GRAND FUNK RAILROAD

Get ready for an unbelievable night of Classic Rock at the Fred with Grand Funk Railroad and Wet Willie on Friday, June 2.

SHOWTIMES

5:30 p.m. - Box Office Opens

6:30 p.m. - Gates Open

7:30 p.m. - Music Starts

* Showtimes are subject to change.

David Fricke of Rolling Stone Magazine proclaimed, "You cannot talk about rock in the 1970s without talking about Grand Funk Railroad!" The Internationally-known group has toured the world, selling out in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Japan, and South America. A 1971 performance at New York's Shea Stadium sold out faster than the Beatles. During their career, they have racked up 19 charted singles, 8 Top 40 hits, two Number One singles (We're an American Band and Locomotion, both selling more than one million each) and accumulated 13 gold and 10 platinum records with record sales in excess of 25 million copies sold worldwide. In addition, Grand Funk Railroad's classic songs are featured in movies, television shows, and major advertising campaigns.

Known as "The American Band," the high-energy five-piece group that originated in Flint, Michigan, in 1969, includes original founding members Don Brewer (vocals and drums, writer and singer of the multi-million selling hit, We're an American Band) and bassist Mel Schacher, "The God of Thunder." Joining Don and Mel is singer Max Carl, a rock veteran from 38 Special. Lead guitarist Bruce Kulick is best known for his 12 years with KISS and has worked with Michael Bolton, Meatloaf, and Billy Squier. Keyboardist Tim Cashion's career includes stints with Bob Seger, the Silver Bullet Band, and English soul man Robert Palmer.

Grand Funk Railroad laid the groundwork for such bands as Foreigner, Journey, Van Halen, and Bon Jovi with its signature hard-driving sound, soulful vocals, muscular instrumentation, and forceful pop melodies. The fact that Grand Funk's legacy still reigns over the Classic Rock landscape fifty years later, is a testament to the group's influence and staying power.

Wet Willie featuring Jimmy Hall, kicks the night off. Known as one of the hardest rockin' of the soulful Southern Rock bands, the band produced an enviable array of albums awash with good times music and rollicking high-energy blues rock. Wet Willie achieved a Top 10 hit with their single "Keep On Smilin," and several other singles charted on the Billboard Top 100. Wet Willie was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1996. As a soloist, Jimmy Hall recorded several additional albums with some of his original material recorded by notable industry acts such as Gregg Allman, Jason Isabell, Blackberry Smoke, The Marshall Tucker Band, and more. He has been the vocalist and band leader for Hank Williams, Jr. since 1992. Hall enjoyed a long-standing friendship and musical collaboration with guitar legend Jeff Beck resulting in being a featured vocalist on several Jeff Beck solo albums. Hall also toured internationally with Beck as a vocalist and instrumentalist. Rolling Stone deemed Hall "one of the few singers that can fill Rod Stewart's shoes."