Neil Perry, left, Kimberly Perry and Reid Perry, right, of The Band Perry, will preform at Riverbend.The Band Perry, recently nominated for a Best New Artist Grammy Award, will headline Wednesday, June 13, at this year's Riverbend Festival, according to Joe "Dixie" Fuller, talent and production coordinator.
Also announced today are Sequatchie County, Tenn., native Cody McCarver, who will play on the Bud Light Stage opening night, Friday, June 8, and guitar wizard Junior Brown, who will bring his hybrid "guit-steel" doubleneck instrument to the Unum Stage on Thursday, June 14.
The news comes on the heels of earlier announcements this week that the Happy Together Tour featuring Micky Dolenz of The Monkees, Gary Puckett and The Union Gap, The Grass Roots, The Turtles featuring Flo and Eddie, and The Buckinghams would headline on Sunday night and the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera would move to opening night and play a set of big-band-era favorites on the Unum Stage. Contemporary Christian act Chris Tomlin also was announced as the headliner for Faith & Family Night, June 12.
There are two headlining acts yet to be booked. Friends of the Festival executive director Chip Baker said he is "pumped up about where we are."
"I don't want to jinx it, but this has been one of the better years for us in the last five years," he said.
"We've got the top echelon in country and contemporary Christian; we are trying something new on Sunday; and we are welcoming back Lauren Alaina, who got her start on the kids stage at Riverbend."
Baker said early pin sales and sponsorships are also on pace to meet goals.
Siblings Kimberly, Reid and Neil Perry didn't always play music in the same band. The trio finally joined forces in 2005. After three years of heavy touring and working out the kinks, they made their recording debut in 2008.
Since then they have continued to tour and garner praise. In addition to earning their first Grammy nomination, they took home the Country Music Association's top honors for Best New Artist, Single of the Year for "If I Die Young." Kimberly earned the coveted Song of the Year songwriting award for "If I Die Young."
"I am thrilled to death that everybody in Chattanooga can see how good they are," said US-101 on-air personality Bill "Dex" Poindexter.
"Not only Kimberly's vocals, which are great, but Neil and Reid are such good musicians. I'm a big fan of these kids. We've been around them a lot, and they are such good people and so positive and so talented."
Riverbend is scheduled June 8-16. Other previously announced acts include Foreigner, Eric Church, Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen, Foghat, Get the Led Out, Drum Wars featuring Vinny and Carmine Appice, Hands Without Shadows featuring Michael Angelo, The Futurebirds, Rebirth Brass Band, Peter Rowan with the Mosier Brothers and The Features.