TEXAS MUSIC ARTISTS TO WELCOME COLLEGE FOOTBALL FANS BACK TO HOUSTON FOR THE TEXAS KICKOFF
HOUSTON – Country artist Randall King will welcome college football fans back to NRG Stadium with a free concert LIVE on the Main Stage of the Karbach Lovestreet TexFest prior to the 2021 Texas Kickoff on Saturday, Sept. 4. But the country music doesn’t stop there! Jon Stork will help fans kick off the weekend with a free concert at The Rustic following the Karbach Hopadillo Kickoff Crawl, a fan celebration event traveling to multiple bars in EaDo and Downtown Houston the night prior to the game.
Karbach Lovestreet TexFest will begin at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 4 leading up to the 6 p.m. kickoff between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and University of Houston Cougars. Local fans and people who plan to head to Houston early can join the Red Raider and Cougar spirit groups along with a few Gridiron Legends in EaDo for the Karbach Hopadillo Kickoff Crawl starting at 6 p.m. and ending at The Rustic for a concert that is free with an RSVP at 9:00 p.m.
One of country’s new crop of modern traditionalists and former Texas Tech Red Raider, Randall King has never lived outside the endless plains of West Texas – and his sound is steeped in their timeless beauty, both gritty and graceful at the same time. Now produced by traditional torchbearers Bart Butler and Ryan Gore (Jon Pardi), King’s music captures that essence, showcasing a talent who’s never been afraid to be himself. Born into a long line of heavy-hauling truckers, King grew up singing in the back of a ‘93 Chevy Suburban, joyfully mimicking the pure-country vocals of stars like Keith Whitley, George Strait, Alan Jackson and John Anderson. Later on, he was drawn to the electrifying energy of modern stars like Eric Church, Dierks Bentley and Jason Aldean, and began writing his first songs in high school. He formed a hard-charging band in college that fused those two inspirations, diving headfirst into the singer-songwriter scene at Lubbock’s iconic Blue Light. After years of hustling and a road-warrior’s diet of 150 shows each year, King produced and released the defiant 2016 EP, Another Bullet, then followed up with a 2018 self-titled album. Now he’s looking to the anywhere-and-everywhere future after his major-label debut "She Gone" followed by releases "Burn It At Both Ends” and "Hey Cowgirl" this past winter, King is looking forward to new music in the fall.
Born and raised on the coastal plains of Texas, Jon Stork has been singing and playing his guitar since his early teens. His sound is not easily placed into any one category, and the same can be said about his audience. While attending college at the University of Houston, on his days/nights off, you could most likely find Stork playing on a back patio or serving drinks behind a bar. That was the case until he was told to make a choice between playing music or having a steady job. The choice was an easy one, and the journey began. Jon’s debut EP, In Your Radio was released in May of 2017. Soon thereafter, Stork came out of the chute strong with his first single, “Rodeo Blues”, in December of 2017. In October of 2018, the second radio single, “One Night Stand” hit the charts. The rocking, in-your-face tune took audiences by surprise and left many wanting more. Throughout the greater part of 2019, Stork has stayed consistently busy touring and sharing the stage with many notable artists, such as Aaron Watson, Josh Ward and Parker McCollum, to name a few. The newcomer’s growth is being seen by industry professionals and fans alike, as he was nominated for “New Male Vocalist of the Year” by Texas Regional Radio. Today, the culmination of stories (turned song) have resulted in something people are going to have to listen to twice. Releasing his third single, “Facts and Lies”, along first full-length album, Radio Cowboy, September 2019, Stork is eager for new music to hit the listeners’ ears.
Karbach Love Street TexFest, the official pregame party for the Texas Kickoff, will take place in and around Bud Light Plaza throughout the south end of NRG Stadium. Along with live entertainment, the event will feature select $2.50 beers, Texas-themed food, giveaways, interactive games and spirit walks as the teams enter the stadium. The event is free of charge for all fans with tickets to the game. Tickets are still available for the Texas Kickoff and can be purchased online at www.TexasKickoff.com or on the phone at 832-667-2390. Ticket prices for this game range from $40-150. Suites and special group packages are available by calling 832-667-2390.
Karbach Hopadillo Kickoff Crawl, the official fan bar crawl for the Texas Kickoff, will take place at three different bars in the EaDo and Downtown Houston on Friday, Sept. 3 starting at 6 p.m. The event will feature team gear giveaways, spirit squads, Gridiron Legends, Karbach beer specials and more. The final stop on the Kickoff Crawl will be at The Rustic in Downtown Houston and feature the Kickoff Concert, which is free to the public with an RSVP. For more information, visit www.TexasKickoff.com/events
Lone Star Sports & Entertainment
Lone Star Sports & Entertainment is an event management company founded in 2003 that is closely affiliated with the NFL’s Houston Texans. Since its founding, LSSE has established itself as the leading sports event promoter in Houston. In addition to the Texas Bowl and the Texas Kickoff, LSSE has emerged as a premier promoter for international soccer matches, including Copa America Centenario, the 2010 MLS All-Star Game featuring Manchester United, the 2006 FC Barcelona U.S. tour, 2003 and 2008 matches between the United States and Mexico, and the 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2019 and 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cups. LSSE has also reinvigorated the “Battle of the Piney Woods” rivalry between Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston State and has promoted major concerts featuring country superstars including George Strait, Taylor Swift and Kenny Chesney.
ESPN Events
ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a portfolio of 34 collegiate sporting events nationwide. The roster includes five early-season college football games, 17 college bowl games, 11 college basketball events and a college softball event, which accounts for approximately 400 hours of live programming, reaches nearly 64 million viewers and attracts over 800,000 attendees each year. With satellite offices in more than 10 markets across the country, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans.
For more information, visit the official website, Facebook, Twitter or YouTube pages.
CONTACTS
ESPN: Anna Negrón at anna.m.negron@espn.com; @ItsAnnaNegron
LSSE: Omar Majzoub at omar.majzoub@houstontexans.com