On Saturday, September 2nd in Caesars Superdome, the Louisiana Office of Tourism will host the Sugar Bowl Country Kickoff to celebrate the new season of college football with performing music artists Garth Brooks, Lainey Wilson, and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. New Orleans & Company will host Tailgate Town at Champions Square, an interactive football experience that spotlights college football players, amateur athletes, and new artistic and musical talents. The event will be filled with sponsor activations, fun games, and activities before the performances in the Superdome begin at 5:30 p.m.
Lainey Wilson and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band will open for headliner Garth Brooks. Lainey Wilson is from the small town Baskin, LA and has been writing her own songs since the age of nine. Since her first gig at the opening of a convenience store, she has been recognized on nearly every "Artist to Watch" list, including Billboard's "Top New Artist of 2021" and CMT's 2022 "Breakout Artist of the Year".
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band was created by Jeff Hanna (singer-guitarist) and Bruce Kunkel (singer-songwriter-guitarist) in Long Beach, California. Since their formation in 1966, the band has evolved into a quartet of California folk-rockers winning three Grammy Awards and performing for over 60 years.
Headliner of the evening is Garth Brooks, an American country singer-songwriter most known for his blend of pop and rock into the country genre. He has been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and has multi-platinum recordings amassing several music awards and nominations throughtout his career. Since beginning his career in 1985, Brooks has become one of the world's best-selling music artists with total record sales outnumbering that of Elvis Presley.
