What do 3 Doors Down, Francesca Battistelli, Danielle Bradbery, Tyler Farr and Justin Moore have in common? They’ll all be entertaining thousands of guests at the 2014 Elkhart County 4-H Fair.

“The Elkhart County 4-H Fair board is thrilled to present this great schedule of entertainment to our guests in 2014,” said Rich Utley, board president-elect, who helped line up this year’s entertainment schedule. “We’ve endeavored to choose entertainers that are popular and who will appeal to a wide range of fairgoers.”

3 Doors Down will perform at 8 p.m. Saturady, July 19, at the Elkhart County 4-H Fair

3 Doors Down Saturday, July 19

Since forming in 1995, Mississippi rock quintet 3 Doors Down has sold more than 16 million albums worldwide, garnered three Grammy nominations, two American Music Awards, and five BMI Pop Awards for songwriting, including BMI’s coveted “Songwriter of the Year” award. The band’s debut album, 2000’s “The Better Life,” which is now certified six times platinum, featured the smash hit “Kryptonite.”

Their sophomore album, 2002’s” Away from the Sun,” saw similar success with its radio mainstays “When I’m Gone” and “Here Without You.” Their subsequent efforts 2005’s platinum certified “Seventeen Days” and 2008’s 3 Doors Down debuted at No1 on the Billboard Hot 200 Chart. In 2012, 3 Doors Down released “The Greatest Hits,” a collection of nine No. 1 hits and three new songs, returning to the Top 5 at radio with “One Light.”

The band continues to perform for crowds around the globe with 3 Doors Down Acoustic/Songs From The Basement.

Francesca Battistelli will be at the Elkhart County 4-H Fair Sunday, July 20.

Francesca Battistelli, Sunday, July 20

Born in New York City and raised in Florida, Battistelli grew up in a musical family and knew at an early age “I was going to spend my life performing.” She was drawn to musical theater, took ballet and dreamed of becoming an actress.

As a teenager, she got involved in a local youth group and “started writing songs that kids in church would want to sing,” At 15, she became a member of the Orlando-based all-girl mainstream pop group Bella. When the group disbanded, she picked up the guitar and focused on Christian music.

After two independent releases, she began talking to a Nashville label when friends in Group 1 Crew played her demo to execs at their label, Fervent, which signed her.

She is still astounded at the success of “My Paper Heart.”

Not only did “My Paper Heart” produce four major hits on the Christian charts — “I’m Letting Go,” “Free To Be Me,” “It’s Your Life” and “Beautiful Beautiful” — but her music spread like wildfire on TV shows including ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, NBC’s The Biggest Loser, FOX’s So You Think You Can Dance, TLC’s Jon & Kate Plus 8, MTV’s The Hills and the Style Network’s Running in Heels; and on promos for the movie smash Julie & Julia and on the AOL Music home page, among many others.

The release was the biggest-seller for a debut Christian artist in nearly a decade and the longest-running No. 1 for a female artist in Billboard Christian Album Chart history. It earned Francesca a raft of Dove Award nominations — she picked up the “Female Vocalist of the Year” and “Short Form Video” awards in April 2010 — as well as a Grammy nomination en route to selling nearly half a million copies and three-quarters-of-a-million downloads.

Tyler Farr will be at the Elkhart County 4-H Fair grandstand Monday, July 21

Tyler Farr with special guest Parmalee Monday, July 21

Tyler Farr’s unique background, from avid small-town outdoorsman to classically trained vocalist, makes him one of the most compelling young singers in contemporary country, making a hit of his debut album, 2013’s Redneck Crazy, and the title song. His life experiences and outlook have let him enjoy the ride.

“I’ve learned not to worry too much or to take life so seriously,” he said. “Just have fun because you never know. I was with Luke Bryan and Lee Brice on the bus, and I’m always like, ‘C’mon boys, let’s get a picture. I don’t know how long I’m going to be doin’ this.’” It’s a perspective that modestly allows Farr to appreciate every step of his career. As he put it, “I do not take one day I get to do this for granted.”

The combination makes him one of the most accessible artists out there.

“Every place I go,” he says, “I try to do something fun and meet somebody new. I am going to be one of those artists who’s in it for the fans. I’m the guy that’s gonna come out and drink a beer with you after the show. I don’t know how many times I’ve almost not gotten into my own show because I look like the people who are coming to watch! Which I think is fine. I’m just like my fans, and that’s the way I like it.”

