Festival - Country Calling Festival Logo

The east coast is getting treated to a brand new country music festival this fall as the inaugural Country Calling Festival washes up on the shores of Maryland.

Taking over Ocean City Inlet in Ocean City, Maryland from October 4-5, the first-year event is gearing up for quite the heavy hitting collection of performers for 2024.

Assuming the role of headliners across the two-day extravaganza will be country stalwart Eric Church and alt-country phenomenon Tyler Childers. Also gracing the stage for the prime time slots will be some of the genre's biggest movers and shakers, including Lainey Wilson, Jelly Roll, Bailey Zimmerman and Riley Green.

Elsewhere throughout the weekend, attendees will be able to catch sets from the rising talent like The Red Clay Strays, Hueston, Dasha, Drayton Farley and Ella Langley, as well as established hitmakers like Brothers Osborne, Parmalee and NEEDTOBREATHE.

Several legacy acts will also be on hand, including Clint Black, Dwight Yoakam, Tanya Tucker and others.

For the full Country Calling Festival 2024 lineup, see below:


Eric Church
Jelly Roll
Riley Green
Warren Zeiders
Clint Black
Martina McBride
The Red Clay Strays
NEEDTOBREATHE
Ingrid Andress
Ella Langley
Alexandra Kay
Hueston
Jimmy Charles


Tyler Childers
Lainey Wilson
Bailey Zimmerman
Brothers Osborne
Dwight Yoakam
Tanya Tucker
Parmalee
Paul Cauthen
Priscilla Block
Alana Springsteen
Nikki Lane
Dasha
Drayton Farley

Here, we'll have all the up-to-date news on line-up announcements, the latest ticket and festival pass details, and any further exciting info and details for 2024. 

Produced by C3 Presents, who also organizes the much-beloved Oceans Calling Festival, the debut weekend will see more than 25 artists across three stages at the iconic Ocean City Boardwalk.

In addition to the red hot weekend of music, festival goers will also be able to peruse curated food vendors and access the many restaurants, bars, variety shops and more along the boardwalk.

Tickets to Country Calling Festival 2024 are available to purchase below:

Check out other country festivals set for 2024.

All the latest line-up announcements, date confirmations and ticket details for Country Calling Festival 2024.

Artist - Tyler Childers Two Step Inn 9

Country Calling Festival 2024

Graduating from the same high school as Chris Stapleton and Loretta Lynn, some might say Childers had no choice but to become a country music pioneer.

But few could have conceived the other-worldly sonic sphere that Tyler Childers would invite his listeners into. After putting out his debut album, 

, in 2011 at the age of 20, Childers piqued the interest of fellow genre-outlaw, Sturgill Simpson. Simpson subsequently produced Childers’ boundary-shifting follow-up, 

The theologically inspired titles are not mere window dressing. Childers has knitted ecumenical conceptions of faith and religion into the fabric of most of his projects so far, none more strikingly so than his eccentric, thought-provoking 2022 record, 

 The project comprises eight core songs, each of which occurs in three different formats: a Hallelujah version, a Jubilee version and a Joyful Noise version, the sample-infused latter being arguably the most challenging of the three.

Tyler Childers’ experimental fusion of bluegrass and retro honky-tonk has set him apart as an outlier in the modern country terrain. But it seems the industry is ready to bring him in from the cold - 

 was met with widespread critical acclaim, and debuted at No. 8 on the US Billboard All-Genre Chart. Tyler is set to bring his unique sound to a number of states on his 2023 tour, which will also see him play two shows in London, UK, in February.

Home of all the latest news, information and coverage of Tyler Childers on Holler

Tyler

Tyler Childers grew up in Lawrence County, Kentucky, and has never shied away from his Appalachian roots - quite the opposite, actually. 

Tyler Childers: News, Songs & Reviews | Holler

When any starry-eyed country music hopeful packs up their life and moves to Music City, they're often moulded, sculpted and pulled in every which way by label execs in order to build a specific ‘brand’.  

, she's maintained a distinct determination to stay true to her roots. Many artists sing about their down-home upbringing as a marketing device, but for Lainey, it's always been the truth - all she needed was three chords to accompany it. 

She grew up in a camper trailer in rural Baskin, Louisiana, and stormed onto the scene with her reflective 2021 single, ‘Things A Man Oughta Know’. The track earned Lainey a No. 1, a Platinum certification and the award for ACM Song of the Year. Alongside this, Lainey also picked up the ACM New Female Artist of the Year prize. 

It didn't take long for Nashville to warm to Lainey's honeyed drawl and traditionally-minded yet contemporary sound. Billboard named Lainey as their Top New Country Artist of 2021, while CMT championed her as the 2022 Breakout Artist of the Year. 

If 2021 was Lainey's take-off, then 2022 saw Lainey rocketing into country's galaxy of modern-day stars. Two successful collaborations set the ball rolling. Her Cole Swindell assisted single, ‘Never Say Never’, became Lainey's second No. 1 in April 2022, while her dark, ominous HARDY duet, ‘wait in the truck’, sent ripples across Radnor Lake and quickly became one of the most notable tracks of the year.

