Los Angeles County Fair 2023 Concert Series preview

The LA County Fair, which opened last week, presents another varied spring concert series encompassing a dozen R&B, Latin, rap, country, pop and classic rock music artists.

Get up to speed with the remainder of shows with the primer below.  

May 12: The Ohio Players, Rose Royce, Evelyn “Champagne” King

The Ohio Players’ origin dates back to the 1960s, but it didn’t make a major chart impact until 1973’s “Funky Worm.” Soon after, the Dayton septet’s horn-driven R&B and funk music proved more successful with signature hit “Love Rollercoaster,” plus “Fire” and “Sweet Sticky Thing.”

Rose Royce’s musical calling card was the R&B/pop chart-topping title track to the Car Wash film soundtrack. The group also fared well with “I Wanna Get Next to You,” “I’m Going Down” and “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore.”

Still a teenager when her first single “Shame” went top 10 on the R&B, dance and pop charts in 1977, King really made a mark with “Love Come Down.” In 2015, she joined Martha Wash and Linda Clifford in the First Ladies of Disco.

Fun facts: During its heyday, Ohio Players were known almost as much for a string of provocative album covers as the music.

“Car Wash” was written and produced by legend Norman Whitfield, who helped create the classic Motown sound.

King was discovered while working with her mother cleaning the offices of Philadelphia International Records, then home to The Jacksons, O’Jays, Lou Rawls and Teddy Pendergrass.

May 13: Lady A

Known for sublime harmonies, this Nashville trio has released nine albums since the late 2000s and is among the biggest names in country music. It has amassed numerous awards, platinum releases and co-headlined Stagecoach. 2021’s What a Song Can Do featured guests Thomas Rhett, Darius Rucker and Carly Pearce on “Friends Don’t Let Friends.”

Hit singles: “I Run to You,” “Need You Now,” “American Honey,” “Our Kind of Love,” “Just a Kiss,” “We Owned the Night,” “Downtown,” “Bartender,” “Champagne Night.” 

Fun fact: Vocalist Singer Hillary Scott’s mother Linda Davis topped the country chart with the 1993 Reba duet “Does He Love You.”

Sunday, May 14: Farruko

The Puerto Rican rapper/singer released his debut album El Talento del Bloque in 2010. Specializing in Latin pop and reggaeton, Farruko has appeared on over 150 singles solo or with others. 2021’s La 167 topped Billboard’s Latin Albums chart. A two-time Latin Grammy winner, his high-profile collaborators include Jose Feliciano, Ricky Martin, Shaggy, Enrique Iglesias, Alicia Keys, Bad Bunny, Pitbull, Daddy Yankee, Nicky Minaj, and J Balvin.

Hit singles: “Passion Whine,” “Sunset,” “Calma,” “La Toxica,” “Si Se Da,” “Pepas”

Fun fact: Farruko’s go-to karaoke tune is Bobby Capo’s version of the Frank Sinatra-popularized “My Way.”

May 19: Jelly Roll

After spending time in and out of jail, Jelly Roll (real name: Jason DeFord) became a hip-hop artist in the early 2010s. Songs on his most recent album Ballads of the Broken centered around personal struggles with drug addiction. Jelly Roll achieved a rare feat by landing a No. 1 song on both the Mainstream Rock and Country radio airplay charts (“Dead Man Walking,” “Son of a Sinner”). In April, he won three CMT Music Awards.

Fun fact: Jelly Roll had to change the title of his mix tape that included “Waffle House” after the restaurant chain threatened legal action.

May 20: George Benson, Chaka Khan

Pittsburgh native Benson put out his first single at age 11 and debuted the first George Benson Quartet album in 1966. A decade later, the silky-smooth jazz vocalist and masterful guitarist crossed over to the R&B and pop charts in a big way with Breezin.’ Benson has collaborated with Miles Davis, Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin and Chaka Khan and has 10 Grammy Awards to his credit.

Hit singles: “This Masquerade,” “The Greatest Love of All,” “On Broadway,” “Love Ballad,” “Give Me the Night,” “Love x Love,” “Turn Your Love Around,” “Inside Love (So Personal),” “So Personal,” “Let’s Do it Again”

Fun fact: Benson provided guitar and additional vocals to “Humility,” a 2018 single by British virtual alternative/hip-hop group Gorillaz that just appeared at Coachella.

Chaka Khan first came to prominence in Rufus during the mid-1970s and scored a dozen successful singles with the funk/soul band well into the ‘80s. She concurrently had a prominent solo career before leaving Rufus for good and racking up more hits.

