Eclectic lineup set for Merced County Fair music shows in June

Fans of Afro-Cuban jazz, outlaw country, the King of Pop and other music have options this year at the Merced County Fair.

Fair staffers announced the music lineup this week, which includes War, the Moonshine Bandits, John Michael Montgomery, Noel Torres and more for the five days of the fair in June.

Opening night, a Wednesday, offers I Am King: the Michael Jackson Experience, a musical and visual journey into the world of the pop star. The group features a cast of musicians, and dancers from Broadway and Las Vegas, who perform to “Bad,” “Billie Jean,” “Thriller,” “Man in the Mirror” and other hits from Jackson’s decades-long career.

The Thursday show brings baritone country singer Montgomery, who’s had seven singles reach the top of the Billboard country singles chart: “I Love the Way You Love Me,” “I Swear,” “Be My Baby Tonight,” “If You’ve Got Love,” “I Can Love You Like That,” “Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)” and “The Little Girl.”

Prepare to “Spill the Wine” at the Friday show, which features War, the touring workhorses that mix Aro-Cuban jazz, blues, funk and rock into their music. The nearly 50-year-old band makes its rounds on tours with classics such as “Low Rider,” “The Cisco Kid” and “Me and Baby Brother,” to name a few.

The Los Banos-grown Moonshine Bandits get top billing for the Saturday show. With a sound known as outlaw country, Dusty “Tex” Dahlgren and Brett “Bird” Brooks have created a following, especially in the Central San Joaquin Valley. They’ve collaborated with rappers such as E-40 and Bubba Sparxxx, and their “Dive Bar Beauty Queen” video features adult film star Tera Patrick.

The final night of the fair features Noel Torres, a banda musician from Badiraguato, Sinaloa, Mexico. Torres was influenced by the music of Los Tucanes de Tijuana and Ramon Ayala, especially their romantic ballads and corridos. His single “La Guanábana” was nominated for Corrido of the Year at the 2012 Premios de la Radio awards.

The fair is June 7-11 at the Merced County Fairgrounds, 900 Martin Luther King Jr. Way. Admission to the concerts is free with paid fair admission, which is $8 general and $4 for children ages 12 and under. Children ages 5 and younger get in free.

A number of deals and ticket packages are available at www.MercedCountyFair.com.

This story was originally published February 16, 2017 at 4:30 PM with the headline "Eclectic lineup set for Merced County Fair music shows in June."