Confederate Railroad to perform at Washakie County Fair

WORLAND — Fans requested a large concert for the Washakie County Fair and the board listened as they received word at Monday night’s meeting that they had secured booking the Academy of Country Music’s Best New Group 1993, Confederate Railroad.

Confederate Railroad will perform Saturday night, July 30 on the regular bandstand at the fairgrounds. Tickets will be for sale online starting next month. According to their bio as listed on the band’s website, “Confederate Railroad first rolled onto the national country music scene in the early 90s with its unique style and sound.

“Headed by founder and frontman Danny Shirley, Confederate Railroad got their big break by signing with Atlantic Records. The first single from their debut album, “Confederate Railroad” was “She Took It Like A Man.” It went to No. 26, a preview of what was to come. The next two singles, “Jesus and Mama” and “Queen of Memphis” went to the top of the charts. Three more huge hits followed, “Trashy Women”, “When You Leave That Way You Can Never Go Back”, and “She Never Cried.” “Trashy Women” would lead to a Grammy nomination and become their signature song.

“The second album, “Notorious”, produced one of the group’s most popular songs “Daddy Never Was the Cadillac Kind” which became a No. One video as well. “Elvis and Andy” and “Summer in Dixie” would further establish the Railroad as one of the most versatile acts in the business. This album would sell more than 1 million. Their overall totals are 18 charted hits and 5 million albums sold.

Band members are Shirley, Joey Recker, Mo Thaxton, Rusty Hendrix and Mark DeFresne.

Daniel Kosel, who the fair board contracts with to provide the musical entertainment and set up, will open for Confederate Railroad with his band Madrona Road. Kosel and Madrona Road will begin performing at 7 p.m. on Saturday, July 30. Confederate Railroad is set to do their 120-minute show at 9 p.m.

The gates to the fairgrounds will open at 5 p.m.

There will be some seating but folks are encouraged to bring their lawn chair and enjoy the show.

The fair board will also have free concerts on Thursday and Friday evening. Headline Friday night will be Worland’s own Rattlesnake Ridge. Thursday night will be Sheridan’s Dugan Irby. Opening acts for the bands have yet to be determined.

Shows on Thursday and Friday night will run from 8 p.m. to midnight.

Monday night the board also voted to bring in Octane Addictions to the rodeo arena for Tuesday night’s paid entertainment. As described on the Facebook page, “Octane Addictions (based out of Billings, Montana) is an extreme motorsports company that brings freestyle shows with the best riders in the world.”

A representative of the group spoke to the board Monday night and said those who follow X Games and Nitro World Games will likely know the names of some of the motocross riders.

The group performs their Big Air Bash during the Montana Fair and in 2019 were the culminating event at the three-day end-of-summer sales event Midway Auto and RV of Cody at the Park County Fairgrounds.

In other entertainment news, the board also agreed to contract three days with a face painter to provide free face painting at the fair.

They will also be looking for free entertainment acts to perform during lunch and dinner hours throughout fair week.

Pig wrestling will start the week of entertainment on Monday. There will be a rodeo on Friday and the board is currently accepting bids for a fair rodeo, possible youth rodeo and possible ranch rodeo.