Parmalee will open the grandstand performance Monday, July 21

From a tiny town that’s home to a gas station, two blinking yellow lights, and a small tin-roofed barn dubbed Studio B, country rockers Parmalee launched their long journey to Nashville. The near- fatal robbery Parmalee experienced after a show would have destroyed most bands. But brothers Matt and Scott Thomas, cousin Barry Knox and longtime friend Josh McSwain didn’t call it quits. Instead it reinforced their intense motivation and dedication to one another and to their determination to succeed.

Country fans voted the band’s debut single, “Musta Had A Good Time,” No. 1 for four consecutive weeks on SiriusXM’s The Highway “Hot 30 LIVE” countdown and the song became a Top 40 hit on mainstream country radio. Parmalee’s current single, “Carolina,” was the second-most-added song at Country Radio upon its debut, only behind superstar Kenny Chesney.

At the Elkhart County 4-H Fair Tuesday, July 22

Danielle Bradbery with special guests The Swon Brothers Tuesday, July 22

Seventeen-year-old Danielle Bradbery charmed her way into the national spotlight with a mix of Country hits from several decades during Season 4 of The Voice.

The reigning star of the NBC hit show has become the youngest winner ever and her coach, Blake Shelton, called her “the most important artist to ever walk across The Voice stage.”

The Texas native earned high praise for her performances of classics like “Maybe It Was Memphis” (Pam Tillis), “Born To Fly” (Sara Evans) and “Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout the Good Old Days )” (The Judds) as well as her duet with Shelton of Patty Loveless’ hit, “Timber, I’m Falling In Love.”

Bradbery’s covers of these top country songs landed her on the top of the iTunes Country Chart multiple times throughout the season, making her the highest-selling artist — and youngest — in the show’s history.

Danielle has been in the studio with acclaimed producers Brett James and Dann Huff and released her first Big Machine Records single “Heart of Dixie” to Country Radio on July 16.

The Swon Brothers take the stage at the Elkhart County 4-H Fair Tuesday, July 22

The Swon Brothers — Zach and Colton Swon — are a duo from Muskogee, Okla., who finished in third place on the fourth season of The Voice.

Before coming to The Voice, Zach and Colton spent the prior few years performing around their home state and releasing their CDs on their own label which have been well-received among their ever-growing fan base. Songs like the irresistibly catchy “Oklahoma Lovin’” and the bluesy, soulful, “This Close To Gone” not only show off their diverse vocal strengths, but also their ability to pen gripping lyrics that resonate with audiences from young to old. Their strong brotherly bond is undeniable in their performances as they good-naturedly rib and tease each other onstage and trade off on tunes.

Justin Moore takes the stage Wednesday, July 23 at the Elkhart County 4-H Fair

Justin Moore with special guest Joey Hyde
Wednesday, July 23

Justin Moore, from Poyen, Ark., has always had an interesting way of negotiating the good ole boy/redneck reality that’s defined today’s hardcore country fan. A little bit rowdy, a little bit sentimental, a whole lotta roughneck, Moore has dented the country radio charts with three No. 1s in the anything but big city “Small Town USA,” the sentimental family embracing “If Heaven Weren’t So Far Away” and the fidelity pledge “Til My Last Day,” in addition to the Top 10 mission declaration “Backwoods.”

To believe in values that last, to embrace what is enough and know it’s more than plenty, that is the greatest truth for a man like Moore, who sees no reason to leave the place he grew up. Beyond the hits, the gold-certified albums and the momentum of a career hitting its stride, His current album, Off The Beaten Path, is a collection of classic postcards.

Grand Rapids, Mich., native Joey Hyde at the Elkhart County 4-H fair Wednesday, July 23

Born and raised in Grand Rapids, Mich., Joey Hyde went to Nashville to start school at Belmont in 2006, but spent most of his time playing the honkytonks on lower Broadway, and across the Southeast. It wasn’t long before he hit the road playing guitar across the country for a few artists. After a couple years on the road, he realized he wanted to be the front man and focus on his own career.
Joey just signed a record deal with UMG and is working on his debut album. The premiere single off that album is slated for this spring. He has teamed up with WME and this year has opened for such artists as Lee Brice, The Band Perry, Chris Young, Kip Moore and many others.

Each concert starts at 8 p.m. Reserved track seats for all shows will go on sale May 31 and will be available online, by telephone, or at the fair office. Reserved seats for the Saturday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday concerts will be $30. Details on reserved track seats for Sunday’s concert will come later.

As always, grandstand seating is free with paid fair admission on a first-come, first-served basis.

The 2014 Elkhart County 4-H Fair, “ALL IN” 4-H Fun, runs July 18-26.

For more information go to 4hfair.org, @ElkhartCo4HFair on Twitter or www.facebook.com/elkhartcounty4Hfair.