Hit singles (With Rufus): “Tell Me Something Good,” “Sweet Thing,” “You Got the Love,” “At Midnight,” “Do You Love What You Feel,” “Ain’t Nobody”; (Solo): “I’m Every Woman,” “What Cha’ Gonna Do for Me,” “I Feel for You,” “Through the Fire”   

Fun fact: “I Feel for You” was originally written and recorded by Prince. Khan’s cover won two Grammys and featured Stevie Wonder on harmonica.

May 21: Ramon Ayala

Renowned for his distinct accordion style, Ayala got his start in the 1960s as part of Los Relampagos del Norte. The conjunto music group released several albums and drew fans among Mexican American audiences in the U.S. Ayala formed Los Bravos del Norte, which has since put out dozens of releases since the early ‘70s.

May 26: The Isley Brothers, Lakeside

The Isley Brothers penned one of the most recognizable refrains of the rock ‘n’ roll era in “Shout.” Amazingly, it barely made the Billboard Top 50, despite selling more than a million copies in 1959. The siblings went onto score numerous R&B hits; some of them made the pop tally. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, Ronald and Ernie Isley continue to tour and record. Last year, they put out Make Me Say it Again Girl. The title track, a reimagining of a 1975 Isleys tune, features Beyonce and went to the top 10 on Billboard’s R&B chart. Snoop Dogg also guests on “Friends and Family.”

Hit singles: “Twist and Shout,” “This Old Heart of Mine,” “It’s Your Thing,” “Love the One You’re With,” “That Lady,” “Fight the Power,” “Harvest for the World,” “Between the Sheets”

Fun fact: A 22-year-old Jimi Hendrix toured and recorded with the Isleys in 1964.

May 27: I Love the ‘90s Tour featuring Vanilla Ice, All 4 One, Color Me Badd, Tone Loc, Young MC

These R&B and rap acts were all over urban and pop radio during the early part of the decade. Casual observers could probably name at least one of their major hits. Vanilla Ice first emerged with a cover of Wild Cherry’s “Play That Funky Music.” Then came “Ice Ice Baby,” prompting a new appreciation for Queen & David Bowie’s “Under Pressure” whose bassline it sampled.

California’s All 4 One also debuted with a cover (doo wop classic “So Much in Love”) before reaching the pole position with the romantic “I Swear.”

New Jack Swing group Color Me Badd made its mark right away with the sleek harmonies of “I Wanna Sex You Up,” followed by “I Adore Mi Amor” and “All 4 Love.”

Raspy voiced LA rapper Tone Loc got a jump start on the decade by a year or so with his suggestive signature songs “Wild Thing” and “Funky Cold Medina.”

Young MC also found fame in the late ‘80s with “Bust a Move.”

Fun fact: During the 2010’s Vanilla Ice filmed nine seasons of home renovation reality show “The Vanilla Ice Project” on DIY Network.       

May 28: Justin Moore, Ashley McBryde

Arkansas native Justin Moore (pictured, top) began performing in high school and joined his uncle’s Southern rock band in Nashville upon graduation. Moore released his first single in 2008. A year later, the singer/songwriter’s first chart topper arrived, followed by nine more in successive years. Moore has recorded with Miranda Lambert and Thomas Rhett. New album Stray Dog, recorded live in the studio to capture the energy of a concert, includes guests Riley Green and Priscilla Block.

Hit singles: “Small Town USA,” “Backwoods,” “’Til My Last Day,” “Lettin’ the Night Roll,” “Somebody Else Will,” “The Ones That Didn’t Make It Back Home,” “Why We Drink,” “We Didn’t Have Much.”

Fun fact: Moore signed a recording contract with Valory Music Co. on his wedding day.

Ashley McBryde wrote her first song at 17, but didn’t pursue a music career until dropping out of Arkansas State University, where she was in marching band. Self-titled indie albums came out in 2006 and 2011. Eric Church helped McBryde get more attention and her major label bow Girl Going Nowhere was issued in 2018. Three years later, McBryde collaborated with Carly Pearce on “Never Wanted to Be That Girl” and it recently won a Grammy. 2022’s Lindeville is a concept album featuring guests Brandy Clark and Brothers Osborne.  

All concert tickets include admission to the fair. This article originally appeared in select SoCal News Group papers. Justin Moore photo courtesy Shore Fire Media. Ashley McBryde photo courtesy EB Media PR.