Scoop: Country Singing Star Lacy J. Dalton to perform at Nevada County Fairgrounds

Our blog was the first to report that Willie Nelson was coming to the Nevada County Fairgrounds in September. Now here’s another celebrity performing-arts scoop: American Country Singing Star Lacy J. Dalton is going to perform at the Fairgrounds in late August, Sierra FoodWineArt magazine has learned.

In fact, I spoke directly to Lacy by telephone this morning, and she confirmed it for me: “I’m looking forward to coming down. We’ve had a ball over there in the past. I love the town.” (When I dialed her number, Lacy picked up the phone herself —a simpler form of communications that dealing with publicists).

Dalton will perform for a fundraiser for the Grass Valley Rotary Club — a benefit for Rotarian Mike Johnson, who has been ill. (See “Nita’s Notes” here.)

Dalton is one of the most instantly recognizable voices in music — the woman People Magazine called “Country’s Bonnie Raitt.”

She had a number of hits in the ’80s, including “Takin’ It Easy,” “Crazy Blue Eyes” and “16th Avenue.” She still continues to record and perform and lives in Virginia City, Nevada.

Our magazine first got wind of Dalton performing here from our magazine distributor in Reno and Truckee/Tahoe, who has become a good friend and is a hands-on professional. (He doesn’t just drop a bundle of our magazines on somebody’s doorstep like competing outfits. He meets with the proprietor, whether it’s Total Wines & More or a small business owner and properly displays the publication).

This tip is what led us to track down the Willie Nelson performance that we recently reported first. Now this country western performing arts lineup in western Nevada County — Lacy J. Dalton and Willie Nelson — has come full circle. A country music “twofer.”

Lacy was glad to hear that Willie Nelson is coming to the Fairgrounds in September. “Willie has helped me so much with the wild horses,” she told us in her interview this morning, referring to the the “Let ’em Run Foundation” to protect the horses.

Kudos to the Nevada County Fairground for expanding (and generating revenue) beyond its marquee events — the Fair and Draft Horse Classic.

This is a credit to chief executive officer Sandy Woods and her staff, who are running their business like entrepreneurs. They are becoming adept at offsetting the loss of state funding at the fairgrounds — a statewide challenge.

A video of Lacy J. Dalton and Willie Nelson performing together from the ’80s is here.