Top concert picks from the summer country music scene in and near the Palm Beaches

We are totally hyped about finding must-see concerts for the summer of 2023, and in that list, we certainly didn't ignore the country music genre. (I mean, you can't have a best-of concert list and ignore George Strait.) But we couldn't resist giving country its own nod and giving our readers a few more options when it comes to planning summer time entertainment.

The following is a list of the country concerts worth seeing and our reasons why these performers — and also their opening acts — are worthy. Some might require a little travel, others a little cash and at least one will require both!

More concert news: How hard is it to see Taylor Swift concert? Ticket sites beat us, but TikTok hack helped

Walker Hayes

You might not know his name of the top of your head, but if you’ve seen or heard an Applebee’s commercial in the last year, you’ve probably heard Hayes’ song “Fancy Like,” a tribute to the affordable date-night spot. (The guy’s married with six kids; he knows about date night and saving money.) Sure, it’s catchy, but don’t buttonhole the guy; Hayes can do a lot more.

Although it seems like Hayes just arrived on the Nashville scene, he’s been there songwriting and struggling since 2005. He saw a few of his songs recorded by other artists and seemed to be forever on the cusp of stardom until the single “You Broke Up With Me” from his project “Boom” exploded. The song peaked at No. 9 on the Hot Country Songs charts in 2018 and he was gaining momentum. Then COVID came along, and Hayes and his family started making TikTok videos at home from his country songs. They made one for “Fancy Like” and the rest is Oreo-shake history.

Hayes will share the stage with special guests Ingrid Andress and Breland, two chart-toppers in their own right. Andress (“More Hearts Than Mine” and “Good Person”) is a strong songwriter with a huge future in front of her. Breland is a gifted singer and musician with a buttery baritone capable of vocal magic.

If you go: 6:30-11 p.m. Saturday, June 10, Mizner Park Amphitheater, Boca Raton. Special guest artists: Ingrid Andress and Breland. www.ticketmaster.com or 561-393-7890.

Stunning photography: Infrared camera offers fresh views of 40-year-old Morikami Japanese Gardens near Delray

Lady A

Lady A kicked off the “Request Line Tour” in April after postponing it last August so Charles Kelley could work on his sobriety. Hilary Scott, Dave Haywood and Kelley are back with their delicious vocal harmony and Kelley with the song “As Far As You Could,” a deeply touching, “therapeutic” song about sobriety. The trio uses the “request line” format on the tour to give fans a chance to interact and offer input on which songs Lady A plays. With eight studio albums and 11 No. 1 records, from 208’s “I Run To You” to 2022’s “What A Song Can Do,” and dozens of other great tracks, even the trio is surprised by what the fans want to hear.

The trio’s special guest artist is singer/songwriter Dave Barnes. You might not know his name, but you know his songs, which include the Blake Shelton hit “God Gave Me You.”

If you go: 8 p.m. Saturday, July 1, Au-Rene Theater at Broward Center For the Performing Arts, Fort Lauderdale. www.ticketmaster.com

Dierks Bentley

Dierks Bentley has delivered a steady stream of hits since he released his first song, “What Was I Thinking,” 20 years ago in April. Since then, Bentley has toured as much as anyone in the business and produced a wider variety of music than most. Critics loved his bluegrass album “Up On the Ridge” as much as fans love his catchy, colloquial offerings meant to be lighthearted fodder for the end of a long workweek: “Somewhere on a Beach,” “Drunk on a Plane” and “Beers on Me.”

“Gold,” the first single from Bentley’s 10th studio album, “Gravel & Gold,” revisits another popular theme: Focusing on what’s really valuable. These songs deal with deep subjects. “Home” is an anthem to the armed forces, and “I Hold On” is a deeply personal track about faith, love and freedom, proving Bentley has depth and a sense of humor.

Bentley also has an opening act worth showing up for. Caylee Hammock recently released the song “History of Repeating,” a sad ballad that asks why we make the same mistakes over and over. The redheaded “newcomer” released her first album in 2020 and she was getting ready to tour with Reba (the original redhead of country music) when COVID-19 derailed live music. Hammock released the video for “History of Repeating” at the beginning of April and it’s filmed on a merry-go-round. How did she ride that thing long enough to make the video? Dramamine?

