Sugar Ray and the Eagles guitarist Don Felder to headline Mason City for RAGBRAI 2022

Isaac Hamlet, Des Moines Register
·3 min read
Nu-metal band Sugar Ray will co-headline the Mason City entertainment at RAGBRAI this year.
Nu-metal band Sugar Ray will co-headline the Mason City entertainment at RAGBRAI this year.
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Say phooey to 76 trombones. Mason City will be booming when RAGBRAI comes to town this year, not only due to the cyclists making their way through as part of the Des Moines Register's annual bike route but because of the entertainers.

On Wednesday, RAGBRAI Mason City announced that Sugar Ray, the rock band fronted by Mark McGrath behind hits such as "Answer the Phone" and "Every Morning," will be rocking Mason City on July 27.

The band will co-headline the event with Don Felder, the former lead guitarist for the rock band The Eagles known for hits including "Hotel California" and "Witchy Woman." Since going off on his own for his solo career, Felder has been inaugurated into the Nashville's Musicians Hall of Fame in 2016 and, in 2019, released his third solo album in seven years, "American Rock ’N’ Roll."

Felder is scheduled to perform on the Main Stage first with Sugar Ray following. Admission is free for all Mason City performances.

In 2014, the last time RAGBRAI came through Mason City, organizers got frontman of rock band Poison Bret Michaels to perform.

Guitarist Don Felder will co-headline the Mason City entertainment at RAGBRAI this year.
Guitarist Don Felder will co-headline the Mason City entertainment at RAGBRAI this year.

RAGBRAI is an annual event that sees thousands of bikers make their way across the state over the course of a week. This year's ride will include a day where participants cover just over 100 miles, known as Century Day, on the fourth day of the event.

That 105-mile stretch will span Emmetsburg to Mason City. This marks the first time since 1985 that distance has been covered by RAGBRAI. This portion of the ride pays tribute to the late John Karras, co-founder of RAGBRAI and former Register features writer.

More: Check out RAGBRAI's newly announced pass-through and meeting towns with details, highlights

“Years ago I noticed that one of the best things about RAGBRAI was that there seemed to be a team for everyone. We’ve worked hard to make sure our Mason City entertainment reflected that spirit," said Nancy Lund, a RAGBRAI Mason City executive committee chair, in a news release.

In addition to these headliners, the event will also feature side stage entertainment including 13 on Seven, a ’90s rock/grunge cover band, playing the Muse Norris Side Stage. Danny Grause, an Ames-based guitarist, will play at the Principal Pavilion, followed by Brad Morgan, an Iowa-raised country artist.

"I think the riders and everyone coming in to help celebrate the Ride of the Century (are) going to find something they love,” Lund said of the full lineup.

More: New to RAGBRAI? Here's everything rookies need to know before riding across Iowa

More information about the Mason City RAGBRAI stop can be found at ragbraimasoncity.com.

More entertainment has been announced on this year's RAGBRAI stops

The Pork Tornadoes play a drive-in concert on July 24, 2020 at Water Works Park. Registered riders enjoyed the show on the second-to-last day of 2020's socially-distanced 'Virtual RAGBRAI.'
The Pork Tornadoes play a drive-in concert on July 24, 2020 at Water Works Park. Registered riders enjoyed the show on the second-to-last day of 2020's socially-distanced 'Virtual RAGBRAI.'

RAGBRAI Day 1

City: Ida Grove

Artists: Central Iowa cover band Not Quite Brothers; Des Moines singer-songwriter Damon Dotson.

RAGBRAI Day 2

City: Pocahontas

Artists: To be announced

RAGBRAI Day 3

City: Emmetsburg

Artists: Pop/rock cover band the Pork Tornadoes; the nostalgic cover band Birdchild will open for the Pork Tornadoes; Minnesota's Brian Boru Irish Pipe Band.

RAGBRAI Day 4

City: Mason City

Artists: Rock band Sugar Ray; the lead guitarist of the Eagles Don Felder; ’90s rock/grunge cover band 13 on Seven; Ames guitarist Danny Grause; country artist Brad Morgan.

RAGBRAI Day 5

City: Charles City

Artists: Eight- to-100 piece American cover band Viva Knievel.

RAGBRAI Day 6

City: West Union

Artists: Country musician Beau Timmerman; acoustic band The Swing Crew; Iowa rock band the Bar Flyz; country guitarist Steven Schroeder;  AC/DC tribute band Rolling Thunder; ’70s rock cover band Arch Allies.

RAGBRAI Day 7

City: Lansing

Artists: To be announced

For more information about the entertainment and more RAGBRAI events, go to https://ragbrai.com/2022-host-towns/.

Isaac Hamlet covers arts, entertainment and culture at the Des Moines Register. Reach him at ihamlet@gannett.com or 319-600-2124, follow him on Twitter @IsaacHamlet.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Sugar Ray, Don Felder headline RAGBRAI 2022 Mason City stop in July