R&B singer Sean Kingston brings his years of hits to the Chevy Court stage at the Great New York State Fair on Sunday, Aug. 24 at 2:00 p.m., Acting Fair Director Troy Waffner announced today.
All throughout Back 2 Life, his most recent album, Kingston proves how far he’s come since he first began recording songs on the tiny personal studio his mother bought him when he was 11. Back then, Kingston would whip up his own reggae-pop hybrids and perform them at local block parties and talent shows.
After a brief period of homelessness, Kingston began bouncing around the homes of his friends and relatives and ultimately landed a lawn-mowing job to earn the money he needed to make a demo. Kingston’s dogged persistence paid off in a deal that led to a contract with Epic Records and the release of a debut album that went on to sell more than a million copies worldwide and spawn three back-to-back Top 10 singles, including the number one smash Beautiful Girls.
In 2011, Kingston suffered a devastating accident while jet skiing in Miami Beach. After spending nearly a month in the hospital and undergoing two emergency open-heart surgeries to repair a torn aorta, Kingston needed two months to heal—and start plotting his return to the studio that led to Back 2 Life. “I couldn’t go anywhere while I was recovering, so I spent all my time writing songs and listening to beats,” recalls Kingston. “All I wanted was to get back to doing music, which is what I’ve been devoting my life to since I was eight-years-old.”
“Fans of R&B will want to circle this date on their calendars. This show promises to be one of the highlights of the Fair – music from an artist who has overcome a lot to pursue his passion,” said Waffner.
The 23 free performances by national artists on the Chevy Court stage are sponsored by Chevrolet.
Acts previously announced for the Chevy Court stage include:
- Kellie Pickler, at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, August 21
- Barenaked Ladies, at 8:00 p.m., Thursday, August 21
- Smash Mouth, at 2:00 p.m., Friday, August 22
- Jason Derulo, at 8:00 p.m., Friday, August 22
- The Bacon Brothers, at 8:00 p.m., Saturday, August 23
- Young The Giant, at 8:00 p.m., Sunday, August 24
- Herman’s Hermits Starring Peter Noone, at 2:00 p.m., Monday, August 25
- John Kay and Steppenwolf, at 8:00 p.m., Monday, August 25
- Bowzer’s Rock & Roll Party, at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, August 26
- Night Ranger, at 8:00 p.n., Tuesday, August 26
- Chef Anne Burrell, at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 27
- Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, at 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 27
- Angie Johnson, at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, August 28
- The Eli Young Band, at 8:00 p.m., Thursday, August 28
- The Neighbourhood, at 2:00 p.m., Friday, August 29
- Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, at 8:00 p.m., Friday, August 29
- Uncle Kracker, at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, August 30
- Bell Biv Devoe, at 8:00 p.m., Saturday, August 30
- MKTO, at 2:00 p.m., Sunday, August 31
- Phillip Phillips, at 8:00 p.m., Sunday, August 31
- The Doobie Brothers, at 6:00 p.m., Monday, September 1
At the Grandstand, very limited tickets remain available for the Saturday, Aug. 30 concert by Jason Aldean with Florida Georgia Line and Tyler Farr. Tickets remain available for:
- Brad Paisley with Randy Houser, Charlie Worsham, and Leah Turner, on Thursday, August 21
- The Uproar Festival featuring Godsmack, on Friday, August 22
- Pitbull, on Saturday, August 23
- Kid Rock, on Monday, August 25
- Train with The Wallflowers, on Tuesday, August 26
- Carrie Underwood, on Wednesday, August 27
- Journey with Cheap Trick, on Thursday, August 28
The New York State Fair, operated by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, runs from August 21 – September 1, 2014. The Fair’s mission, reflected in its 2014 theme, “Summer’s Best in Show,” is to showcase the best of New York agriculture while providing top-quality entertainment. This year’s tagline – “New Attractions, Old Favorites, Timeless Fun” – highlights the more than two dozen new events and attractions and the expansion or enhancement of several Fairgoer favorites.
In addition to the annual New York State Fair, the Fairgrounds host dozens of agricultural events throughout the year, including some of the Northeast’s most prestigious horse and livestock shows.
The home of the Great New York State Fair is a 375-acre exhibit and entertainment complex that operates all year. A year-round schedule of events is available on the Fair’s website. Find The Great New York State Fair on Facebook, follow @NYSFair on Twitter, and enjoy photos from the Fair at Flickr.com/photos/nysfair. Also, New Yorkers are invited to send their ideas for the Great New York State Fair at [email protected].
Contact the Press Office
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The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets
10B Airline Drive
Albany, New York 12235
The Great New York State Fair
581 State Fair Boulevard
Syracuse, New York 13209