.

THE LOST TRAILERS: This group was first named Ryder Stokes but became The Lost Trailers after their equipment trailers were stolen on three occasions. The Trailers had a top 10 hit with Holler Back and recorded Chicken Fried before Zac Brown.

THE MASON JARS: This acoustic, folk and blues duo from Evans comprises Andy Colbert and Trey Pitts on guitars and vocals. They have performed in Charleston and Edisto Beach, S.C.; Bryson City, N.C.; and in Swainsboro, Statesboro and Atlanta in Georgia.

Don Rhodes has written about country music for 38 years. He can be reached at (706) 823-3214 or at don.rhodes@morris.com.