05-02-2025
Cleveland going country with huge concerts, honky-tonks
Cleveland may be the birthplace of rock 'n' roll, but country music is making quite a home here.
The big picture: The local country scene is booming with a new bar set to open downtown, Dolly Parton license plates on cars, and numerous concerts — including a stadium show — headlining this year's entertainment slate.
Heck, even the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is inducting country artists regularly.
Catch up quick: Last month, country star Morgan Wallen announced his "I'm The Problem Tour" will stop at Huntington Bank Field for back-to-back concerts in August.
Wallen headlines an impressive collection of country stars performing in Northeast Ohio in 2025, including Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, Jason Aldean, Lainey Wilson and Willie Nelson.
State of play: Jolene's Honky Tonk, named after Parton's legendary song, plans to open on East 4th Street in April.
It'll be the third country-themed nightspot to open downtown in recent years following Welcome to the Farm and I Hate Cowboys. Both are owned by country star Chase Rise and located next to each other in the Flats.
Between the lines: Speaking of Parton, the Dolly Parton Imagination Library license plate is now available online and at the BMV.
In 2022, Parton became the first country artist voted into the Rock Hall since Johnny Cash in 1992.
Willie Nelson joined her in 2023, the same year the Rock Hall hosted its first concert at Nashville's historic Ryman Auditorium.
The big picture: Country music is one of the fastest-growing genres in the United States, according to entertainment data firm Luminate.
Pop stars like Post Malone and Beyoncé have even embraced it, with the latter earning Album of the Year at last Sunday's Grammy Awards for "Cowboy Carter."
What they're saying:"Country music is always growing," says Charlie Kriak, publisher of Cleveland Country Magazine based in North Royalton.
"It goes back to what country music is — easy to relate to. You don't have to think too much. It's an easy transition for people who are fans of other genres."
