Santa Rosa country music festival draws 11000

Fans from all over Northern California swept over the Sonoma County Fairgrounds like a human heat wave Saturday to hear a younger, hipper, louder brand of country music.

New country star Dustin Lynch, 29, known for hits including 'Where It's At (Yep, Yep),' summed up the style and appeal of the ambitious new Country Summer music festival with his mid-afternoon set.

Lynch sang old-fashioned country vocals, backed by a hard-rocking quartet, first wailing a tale about women who love rodeo men, and then slowing down for 'Cowboys and Angels,' dedicated to his grandmother and grandfather.

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'When you mix classic country with this new-age country music, it's great,' said Zach Greenwood, 25, of Walnut Creek. 'I grew up on George Strait, Garth Brooks and Alan Jackson, but it's good to see country mixing with other styles.'

Messina Johnson, 23, decked out for the day in a cowboy hat and boots, tank top and cut-off shorts, came from Sacramento to see Lynch, Dylan Scott and the rest of the lineup, which included nearly a dozen acts over two days.

'I grew up on a ranch,' Johnson said. 'I've always listened to this kind of music. I've never listened to anything else.'

Sunshine beamed down brightly on the massive outdoor stage, flanked by big video screens, as some of the 11,000 fans meandered past stands selling beer and kettle corn, or took a turn on the mechanical bull ride.

Entities 0 Name: Lynch Count: 2 1 Name: Dylan Scott Count: 1 2 Name: George Strait Count: 1 3 Name: Johnson Count: 1 4 Name: Sonoma County Count: 1 5 Name: Sacramento Count: 1 6 Name: Garth Brooks Count: 1 7 Name: Northern California Count: 1 8 Name: Angels Count: 1 9 Name: Zach Greenwood Count: 1 10 Name: Dustin Lynch Count: 1 11 Name: Alan Jackson Count: 1 12 Name: Messina Johnson Count: 1 13 Name: Walnut Creek Count: 1 Related 0 Url: http://ift.tt/1mYqM43 Title: Santa Rosa country music festival draws 11,000 Description: Fans from all over Northern California swept over the Sonoma County Fairgrounds like a human heat wave Saturday to hear a younger, hipper, louder brand of country music. New country star Dustin Lynch, 29, known for hits including "Where It's At (Yep, Yep)," summed up the style and appeal of the ambitious new Country Summer music festival with his mid-afternoon set.