If you go: 7 p.m. Saturday, July 15, iThink Financial Amphitheatre, 601-7 Sansbury’s Way, West Palm Beach. Opening acts: Jordan Davis and Caylee Hammock. 561-795-8883; westpalmbeachamphitheatre.com or livenation.com.

George Strait

Open up your wallet. The King of Country Music doesn’t come cheap.

In between his six stadium tours with Chris Stapleton and Little Big Town, Strait is performing smaller shows at venues like the Hard Rock. And the Texas Troubadour can pack them in, even at 70. He fills the NRG Stadium for the Houston Rodeo beyond its 72,000 capacity every time he plays there.

Five dozen chart-topping singles over a 42+ year career and 33 platinum or multi-platinum albums (more than any other country artist) are records that may never been broken. Even his last album, 2019’s “Honky Tonk Time Machine,” is record-breaking: With his single "Weight of the Badge," Strait became the first artist to have 100 songs on Billboard's Country Airplay chart.

But the fans want to hear the classic Strait masterpieces, and they will.

This tour features Caitlyn Smith who often joins Strait on his Vegas dates. She has three albums under her belt: “Starfire” from 2018, “Supernova” from 2020 and the just released “High & Low” in April 2023. She’s written songs for Miley Cyrus, Dolly Parton, Meghan Trainor, John Legend and Garth Brooks and Rolling Stone magazine called her one of ten country artists to know. Her powerhouse vocals on ballads like “Lately,” and her classic country sound are clear indicators she’s a good fit for a Strait show and a Strait fan.

If you go: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 2, Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, 1 Seminole Way, Fort Lauderdale. seminolehardrockhollywood.com

Plus, one worth a trip out of town ….

Luke Combs

The demand for Luke Combs’ music started strong and has never faltered since he released “Hurricane” in 2016, even during the pandemic —proof that this man from North Carolina is the real deal. “Hurricane” hit No. 1 in 2017, and the hits kept coming: “When It Rains It Pours,” “Beautiful Crazy,” and “She Got the Best of Me.” Why? Combs’ music appeals to a broader range of fans than some of the other artists making records. He’s an “everyman,” still totally relatable, not too egocentric, pensive, thoughtful, a modern country music poet. Don’t miss “Five Leaf Clover.”

As soon as Combs finishes his U.S. tour, the current king of country takes his act over the wide blue to see his friends in New Zealand, Australia, Norway, Denmark and the rest of Europe and the UK.

Combs' show (which starts early and ends late) is packed with talent, making it worth the effort of getting to Tampa. Riley Green (“There Was This Girl” and "I Wish Grandpas Never Died") and Lainey Wilson (“Yellowstone” fans will recognize her as will anyone who has heard her anthem “Heart Like A Truck.”) are joined by Flatland Cavalry and Brent Cobb.

If you go: 5:45 p.m. Saturday, July 8, Raymond James Stadium, Tampa. www.ticketmaster.com.

Billy Currington

For pure vocal prowess — a slippery baritone so smooth you’ll be sure it must be fixed in the studio but it’s not — Billy Currington has been unmatched since he released his first song to country radio in 2003. The heart-breaking ballad, “Walk a Straighter,” about his alcoholic stepfather peaked at No. 8 but proved this man wasn’t afraid to stretch the boundaries, melodically and thematically.

His first No. 1 was the super-sexy, rolling-around-in-the-sand-on-the-beach song “Must Be Doing Somethin’ Right.” A string of No. 1s followed — including the poignant “People Are Crazy” and the lighthearted “Pretty Good at Drinking Beer” — but since the late 2010s, he hasn’t charted again.

Maybe that will change with the sexy duet with his tourmate and longtime friend, guest star Jesse James Decker. This guy who cut his vocal chops in church blends perfectly with the raspy Decker on “Still Love You,” released in late 2022.

If you’re a “Dancing with the Stars” fan, you’ll recognize Decker from Season 31 in 2022 when she danced with Alan Bernstein. She’s an incredibly gifted dancer, but her voice is even more flexible than her body. Find solid vocals dynamically delivered and maybe some new dance steps.

If you go: 7:30-10:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8, Mizner Park Amphitheater, Boca Raton. With special guest Jessie James Decker. ticketmaster.com or 561-393-7890

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Country music stars in South Florida: Luke Combs, George Strait, Lady A