Arizona State Fair Brings Gretchen Wilson, Steve Miller and Montgomery Gentry to Phoenix

The Arizona State Fair announced the lineup for the 2007 session's free concert series, including big name country stars who have visited the Valley this year Gretchen Wilson and Montgomery Gentry.

The fair runs from Oct. 12 - Nov. 4 (except on Mondays), and the concert series kicks up the second night, Oct. 13, with Gretchen Wilson. The country songstress burst onto the charts in 2004 with her song "Redneck Woman." She still carries the label proudly, generally performing in blue jeans and black halter top. Wilson is known for bringing extra sass and rock to the stage, while not losing her country roots. Other country favorites Montgomery Gentry (Oct. 26), Sugarland (Nov. 1) and Little Big Town (Nov. 1) are also slated for the annual event.

Fair staple "Weird Al" Yankovic is back again this year (Oct. 16) for more accordion-laden parodies. Expect to hear the pop culture favorites "Amish Paradise," "Eat It" and "Like a Surgeon."

A more surprising addition to the Arizona State Fair schedule is "Deal or No Deal" host Howie Mandel. Despite his success on the NBC game show, Mandel is still tours 200 days out of each year as a stand-up comic. He will appear at the fair on Oct. 27.

Proud Phoenecian Alice Cooper will shake the walls with his signature spooky songs on Halloween night at the fair. The band will surely go all out for the holiday, and so should attendees.

A local hip-hop and R&B showcase dubbed Old School Jam is slated for Nov. 2. The show will feature GQ (who will perform tributes to Marvin Gaye and Billy Stewart as part of his set), Evelyn "Champagne" King, The Dazz Band, The Friends of Distinction, MC Magic of NB Ridaz featuring Krystal Melody, Amanda Perez and Sophia Maria.

Closing out the concert series will be '70s rock 'n' roller The Steve Miller Band. The band, which appeals to multiple generations, still gets frequent radio play for its songs "The Joker," "Abracadabra" and "Fly Like an Eagle."

All concerts are free with Arizona State Fair admission on a first-come, first-served basis. Reserved seating will be available for purchase through Ticketmaster and the Coliseum box office in early September. State Fair admission prices haven't been set yet.

The Arizona State Fairgrounds are located at 19^th Avenue and McDowell Road in Phoenix. Additional information is available at AZStateFair.com.