7 Country Music Events in Southern California

If Ken Burns’ Country Music inspires you to explore the genre’s roots even further, here are a few upcoming Southern California concerts that feature artists along the country spectrum, from traditional country to alt-country, Americana and beyond.

Traditional Country

Two grand dames of country ...

• Emmylou Harris
  

  

  
  Veteran musician Emmylou Harris is known for her collaborations with Linda Ronstadt, Graham Parsons, Bob Dylan, and Dolly Parton, among many others. Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2008, the Birmingham, Alabama, native still performs and tours regularly as she enters her 50th year in the music business. Harris performs a solo show at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts on Oct. 3 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets: $80 - $115

• Tanya Tucker

  Tucker scored her first hit song, Delta Dawn in 1972 — at the age of 13. She navigated the industry successfully through her teen years, earning “outlaw country” status alongside acts like Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings. In August, Tucker released While I’m Livin, her first album of original material in 17 years. She plays two nights at the legendary Troubadour in West Hollywood on Oct. 16 and 17 at 7:30 p.m. in support of the new album. Tickets: $45 - $145
  

New Country

These chart-topping acts borrow elements of pop, rock and even a smidge of hip-hop ...

• Old Dominion

  Old Dominion released its first full-length album Meat & Candy in 2015. Three years later, the Nashville-based quintet earned Group of the Year honors at the 2018 ACM Awards (and won the award again this year). The band is currently on tour in advance of its self-titled album, due out on Oct. 25. Old Dominion plays the LA County Fair in Pomona on Sept. 21 at 7:30 p.m. Concert tickets include admission to the fair. Tickets: $33 - $89

• Florida Georgia Line

  The duo’s first single, Cruise, (2012) is the first—and (so far) only—country song to earn the RIAA’s Diamond Certification, selling more than 10 million copies. Earlier this year, Florida Georgia Line released its fourth studio album, Can't Say I Ain't Country. On tour now to support the album, the duo headlines the Glen Helen Amphitheatre in San Bernardino on Sept. 21 at 7:00 p.m. Opening acts include: Dan + Shay, Morgan Wallen and Canaan Smith. Tickets start at $36

Alt-country / Folk / Americana

These bands are a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll ...

• Hiss Golden Messenger
  

  

  
  The Durham, North Carolina, genre-bending outfit is fronted by vocalist and songwriter M.C. Taylor. Listen to influences of folk, rock, gospel, Americana and country in Hiss Golden Messenger’s 11 studio albums, released over the past decade. The frontman and his ever-evolving lineup tours in support of the new album, Terms Of Surrender, which is out on Sept. 20. The band headlines the Teragram Ballroom in downtown LA on Oct. 5 at 9:00 p.m. Tickets: $23 - $26

• Son Volt

  Jay Farrar formed this alt-country-rock outfit in 1994 after the breakup of his earlier band Uncle Tupelo (with Jeff Tweedy and Mike Herndon). Sun Volt released its ninth studio album, Union, earlier this year, with several of Farrar’s songs addressing today’s charged political climate. The band plays the Lodge Room in Highland Park on Oct. 9 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets: $25

All the Above

If you want a sampling of country sounds ...

• All for the Hall

  Taking place at The Novo in downtown LA on Sept. 17 at 8:00 p.m., this concert doubles as a fundraiser for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville. Two icons of country music and members of the Hall—the aforementioned Emmylou Harris and Vince Gill—are joined by country newcomer Luke Combs and pop-country musician Sheryl Crow. They’re performing in the “guitar-pull” tradition: just sitting around, swapping stories, taking turns playing and singing songs, and probably creating a night to remember.
  Tickets: $60 - $180

Christine N. Ziemba is a Los Angeles-based arts and culture writer who loves to tell people what to do (and where to go). Check out her events columns and other musings on PopRadarLA.com, and follow her on Twitter and Instagram.