Quick Friday news: Bucky Covington and Sawyer Brown's Night in the Country and more...

Thanks to the very kind Janie for this terrific shot from Bucky Covington's recent show in Des Moines; click the image for Bucky's official concert schedule, and make plans for some live country music fun of your own...

It's Reno's turn to rock! Bucky Covington and Sawyer Brown hit the stage in nearby Yerington, Nevada at 8 pm to kick off the Night in the Country festival, sponsored by K-Bull 98.1. Here's a little last-minute advice, via the Reno Gazette-Journal:

On-line and in-person ticket sales really took off the last couple of weeks. Ticket prices are $35 for a one-night pass and $55 for two nights. If you haven't picked up your tickets yet, any of northern Nevada's 13 Scolari's locations -- including the one in Yerington -- or the Boys and Girls Club site on Main St. is one option at this point; but you can also print out your tickets on the computer by going to www.nightinthecountry.org. Limited tickets will be available at the gate.

The gates open at 6:00, and food and beverages will be offered at the Lyon County Fairgrounds. Have fun!

Tomorrow's Merced County Fair show in Merced, CA gets going at about 8:30 pm, and the concert is included with your fair admission. That's quite a bargain! Buy and print your ticket online, or pay $10 for general admission to the fair at the gate, and visit KUBB's site for details on their backstage pass/win a guitar contest. (Not out West this weekend? No worries: Buckytown USA's concert sidebar and Bucky Covington's official tour page have a whole calendar full of concerts listed, and the tour bus might be coming your way soon.)

Many thanks to the very kind Texas Proud Bucky Fan for this shot of Jeff Cease and Bucky Covington rockin' the house in Ft. Worth earlier this year.

Bucky's music is always as close as our radios, especially if we hit the request lines and let our local country stations know we love hearing him on the air. (Unsubtle hint, yes?) "I Want My Life Back" [hear Bucky Covington's new single at his MySpace] begins the day at a bulleted #34 on the Mediabase charts. That bullet's improved since last night, but we still like 'em as plump as possible...so feel free to vote, call, email and charm the heck out of your favorite DJ today!

We're hoping to be back later with some photos and souvenirs from last night's Jackson County Fair show. In the meantime, here's a vintage video in honor of this weekend's high-energy Bucky Covington/Sawyer Brown reunion: from 2007, enjoy Bucky and Sawyer Brown putting an exuberant spin on "American Friday Night" in beautiful DeKalb, Illinois. Have a fantastic Friday!--Winnie