The man who sang his sworn devotion “by the moon and the stars in the sky” will take center stage at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Steuben County Fairgrounds.
Country singer John Michael Montgomery will headline the Steuben County Fair, which opens today in Bath.
Best known in country and western musical circles, Montgomery earned a greater following as a crossover artist with the song “I Swear,” in 1994.
Montgomery first hit the stage as a child with his family band, playing guitar and eventually taking over the lead singing role. From there he teamed up with his brother Eddie and their friend Troy Gentry in a band they named “Early Tymz.”
“We were weekend players at the beginning, and then it turned into five nights a week,” Montgomery said. “Then we got record deals, and we were still ‘weekend superstars,’ only now it was on much bigger stages.”
After he went solo, Montgomery received national recognition during his rookie year, receiving the Country Music Association’s Horizon Award and the Academy of Country Music’s Top New Vocalist award in 1993.
The following year, “I Swear” hit the top of the C&W charts and climbed to No. 42 on Billboard’s Top 100.
Since then, he has picked up the CMA’s Single and Song of the Year, recognition as Billboard's Top Country Artist, and a Grammy nomination.
While he credits Hank Williams, Jr., Lionel Ritchie and The Eagles with influencing his musical style, Montgomery said his primary drive is his own musical vision.
“I never have and never will cut songs I don’t believe in,” Montgomery said. “I know I can always sing those songs - whether I do it for 20,000 or my family. Those songs can’t be taken away from me, so I try to choose songs that will last.”
Montgomery’s current tour is to promote his latest effort, “Stringtown,” released on his own label, Stringtown.
The CD was co-produced with Byron Gallimore and is an affectionate look back at where he’s been, Montgomery says.
“I got to thinking that it seems like yesterday that ‘Life's A Dance’ was out and people were asking me, ‘Where would you like to be in 10 or 15 years?’ ‘Still here!’ was my answer and, thankfully, I am still here,” Montgomery said. “Longevity was more important to me than anything else, and to still be able to do something I love so much is wonderful. Still, it’s gone by so quickly that I thought, ‘I’m going to build an album around that.’ That’s where the shape of this album comes from.”
The Steuben County Fair’s amusement rides and games, presented by Coleman Bros., open at 2 p.m. today, 10 a.m. Wednesday, 1 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m. Friday, and noon on Saturday and Sunday. The midway typically stays open until approximately 11 p.m., depending on the crowds.
Aside from Montgomery’s concert, this week’s grandstand shows also include a tractor pull (7 p.m. Wednesday), demolition derby (7:30 p.m. Thursday), monster truck show (7:30 p.m. Friday) and another demolition derby (4 p.m. Sunday).
Other attractions throughout the week include a talent contest, animal and flower shows, racing pigs, a ventriloquist, bicycle giveaways, watermelon- and pie-eating contests and horseshoes tournaments.
For more details and a complete schedule, go to www.steubencountyfair.org or call 776-4801.
