NEWS
MyEagleNews.com
Wednesday, August 7, 2019
A3
Parmalee will headline 110th Grant County Fair
Nashville band
will bring high
energy to Grant
County Fair stage
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
Parmalee band members
are ready to liven it up at
the Grant County Fair when
they take the stage Friday,
Aug. 16, in John Day.
“We just like to have a
good time,” said lead singer
Matt Thomas in a phone
interview with the Eagle.
“It’s a lot of energy, and we
try to keep it fun.”
The band’s name gives a
nod to Parmele, North Car-
olina, a one-stoplight town
where the band members
grew up, including Thomas
and his brother, drummer
Scott Thomas. The Thomas
brothers’ cousin Barry Knox
is bass player, and their best
friend Josh McSwain is lead
guitarist.
“We’re the country side
of a rock band,” Matt said.
“We’re a rock and roll band
at heart with country influ-
ences and upbringing.”
Britnee Kellogg will
open for Parmalee at 7 p.m.
Gates open at 6 p.m.
Concert tickets are $35
for adults, and admission
for children 12 and under is
$15. VIP tickets are $70.
The band wrote “Down
Town” last year as a Hur-
ricane Florence relief song
that shares the resilience of
the people with neighbors
helping neighbors.
There is strength in the
lyrics: “We’ve all weath-
“WE JUST LIKE
TO HAVE A
GOOD TIME.”
Lead singer Matt Thomas
of Parmalee
ered our fair share of
storms, ain’t nothing we
ain’t seen before, we get hit
get knocked down, get back
up for another round ‘round
here. This ain’t no going
‘down’ town, when trouble
comes around town.”
Based in Nashville, the
band has been “all over the
map” this summer perform-
ing in several states from
coast to coast.
“We’re thankful to be
able to tour,” Matt said,
adding they have many
more shows coming up, and
they’ll perform — for the
eighth time — at the Grand
Ole Opry in September.
Parmalee’s first big hit
“Carolina,” which came out
in 2013, reached No. 5 on
Billboard’s U.S. Indie chart
and No. 10 on Billboard’s
U.S. Country chart.
The band will also play
newer songs, including “Be
Alright,” which was just
released.
“We’re excited to have
it on country radio,” Matt
said.
He said the “Be Alright”
video can be viewed online.
Learn more about the band
at parmalee.com.
Matt said the band has
several songs “people are
diggin’” and the audience
can sing along.
“We’re here to party,” he
said.
Contributed photo
The American country band Parmalee will perform a high-energy show as the headliner at the Grant County Fair on Friday,
Aug. 16, in John Day. The show starts at 7 p.m. with Britnee Kellogg opening. Gates open at 6 p.m.
Abby Winegar holds steer jackpot at fairgrounds to benefit heritage group
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
Ten youth steer owners
competed with their animals
in a July 20 Steer Jackpot
organized by Abby Winegar
of Prairie City High School.
Winegar spearheaded the
two-hour event for her senior
project and as a way to ben-
efit the Grant County Family
Heritage Foundation.
She donated all the pro-
ceeds from the entry fees to
the foundation.
Participants in the steer
jackpot are often 4-H or FFA
youth, or they may just raise
and sell steers at auction
without attending fair.
The contest allows youths
to see how they can improve
in showmanship and other
areas.
“It’s kind of like fair, but
you don’t sell your animal
and it’s just steer,” Winegar
said of the event.
Raney Anderson of Izee
exhibited the Champion
Market Steer, and Zoey Jus-
tus of Baker City had the
Reserve Champion Market
Steer.
Tanner Grant of Burns was
Champion Showman and
Justus was named Reserve
Champion Showman.
Winegar said she com-
peted in a sheep jackpot in
Prineville a few years ago,
but this was the first time she
attended — and organized
— a steer jackpot.
This will be Winegar’s
third time showing steer at
the fair.
The youths at the jack-
pot gathered in the Heritage
Barn where the judge Jessica
Bayley of Heppner shared
information on showman-
ship, including not wear-
ing a hat when you enter the
show, Winegar said.
She said the participants
learned what to expect from
a judge.
“I think a lot of kids made
new friends,” she said. “Two
10-year-olds had a blast
and looked up to the older
exhibitors.”
She added, “It’s nice
to have something for the
youth of Grant County to do
in the summer.”
Winegar said she’d like
the event to continue next
year, and if any juniors
would be interested in orga-
nizing it, she’s willing to
help them.
Gibco sponsored Bob
Berg buckles for the cham-
pions,
Timbers
Bistro
donated hydro flasks for the
reserve champions and Les
Schwab Tire Center paid for
the judge.
Contributed photo
Abby Winegar, left, organizer of the July 20 Steer Jackpot presents a buckle to Raney Anderson
of Izee for her champion market steer. Winegar organized the jackpot for her senior project
at Prairie City High School. The event was held at the Grant County Fairgrounds in John Day.
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or if you just want to share a hunting adventure,
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to
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Please have them to the Eagle by August 8.