Hoedown Time

We've come a long way from the 1983 festival described by the Free Press as "an extravaganza of nonstop country and bluegrass music, square dancing, banjo picking and yodeling."

Twenty-eight years after that inaugural Downtown Hoedown, the annual event has become a Detroit institution, reliably packing the 50,000-capacity Hart Plaza with curiosity seekers and committed country fans.

But it won't be Tanya Tucker and Mel Tillis atop the bill this time: Reflecting the evolution that has transformed country music from Americana into big-time American entertainment, this weekend's Hoedown will pulse with the beat of pop, rock and even a touch of hip-hop, as a new generation of Nashville hit-makers takes the stage.

Headliners Joe Nichols, Josh Gracin and Jason Aldean lead a cast of 27 main-stage artists, while about 20 local acts will play during daylight hours at the secondary riverside stage. And the good news for old-school fans: You'll still find some traditional country sounds in the mix.

Westland native Josh Gracin puts a Motown spin on his new record.
It's been a while since he had a Michigan address. But you'd better believe that Josh Gracin still has plenty of Detroit fire running through his veins.

Fans at his Hoedown headlining show Saturday night will hear his live rendition of the record's first single, "Long Way to Go," which will be released by Memorial Day. It's a change of pace for Gracin, a rhythmic summer tune that will get pushed not to country radio, but to pop.

" 'Michigan music' is what I call it," he says. "I grew up listening to Motown and R&B -- that's how I learned to sing. It wasn't until 13 that I got into country. This album has a lot of Motown-flavored melodies and movements, and this is a real grooving, windows-down kind of single." ...