Entertainment announced for American Legion World Series Festival Concert

Country artist Craig Morgan returns to Shelby-Cleveland County 
Co-headliner for ALWS Festival is Cooper Alan, N.C. native and rising star 

SHELBY, N.C. – May 6, 2024 -- Country artists Craig Morgan and Cooper Alan will be closing out the evening of The American Legion World Series Festival Saturday, Aug. 10, with free concerts in Uptown Shelby. Morgan previously performed for the ALWS for a limited audience event in 2022. 

 “When Craig performed here for us in 2022, our audience responded wholeheartedly to the music and the man,” says Eddie Holbrook, chairman of the local ALWS committee. “We are excited for his performance on a larger stage with a much larger audience. 

 “We are eager, also, to present Cooper Alan to our community. He is a North Carolina native who has made a name for himself on all social media outlets and has 14 million followers. We expect a high-energy performance of songs like “New Normal,” “Tough Ones,” and “Take Forever.” 

 To lead off the evening performances, The Vinyl Junkies Band, a 10-member group based in Greenville, S.C., will take the stage before the co-headliners perform. They have performed or recorded with artists such as Lady A, Darius Rucker and Mother’s Finest. They perform music from a cross-section of genres. 

 A native and current resident of Tennessee, singer-songwriter Morgan served 17 years in the U.S. Army and Army Reserve; in August 2023 on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry, he surprised the sold-out audience by reenlisting in the Reserve.  

 Respected for both his distinctive voice and his range of talent, Morgan is known for his “God, Family, Country” priorities and began his “God, Family, Country Tour 2023” last fall. The tour is in partnership with Operation Finally Home, which provides or improves homes for veterans, first responders, and their families.  

 In 2022 co-headliner Cooper Alan sold over 40,000 tickets during his Cooped Up Tour and had 38 sold-out shows. His 2023 spring tour consisted of 21 dates across the United States and Canada. Before his appearance in Shelby, he will be in Calgary, Canada, with Kip Moore and Brett Kissel on July 4 and at the Delaware State Fair with Thomas Mac July 22. After the ALWS Festival, he is headed to Elmira, N.Y., and to Virginia’s Shenandoah County Fairgrounds to close out August. 

 Morgan’s songs have charted 17 times on the Billboard country charts. “That’s What I Love About Sunday” spent four weeks at the top of the country charts in 2004-2005. His other Top 10 singles are “Almost Home,” “Redneck Yacht Club,” “Little Bit of Life,” “International Harvester,” “Love Remembers,” and “Bonfire.” 

 Morgan has made more than 16 overseas trips to perform for America’s troops; in December 2022 he performed three concerts for troops and their families stationed at USAG Bavaria in Germany. He received the USO Merit Award in 2006. 

 Stay tuned on the ALWS website and social media channels for more surprises and special guests' announcements! The ALWS staff is available at 704-466-3103, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM weekdays.