This laid the foundation for the October 2022 release of 

The project spawned singles such as ‘Heart Like A Truck’ and ‘Live Off’, both of which embody the unpretentious, small-town way of life that continues to inspire so much of Lainey's music. 

Often, Lainey Wilson's sound of choice is fun, playful and swaggering, while at other times, it's beautifully poignant and heartfelt. But whichever sonic playbook she chooses to draw from, one thing's for sure - it's always going to be unmistakably, unashamedly and unwaveringly 

Home of all the latest news, information and coverage of Lainey Wilson on Holler

Lainey

For Lainey Wilson, her brand is as simple as it is resolute - being her own damn self. 

Lainey Wilson: News, Songs & Reviews | Holler

Many artists get started when they’re younger, but Eric Church had a regular gig performing at a local bar in his hometown by the time he was a senior in high school. Despite that, he first went on to study at Appalachian State University before deciding that Nashville was where he ultimately needed to be. 

After moving to Music City post-graduation, Church began writing for other artists before catching the eye of Capitol Nashville. His debut album, Sinners Like Me, was released in 2006 and began a steady output with Carolina (2009), Chief (2011), and The Outsiders (2014) and Mr. Misunderstood (2015) following in quick succession. In 2021, he released his seventh studio LP, Heart & Soul, which was a triple album set.

His third album Chief earned Church the ACM Award and CMA Award for Album of the Year in 2011. He also won the ACM Award for Top New Solo Vocalist.

Around that time, Church founded the charitable organization Chief Cares, which helps underprivileged families in Tennessee and Church’s home state of North Carolina.

Famously, Church’s penchant for big, lively performances got him kicked off Rascal Flatts’ tour in 2006. He regularly went over his allotted time and was warned repeatedly to stop. Eventually, Rascall Flatts traded Church for newcomer Taylor Swift. At the time, Church joked that Swift should send him her first gold record for the increased exposure she got. She eventually did, writing him, “Thanks for playing too long and too loud on the Flatts tour. I sincerely appreciate it. Taylor.” 

Home of all the latest news, information and coverage of Eric Church on Holler

Eric

Church is a country singer who began writing for other artists before catching the eye of Capitol Nashville and had a quick succession after

Eric Church: News, Songs & Reviews | Holler

When you look at the landscape of country music, you'll mostly find good ole boys in cowboy hats or ball caps singing about trucks, beer, girls, heartbreak and, more than likely, a vague, off-the-grid backroad in some small, picturesque town.

What you wouldn't find, until the last few years, is Jelly Roll: a tatted-up rapper from middle Tennessee with a past that includes dozens of trips behind bars, drug dealing and more obstacles than we could ever think up.

Despite all of that, though, weaved throughout all of Jelly Roll's music is an unbreakable thread of hope, vulnerability and raw honesty that you'd be hard-pressed to find elsewhere in the genre.

Born Jason DeFord, he was raised in Antioch, a neighborhood just outside of Nashville, Tennessee. Coming up in a middle-lower class community as the youngest of four kids, he was witness to his mother's enduring mental health and addiction issues from a young age. Exposed to drug dealing and other hardships, he spent the better part of 12 years in and out of juvenile detention and jail systems, earning multiple counts of possession and attempted robbery, among other things.

Upon being released from jail, Jelly Roll admitted that he wasn't qualified to do much other than talking and singing, so he set his sights on music. He originally began his career in the hip-hop space as part of the group SNO and eventually waded into the rock scene, but now, he sits in the upper echelons of today's country music icons.

, Jelly Roll has been on the fast track to stardom. The genre-defying album included both his first No. 1 at rock radio, 'Dead Man Walking,' as well as his debut country single, 'Son of a Sinner,' which hit the peak at country radio in January of 2023.

Quickly checking off items on a new artist's country music check list, including making his Grand Ole Opry debut in November 2021, Jelly Roll successfully sold out Nashville's Bridgestone Arena in December 2022 and simply hasn't stopped since.

After stealing the show at the 2023 CMT Music Awards in May as a first-time nominee with three wins for the Male Video of the Year, Male Breakthrough Video of the Year and Digital-First Performance of the Year, Jelly Roll brought everything to a head this June with the release of his debut country album, 

, which features breakout single 'Need A Favor.'

Exploring themes of addiction, pain, struggle and redemption, Jelly Roll’s music combines southern-tinged rap beats with his soulful vocals, and it has proven to strike a chord with listeners far and wide.

As Jelly Roll continues to make his meteoric impact on country music, he will embark on his 44-city Backroad Baptism Tour this summer.

Home of all the latest news, information and coverage of Jelly Roll on Holler.

Jelly

Jelly Roll: News, Songs & Reviews | Holler

Riley Green is the flag-bearer for what some call ‘Lifestyle Country’, with the Alabama native infusing the muddy waters of the St. Johns River and the sandy brown soil of his hometown into every song he crafts.

