Eddie Montgomery of Montgomery Gentry to perform at Nobles County Fair

Ryan McGaughey, The Daily Globe, Worthington, Minn.

May 4—WORTHINGTON — A well-known country music artist will be taking the stage to perform in Worthington during August's Nobles County Fair.

Eddie Montgomery, co-founder of the famed duo Montgomery Gentry, will take the stage inside the Nobles County Fair Arena for a show on the evening of Friday, Aug. 6. Opening for Montgomery will be Lake & Lyndale, a four-pace American band that formed in St. Paul before migrating to Nashville, Tennessee.

The concert, which is being presented by US95 & Marthaler Ram Of Worthington, is set to begin at 8 p.m. Doors for the event open at 7 p.m.

Montgomery continues to record music and tour after Montgomery Gentry member and co-founder Troy Gentry died in a helicopter crash in September 2017. Recording with the Average Joe Entertainment label, he recently released "Outskirts," a seven-song EP.

Montgomery Gentry recorded its first of seven albums in 1999 and charted more than 20 singles over nearly two full decades, including five No. 1 hits. Montgomery, a native of Kentucky, earned Country Music Association, Academy of Country Music and Grammy awards and nominations for blue-collar anthems such as "Hell Yeah," "My Town" and "Hillbilly Shoes," not to mention chart-topping smashes "If You Ever Stop Loving Me," "Something to Be Proud Of," "Lucky Man," "Back When I Knew It All" and "Roll with Me."

This marks the second time in three years that a popular country music artist has been booked for the Nobles County Fair. Joe Diffie, who had 12 No. 1 hits and more than 20 Top 10 singles in his career, played the fair in 2019. Now, a year after the 2020 fair was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Montgomery has been secured for this summer's event.

Montgomery was inducted as Grand Ole Opry members in 2009 and inducted into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame in 2015. Though Lake & Lyndale has yet to match those types of credentials, the band's career is off to a strong start. Composed of vocalist Channing Marie, guitarist Jon Krentz, drummer Tyler Kloewer and bassist Eric Clifford, the group has earned recognition for dynamic live shows that reflect their decade-long friendship.

"We're just trying to make an honest connection with people," said Marie of Lake & Lyndale, which has enjoyed some comparisons to Fleetwood Mac. Marie's vocal styles have also been likened to Steve Nicks of Fleetwood Mac, but with hints of country artists such as Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert added in.

Lake & Lyndale released their debut EP, "Habits," in 2018, and followed in July 2019 with the single "There's a Weight" along with a video that was featured in National Public Radio's Emerging Artist Spotlight. In June 2020, they released "Still Here," the second single from their upcoming album set for release later this year.

Tickets for Eddie Montgomery and Lake & Lyndale will go on sale Friday for $15 (May 7 through July 18), $25 (July 19 through Aug. 6) and $30 at the door. Tickets will be available at Adrian Coop Oil, Radio Works, Marthaler Automotive locations and on the fair's website at noblescountyfair.org.