Fair’s Music Acts Include Country, R&B;, Weird Al

Organizers of the Ventura County Fair are counting on zany parodies by Weird Al Yankovic and performances by country star Trisha Yearwood and rhythm and blues artists the Neville Brothers to attract crowds to this year’s event, Aug. 13-24.

As of Thursday, six acts have been signed to perform at Seaside Park, according to Pollstar USA, a music tour tracking service, with eight more to come.

Grandstand acts signed so far are Yankovic on Aug. 14, Yearwood and country artist John Berry on Aug. 18, country performer Tracy Lawrence on Aug. 20 and the Neville Brothers on Aug. 21. Blues band Little Charlie & the Nightcats will play the Ventura Station Stage on Aug. 17.

The Neville Brothers--Art, Charles, Aaron and Cyril--are from New Orleans and have been recording since 1978. Their songs have long highlighted the family’s heritage, whose roots can be found in African, American Indian, French, Spanish and Caribbean cultures. Aaron Neville’s successful solo career includes his recording of “Everybody Plays the Fool.”

Grammy winner Yearwood started out studying music business at Nashville’s Belmont College in 1985. She became a demo singer and then landed a contract with MCA Records and has been going strong ever since.

A tour with Garth Brooks, and the hit “She’s in Love With the Boy” from her self-titled debut album, assured Yearwood a place in the music world.

In 1995, Yearwood and Aaron Neville received a Grammy for best country collaboration for “I Fall to Pieces.”

Two-time Grammy winner Yankovic has recorded four platinum albums--indicating sales over 1 million--and four gold--sales over 500,000. He has parodied the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Madonna and Michael Jackson. He got his start while attending Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the early 1980s.

Berry received a Grammy nomination for best male vocalist in 1993 as well as vocalist nominations from two country music associations and is best known for the song “Your Love Amazes Me.”

Lawrence was named best new country artist by the Academy of Country Music in 1993 and last year won two Country Music Awards.