Riley’s widely lauded 2019 debut album, 

, epitomised this, with the titular down-home anthem provoking such a fervent response from listeners that the singer-songwriter decided to re-record it alongside Luke Combs for his 2023 sophomore project, 

As that blockbuster duet accelerates towards the business-end of the Country Radio charts, ‘Different Round Here’ looks set to become Riley Green’s third No. 1 single, joining the rowdy ‘There Was This Girl’ and Riley’s infectious, beer-soaked Thomas Rhett collaboration, ‘Half Of Me’.

Despite never hitting the top spot on the charts, Riley’s double-Platinum single, ‘I Wish Grandpas Never Died’, has gone on to define the sound and themes that underpin Riley Green’s sonic DNA, with the legacy and wisdom of his grandfathers continuing to serve as key inspirations, most viscerally on ‘Numbers On The Cars’, ‘Behind The Times and ‘This Ain’t My Last Rodeo’.

This appreciation for former generations is mirrored by Riley Green’s frequent celebrations of a slower, less hectic way of life, with Riley widely known to be an avid outdoorsman.

It’s a running joke in the country music community that Riley - whose self-bestowed nickname is ‘Riley Duckman’ - only makes new records as a way of funding his main love: hunting.

Home of all the latest news, information and coverage of Riley Green on Holler.

Riley

Riley Green is a flag-bearer for ‘Lifestyle Country’, with one of the Alabama native's most visceral and frequently used muses being the front-porch wisdom of his grandfathers. 

Riley Green: News, Songs & Reviews | Holler

Of the most recent up-and-coming country acts, few have been as refreshing as The Red Clay Strays. 

While their style has a classic feel and their sound is reminiscent of days gone by, their songs are pristine, their words irresistibly singable and their delivery effortlessly cool.

, the South Alabama-formed five-piece – made up of frontman Brandon Coleman, guitarists Drew Nix and Zach Rishel, bassist Andrew Bishop, and drummer John Hall – certainly proved their moment had come. 

They quickly dazzled listeners with their trademark country-fied rock, their smooth, slicked-back ‘Wondering Why’ and their guttural, fired-up ‘Stone’s Throw’ becoming instant favorites from the album.

Throughout 2023, the band continued to awe, treating crowds to their confident and controlled performances onstage at major festivals, as support for some pretty notable stars and during their own headlining trek.

This new year is set to play out much the same for The Red Clay Strays, with 2024 seeing the outfit extend their 28-date headlining run through February and take on even more festival stages beginning in the spring. 

Here’s to hoping new music will be in their future, as well.

Home of all the latest news, information and coverage of The Red Clay Strays on Holler.

The Red Clay Strays

The Red Clay Strays: News, Songs & Reviews | Holler

 EP in June 2022, it became the biggest streaming country debut of all time. Zimmerman also became one of just three country artists to earn over a million streams on each track during street week alone. The other two artists? None other than Luke Combs and Zach Bryan.

It’s sometimes difficult to believe that Bailey Zimmerman is still in his early twenties, and that he’s only been releasing music since 2021. In the space of just over a year, Zimmerman has enjoyed an ascent that has felt so meteoric, that he seems to have already transcended the labels of ‘prodigy’ and ‘prospect’.

‘Fall in Love’, one of the highlights from his 2022 EP, became his first Country Radio No. 1 in December. The single serves as the perfect encapsulation of what makes Zimmerman such a threat. It has the signature rasp and heart-wrenching intensity that pervades much of the project, but - crucially - it is packaged up with a pop-leaning production style that makes it ideal for Country Radio.

The result is a sound that simultaneously straddles both the mainstream and the outer edges of the modern country landscape. Part of Zimmerman’s ability to infiltrate both markets can be traced back to his blue collar roots, having grown up working on a gas pipeline.

In 2023, Zimmerman is joining Morgan Wallen on his blockbuster 

world tour. Zimmerman has previously cited Wallen as a mentor, with the Sneedville native having even co-written ‘Trainwreck’ from the 

When he heads out on the road with Morgan Wallen, Zimmerman will receive a first-hand glimpse into what it takes to become one of the biggest country stars on the planet. Given how emphatic Zimmerman’s emergence has been so far, few would be surprised to see him unveil his own world tour this time next year.

Home of all the latest news, information and coverage of Bailey Zimmerman on Holler.

Bailey

Zimmerman has enjoyed an ascent that has felt so meteoric, that he seems to have already transcended the labels of ‘prodigy’ and ‘prospect’.

Bailey Zimmerman: News, Songs & Reviews | Holler

Country Calling Festival 2024: Line-Up, Dates and Tickets | Holler

Lydia Farthing is a Nashville-based music journalist and Nashville native who has spent her life immersed in the music industry.

 Magazine, Provident Music Group and Aristo PR, she's always in search of the best concerts and new music, and is an avid supporter of females in the country format.

Lydia

Contributor - Lydia Farthing 2

Contributor - Lydia Farthing

Graphic - Zach Bryan BST: Hyde Park

A handy, chronological list guide to the country music festivals taking place across the world in 2024 and 2025.

A handy, chronological list guide to the country music 

 taking place across the world in 2024 and 2025.

Country Calling Festival 2024

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