Saddle Up for the 27th Annual Downtown Hoedown at Fremont Street Experience

Las Vegas, NV

Click to Tweet: http://clicktotweet.com/s3ly3  Saddle up for @FSELV's 27th Ann. Downtown Hoedown on 12/4 with @RodneyAtkins @JoeDiffieOnline @ColeSwindell @ChaseRiceMusic & @Janson_Chris

LAS VEGAS – Nov. 1, 2013 – Saddle up the 27th Annual Downtown Hoedown at Fremont Street Experience taking place on Wednesday, Dec. 4 beginning at 4:30 p.m. The popular downtown destination has wrangled in top country music talents for all cowboys, cowgirls and country music fans alike to celebrate the return of the annual National Finals Rodeo to Las Vegas with free concerts under the neon lights. This year’s lineup will feature performances from Rodney Atkins, Joe Diffie, Cole Swindell, Chase Rice, and Chris Janson on Fremont Street Experience’s three stages.

27th Annual Downtown Hoedown performance schedule of the headliners:

4:30 p.m. – 5:45 p.m                          Joe Diffie on 1st Street Stage

6:10 p.m. – 7:10 p.m                          Chris Janson on Main Street Stage

7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m                          Chase Rice on 3rd Street Stage

8:50 p.m. – 9:50 p.m                          Cole Swindell on 1st Street Stage

10:10 p.m. – 11:40 p.m                     Rodney Atkins on 3rd Street Stage

“Hosting the Downtown Hoedown has become a long-time tradition at Fremont Street Experience,” said Jeff Victor, president at Fremont Street Experience. “We are pleased to be the hub for country music fans to kick off National Finals Rodeo with a spectacular lineup of free concerts on our three stages.”

The headliners for the 27th Annual Downtown Hoedown on Wednesday, Dec. 4 include:

Rodney Atkins

With his new single “Doin’ It Right,” which impacted radio stations nationwide in October, Rodney Atkins celebrates life’s unexpected turns and uncertainties as the true stepping-stones of success. The song is the first release from Atkins’ fifth studio album on Curb Records, due in stores early next year. His most recent album, Take A Back Road (produced by Ted Hewitt), yielded Atkins’ sixth career No. 1 hit and fastest-rising single to date with the title track. The title track, “Take A Back Road” earned Atkins’ his 3rd Song of the Year win during the BMI Awards (he had previously won for “Watching You” and “If You’re Going Through Hell.” When he’s not in the studio working on new music, Rodney is working hard out on the road, connecting with loyal fans in cities across the country. He joined multi-platinum artist Darius Rucker for the True Believers Tour this past summer and hosted the Third Annual “Music City Gives Back” concert in downtown Nashville. In addition to the benefit concert, Rodney also hosted the inaugural “Rodney Atkins’ America’s Heroes Celebration” on Jekyll Island, GA Atkins is an avid supporter of America’s troops, having also completed his first-ever USO Tour through some of the most remote bases in Kuwait and Afghanistan in early 2012.

Joe Diffie

Singer/songwriter Joe Diffie’s journey to Nashville began when a song he wrote called Love on the Rocks was recorded by country legend Hank Thompson. The taste of success lured Diffie to move to Nashville where he became a demo singer and it wasn’t long before he caught the attention of music row’s record executives. Diffie first topped the charts in 1990 with Home, and has remained on a steady course, staying true to his Oklahoma roots and delivering hit after hit totaling twelve #1’s, twenty top 10’s and four gold and platinum albums including hit songs: Ships That Don’t Come In, Pickup Man, John Deere Green, and If the Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets). As a songwriter, Diffie’s success is equally impressive.  In addition to the numerous hits he kept for himself, his songs have been recorded by Holly Dunn, Tim McGraw, Tracy Lawrence, Conway Twitty, Doug Stone, and most recently Jo Dee Messina, who’s recording of My Give a Damn’s Busted became a big hit. Diffie won a Grammy, CMA Awards, and been honored as Humanitarian of the Year by the Country Music Broadcasters.

