ON STAGE, AT THE FAIR : Everly Brothers, Gladys Knight Stand Out in Lineup

The musical fare at this year’s Orange County Fair is a fairly typical array of rock and pop oldies and contemporary country acts. The fair’s philosophy has always been to go for the reliable rather than the novel.

Fair-goers would do well to circle two nights in particular: Monday, July 20, when the Everly Brothers harmonize, and Tuesday, July 21, when Gladys Knight is the headliner.

Don and Phil Everly are the definitive harmony duo of the modern pop era, having served as a crucial influence for the Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, and just about every other act that emphasizes harmony singing. The brothers racked up unforgettable hits from 1957 to 1962. After a 10-year hiatus, they returned in 1984. That reunion has produced some good new work, including the excellent 1986 release, “Born Yesterday.”

Knight, as anyone who saw her fine show at the Celebrity Theatre earlier this year can attest, remains in top form, a superb soul stylist with a warm, embracing stage manner. Keep your fingers crossed that she gives a full treatment to the sublime “Midnight Train to Georgia” instead of lumping it into a medley of hits.

Each headliner performs at 7 and 9 p.m. at the fair’s Arlington Theater. There is no extra charge for the concerts beyond the regular fair admission.

Here’s the full concert lineup:

* Friday: Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers. This gospel-rooted country act is calling it a day, but the Gatlins have been bidding their fans goodby on a long “Adios” tour.

* Saturday: “Memories of Rock & Roll.” This ‘50s and ‘60s nostalgia bill features Motown-ites Martha Reeves and the Vandellas (“Heat Wave,” “Jimmy Mack,” “Dancing in the Street”), Los Angeles doo-wop group the Rivingtons (“Papa Ooh Mow Mow”) and the Coasters featuring Billy Richards (one of several current splinter versions of the group that sang “Yakety Yak” and “Charlie Brown”). The Monte Carlos serve as backing band.

* Sunday: Lee Greenwood, who has an upcoming album entitled “Lee Greenwood: American Patriot.” If you like stentorian odes to the red, white and blue, this country singer is your guy.

* Monday: The Temptations. The current lineup of this signature Motown group features two original Tempts, Mevin Franklin and Otis Williams.

* Tuesday: Jan & Dean. What would any Orange County shindig be without some surfin’ sounds? “Surf City,” one of the duo’s big hits, is now Huntington Beach’s official municipal alias.

* Wednesday: Peabo Bryson. This veteran R&B; balladeer generated some big romance in his duet with Celine Dion on the “Beauty and the Beast” movie theme.

* Thursday, July 16: Glen Campbell. After establishing himself as a session guitarist, Campbell became a star with his renditions of such Jimmy Webb classics as “Wichita Lineman.”

* Friday, July 17: Paul Kantner’s Jefferson Starship. The Airplane co-founder flies again. This lineup includes one other veteran of the original Jefferson Airplane, bassist Jack Casady. Also on hand are fiddler Papa John Creach, guitarist Slick Aguilar, former Tubes drummer Prairie Prince, and lead singer Darby Gould, who plays in a newer Bay Area band, World Entertainment War.

* Saturday, July 18: Paul Revere & the Raiders. Songs like “Kicks” and “Hungry” are still worth turning up when they come on the oldies stations.

* Sunday, July 19: A Night at the Improv, with comics Wayne Cotter, Carol Leifer and Wil Shriner.

* Monday, July 20: Everly Brothers.

* Tuesday, July 21: Gladys Knight.

* Wednesday, July 22: Doug Kershaw. A regular at the Crazy Horse Steak House, this Louisiana Man is known for his whooping vocals and stomping Cajun-country fiddle work.

* Thursday, July 23: B.J. Thomas. His pop success with “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head” happened long ago, but Thomas carries on with a recording and performing career on the country circuit.

* Friday, July 24: 5th Dimension. Florence LaRue, Ron Townson and Lamonte McLemore are the three original members left from the fivesome that went ballooning during the Summer of Love.

* Saturday, July 25: Restless Heart. This band plies the slicker side of country music, with such songs as “I’ll Still Be Loving You.”

* Sunday, July 26: John Kay & Steppenwolf. Kay’s attempted comeback with new material a few years back didn’t exactly bring down heavy metal thunder, but maybe he can still come up with reasonable renditions of the old hits.