Set for August 25-26, the 7th Annual Summer Salute in downtown Hopkinsville will have not one, but two, headliners for the Justice Center Stage.
And Friday night’s face is a familiar one from the pantheon of classic rock.
Officials with Parks & Recreation announced Thursday that STARSHIP featuring Mickey Thomas is on board as part one of the entertainment.
Songs like “We Built This City,” “Sara” and “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” are among the many hits from the group. In addition, two large screens will play on either side of the stage, in order to allow prime viewing for what’s expected to be a huge festival audience.
Tab Brockman, current Parks & Recreation superintendent, noted that Starship’s “amazing collection” of songs and “rich history” make them the right band for opening night.
Thomas originally made his mark in 1976 as the lead vocalist for The Elvin Bishop Band, which produced the mega-hit “Fooled Around And Fell In Love.” In 1979, he joined Jefferson Starship following the departure of Grace Slick and Marty Balin, which started the group on a new rock path that also included tunes like “No Way Out,” “Find Your Way Back,” “Stranger” and “Layin’ It On The Line.”
Jefferson Starship moved to STARSHIP in 1985, and further went on to record three No. 1 hits and an Academy Award nominee. “It’s Not Over Til It’s Over” became Major League Baseball’s theme in 1987.
Brockman said fans should expect hits from both versions of the band this summer, as well as some renditions from the band’s first iteration as Jefferson Airplane. Additional members alongside Thomas this summer will be Jeff Adams as bassist, John Roth as guitarist, Phil Bennet as keyboardist, Darrell Verdusco as drummer and Cian Coey as vocalist.
Brockman said the Saturday night act will be announced next week, and further shared that vendor space for food and general merchandise has already sold out in a record three weeks. A waiting list has been created to try to accommodate the crush of vendor interest with the possibility of expanding the festival footprint.
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