Cole Swindell

Raised in a town with one caution light and a population not much greater than that, Cole Swindell left Bronwood, Georgia with a lot of inspiration and just enough experience to begin his career while he was in school at Georgia Southern University. While winning over the college crowd, Swindell acquired a passion for the industry and hooked up with another Georgia artist and fellow Sigma Chi fraternity brother, Luke Bryan. The pair continued to play shows together at local venues around Georgia, and shortly after college Swindell made the move to Nashville in September 2007 to pursue his dream of making a living doing what he loves. Not long after leaving the peach state, Bryan, now with Capitol Records, hired Swindell who spent the next three years on the road doing merchandise at shows and writing songs while he traveled the country on a tour bus. Luke Bryan's Spring Break EPs "Hangover Edition", "Shore Thing", and “Sun Tan City” included five cuts by Cole: "I'm Hungover”, "In Love with the Girl”, "Love in a College Town", "Shore Thing”, and “Shake The Sand” which are all available exclusively on iTunes. Recognizing his talent and unlimited potential, Sony/ATV Music Publishing offered Cole a publishing deal in September 2010. Recently he wrote radio single, "Water Tower Town" for American Idol winner Scotty McCreery, which is featured on his debut album "Clear As Day."

Chase Rice

There are few Nashville artists who can match Rice for his drive, his relentless energy and his confidence. After moving to Music City in late 2010, Rice recorded an album, Dirt Road Communion, on his own Dack Janiel’s label and quickly beat the odds. He landed it on the Billboard Country Albums Chart, and launched one of his singles, “How She Rolls,” onto Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart. In a world dominated by corporations, that’s no small feat for an artist working on his own. When Rice wrote Florida Gerogia Line’s hit single, “Cruise,” a song that literally re-wrote the country music history books, setting an all-time record by spending more weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles Chart than any other song. It generated a second life when a remix featuring rapper Nelly landed in the Top 5 on Billboard’s Hot Pop Songs Chart. “Cruise” sold more than 5 million copies through mid-2013. Rice’s history is an odd brew – part Garth Brooks, part Eminem, part George Strait, part Whiz Khalifa. The end result is an unusual combination that’s true to his musical heritage – and to his competitive intensity.

Chris Janson

Chris Janson’s came to Nashville at 18 and pleaded with the doorman at the legendary Tootsie's Orchid Lounge for the chance to sing one song with the house band. Not long after he'd finished "Folsom Prison Blues," the bar's owners offered him a job. Virtually overnight, Janson became the talk of the Nashville music scene. His audience quickly began to include celebrities. Director Jonathan Demme saw Janson and offered him a small part in the Neil Young concert film Heart of Gold. Young, Rob Reiner, members of Guns N' Roses and many others came by to watch him perform. On one memorable night that looked like a convention of Music Row executives, he was offered record, publishing, booking, and management deals. Janson has toured Europe with Lynyrd Skynyrd and Hank Williams, Jr.; shared the stage with Emmylou Harris, Trace Adkins and Lonestar; and has written with Rodney Crowell and Duff McKagan among others. Janson recently released his self-titled EP featuring the hit single “Better I Don’t.”

About Fremont Street Experience
Fremont Street Experience is a five-block entertainment complex located in historical downtown Las Vegas. In 1995, Fremont Street was closed to vehicular traffic and a giant screen was suspended 90-feet over the street to display spectacular light and sound shows on its 1,500 foot surface. The 12.5 million lights of the Viva Vision screen dazzle 365 nights a year and make the Fremont Street Experience a one-of-a-kind venue. With direct pedestrian access to 8 casinos, more than 60 restaurants, specialty retail and free nightly entertainment, the Fremont Street Experience attracts over 18 million annual visitors. Fremont Street Experience can be found online at www.vegasexperience.com.

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