Another Star to the Rescue After Fair Headliner Falls Off Horse

Doug Stone will replace Josh Ward as the opening act on Saturday night, Sept. 4, at the Fayette County Fair. Fair organizers scrambled this week to find a replacement for Ward after the country singer cancelled the date due to injuries suffered when he fell from a horse on August 8.

“(Ward) was supposed to get back on the road Sept. 1, but two days ago we found out he was not going to be able to go,” Fayette County Fair President Michael Zuhn told the Record this Wednesday.

Zuhn said the Fair’s booking agent began searching for entertainers who were available that day. The agent reached out to Doug Stone, who lives in Bastrop. The 1990s Country star agreed to fill in for Ward.

Stone’s song “I’d Be Better Off (In a Pine Box)” spent 25 weeks on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in 1990, peaking at No. 4, and the song was nominated for a Grammy in 1991. He followed that up with eight No. 1 hits “In a Different Light” and “Jukebox with a Country Song.”

Doug Stone performs at the Fair on Saturday night, Sept. 4, on the Riverview Stage from 8 to 9:30 p.m.

Fair Food News

In other Fair news, the La Grange Rotary Club decided not to sponsor the hamburger stand in the German Czech Mart this year. The Club was unable to muster enough volunteers due to concerns about COVID-19. Zuhn said the Fayetteville Livestock Show Fund offered to take over the hamburger stand this year in addition to their regular chicken fried steak booth.

“They wanted to do it so we said ‘OK,’” Zuhn said.

Zuhn said he didn’t know of any other organizations deciding to pull out of the Fair this year.

He said the Fair will offer face masks and hand sanitizer to all who enter the gates. Zuhn said the Fair Association has been consulting with Fayette County and City of La Grange Emergency Management offices on a regular basis.

“We’re making sure that if anything arises and if there’s anything they say we need to do, that we’re on it,” Zuhn said.