The LACS

From Baxley, Georgia

The Lacs are a country rap duo from Baxley, Georgia, who have created their own brand of "hick-hop" by fusing Southern rap, rock, and country influences since 2002. Their breakthrough came with the 2010 album Country Boy's Paradise, which featured the viral hit "Kickin' Up Mud" and led to a deal with Colt Ford's Backroad Records. The duo has earned three RIAA Gold-certified singles and released 14 studio albums, founding their own label Dirt Rock Empire in 2017 after leaving Backroad Records.

From Stephenville, Texas

Giovannie and the Hired Guns is a country rock band from Stephenville, Texas that blends Red Dirt country, alt-metal, and Tejano influences. The band achieved their breakthrough with "Ramon Ayala," which topped the Billboard Rock & Alternative Airplay chart in 2022 and accumulated over 30 million streams. They won the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Award for Best New Artist in Alternative & Rock and are signed to Warner Music Nashville. The band has released four studio albums including Tejano Punk Boyz (2022) and opened for Jason Aldean at Globe Life Field in front of 36,000 fans.

From Bay City

NightShift Special is a rock band from Saginaw that brings arena-style production to smaller venues. Formerly known as Chase Engel & the Nightshift, the band draws influences from Def Leppard, Guns N' Roses, and AC/DC while developing their own bass-heavy sound designed for both rock clubs and dance venues.