It was “19(90) Somethin’” when Grand Ole Opry member MARK WILLS went from singing at Atlanta’s infamous Buckboard to releasing his first of 19 Billboard-charting singles across seven albums. While climbing his musical ‘ladder,’ he has recorded Gold and Platinum albums and released some of the most enduring and recognizable Country Music hits of the last 25 Years. “Wish You Were Here,” “Jacob’s Ladder” and “I Do (Cherish You)” cemented his country status in the late ’90s and at the ‘dawning of a new decade’ in the early ’00s. “Jacob’s Ladder” was released via Mercury Nashville in May 1996 as Wills’ debut single, and it became the singer’s first of eight Top 10 hits. His debut self-titled album followed “full of rambunctious good-time songs teeming with sly wit and bittersweet ballads —all in a baritone that throbs with emotion” per Entertainment Weekly. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart Top 5 hits: “Places I’ve Never Been,” “I Do (Cherish You),” “Don’t Laugh at Me,” and No. 1 single “Wish You Were Here” hit the airwaves between 1997-1999. Fittingly, Wills’ early chart success earned him an Academy of Country Music Award for Top New Male Vocalist in 1998. One of his biggest hits to date is the RIAA Gold-certified “19 Somethin’” –a six-week No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
In 2022, Mark rerecorded and released his hit “Don’t Laugh at Me” with the acapella recording group, Home Free featuring Mark’s daughter, Macey. In conjunction with this release, a new music video was filmed staring 21 Pineapples’ Nate Smith and Jenna Lee Wasserman earning the collaborators 3 Gold Telly Awards. He also has taken more than a dozen trips to entertain U.S. troops in Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Korea, and Italy. Wills continues to hit the road with his high-energy show full of hits that were the soundtrack to so many people’s lives.
Kicking off the July 5 First Friday will be TYSON LEAMON. With years of experience performing both locally and nationally, Tyson Leamon has touched the hearts of millions of music lovers around the world. He has become a household name in the Tennessee Valley where he grew up writing and performing great music. His soulful voice coupled with heartfelt lyrics, take listeners back to the simplicity of great American values. Tyson was born into a musically rooted family. He started singing at the young age of 3. Driven by his passion and love for anything related to music, he set his sights on making his mark on the music industry. He was raised on a silver eagle touring and singing gospel music with his dad who was a pastor. At the age of 19, Tyson joined the gospel group, Heirline and toured the southeast and south west before heading back to Cleveland, Tennessee to return to his roots. In 2021 Tyson released his first full album titled, GUITAR AND A BIBLE.
