Grammy Award winning country music band Diamond Rio will return to the Clark State Community College Performing Arts Center (PAC) on Thursday, June 18. This date has been rescheduled from the original date of April 17. The PAC is currently closed to all events through May 10 of this year to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Local country singer and songwriter Wyatt McCubbin will open for Diamond Rio.
“It was very exciting to book Diamond Rio, and I am thrilled that we will still be able to welcome them to the PAC, albeit on a different date,” said Adele Adkins, executive director of the Clark State Performing Arts Center. “Diamond Rio performed at the PAC 12 years ago and are still a popular country band. Wyatt has performed at the PAC a few times over the last few years. He lives in Nashville now and has become a successful singer/songwriter, but he has an enormous local following, so it was an obvious choice to ask him to open.”
All tickets purchased for the April 17 date will still be honored on the new date of June 18.
“Patrons can keep their tickets, as they will be valid to attend the new performance date,” said Adkins. “All seats will remain the same. If ticketholders would like to be refunded due to this rescheduling, they should contact the Box Office at 937.328.3874.”
Formed in 1989 in Nashville, Tennessee, Diamond Rio signed to Arista Records, and in 1991 with the release of “Meet In The Middle” became the first country music group in history to reach No. 1 with a debut single. The band is also known for their hits “How Your Love Makes Me Feel,” “One More Day,” “Beautiful Mess,” “Unbelievable,” “In A Week or Two” and more.
Their most recent release “I Made It” is their tenth studio album.
Diamond Rio released an autobiography “Beautiful Mess: The Story of Diamond Rio” in 2009 and recently celebrated their 30th Anniversary. They have sold more than 10 million albums, won a Grammy Award, a Dove Award, six Vocal Group of the Year wins (CMA and ACM), released two Greatest Hit albums, a live and Christmas project, earned five multi-week No. 1 singles, 22 Top 10 singles, three certified Platinum and five Gold albums, released an autobiography – and with zero band member changes.
Known for their charity commitments including long-time spokespersons for Big Brothers Big Sisters, Diamond Rio has also raised over a million dollars for non-profits and received the Minnie Pearl Humanitarian Award.
Wyatt McCubbin will open for Diamond Rio. McCubbin is a 23-year-old singer-songwriter from Selma, Ohio. He said this will be the first time he has performed with Diamond Rio but grew up listening to their music.
“I am fired up to open the show and meet the band,” said McCubbin. “I’m looking forward to seeing hometown fans that have supported me ever since the first time I played at the Clark State Performing Arts Center many years ago.”
McCubbin will introduce some new music he’s been working on and writing. “It’s always fun for me to test out brand new songs on crowds like this one,” he said. “After my set and/or the show, I will be hanging out at the merch table and talking with anyone who wants to talk! I love seeing fans that have supported me from day one, but also meeting brand new folks.”
Since graduating high school in 2013, Wyatt makes regular trips from Ohio to Nashville writing with and gaining support from some of Nashville’s top songwriters as both a writer and a country artist. Wyatt has had his songs recorded by artists such as Jake Worthington, Flatt Lonesome and Josh Ward among others.
McCubbin is excited to come back home to Springfield and see everyone and open for one of his favorite country bands, “It is going to be a night full of country music, and I’m so glad I could be a part of it!”
Tickets for Diamond Rio and Wyatt McCubbin are currently on sale at ticketmaster.com. The Clark State Performing Arts Center is located at 300 South Fountain Avenue in downtown Springfield.