Small Town Boy Plays AirVenture

July 22, 2018 - For the first time, EAA AirVenture Oshkosh will have twice the star power for its traditional opening night concert, as country stars Dustin Lynch and Maddie & Tae kick off the World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration with a post-air show concert tonight.

For the past 13 years, the opening-night concert on Boeing Plaza sponsored by Ford Motor Company has provided a rousing start to the weeklong celebration of flight at Oshkosh. This year’s concert begins with Maddie & Tae at 6 p.m., followed by Dustin Lynch at 7:15 p.m.

“We’ve had legendary performers at our opening night concert in past years, and even some that have brought opening acts, but we’ve never had two current hitmakers here on the same night to open our week of aviation excitement and fun,” said Rick Larsen, EAA’s vice president of communities and member programs, who coordinates AirVenture features and attractions. “These artists are both reaching the top of the country charts today and are a great addition to what’s become a memorable opening night at AirVenture.”

Dustin Lynch, a native of Tullahoma, Tennessee — home of EAA Chapter 458 — already has five No. 1 singles under his belt. His song “Cowboys and Angels” was nominated for Single of the Year, and in April, his four-week No. 1 song “Small Town Boy” earned Lynch his first Billboard Music Awards nomination for Top Country Song. His current album, Current Mood, debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Country Albums chart in September 2017.

Maddie & Tae, Madison Marlow and Taylor Dye, met as aspiring singers in Dallas. Since 2014, the two women have earned a No. 1 single — “Girl in a Country Song” — and a platinum album titled Start Here. Maddie & Tae have also been nominated for numerous awards from the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association. In 2017, the duo was named in the Forbes magazine “30 Under 30” list.