Live racing returns to Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie on Thursday, April 9 for a 65-date Spring Thoroughbred Season that will span 16 weeks through Sunday, July 26. Opening weekend kicks off with the first two concerts of the 2009 Lone Star Music Series.

On Friday, April 10, Randy Rogers Band returns to Lone Star Park, where they attracted more than 13,000 fans for a post-race concert during the summer of 2008. Recognized as one of the hardest working bands in country music, their latest release Randy Rogers Band was the most downloaded country album on iTunes.

On Saturday, April 11, the legendary, Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Beach Boys return to Lone Star Park for the first time since 2004 when they drew a crowd of 15,199 on April 17. Fronted by original member and lead singer Mike Love, The Beach Boys have performed for more than four decades and have appeared on five different continents around the world.

The concerts will begin following the last race at approximately 11 p.m. on Friday and 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, with general admission to each concert just $5 for those who arrive early for live racing. The price increases to $15 after 9 p.m. Friday and 5 p.m. on Saturday. Grandstand admission gates open at 5 p.m. on Friday and 11:30 a.m. on Saturday with the first live race scheduled for 6:35 p.m. and 1:35 p.m., respectively.

The stage for each concert will be situated outdoors, just outside the racing surface, in front of the sun-shaded Courtyard of Champions. The lawn area is first-come, first serve, and there is limited patio table seating in the Courtyard. Blankets and folding chairs are permitted outdoors.

Packages for groups of 20 or more, including luxury penthouse suite rentals, are on sale (call the Lone Star Park Group Sales Department at 972-237-5118 for additional information).

Opening night on Thursday, April 9 begins with Lone Star Park’s traditional opening ceremonies, followed by the annual Premiere Stakes Handicapping Contest. The $50,000 Premiere Stakes is the
track’s customary opening night stakes race.

On both Saturday, April 11 and Sunday, April 12, the first 7,500 fans each day will receive a free 2009 Budweiser magnetic schedule.

The weekend concludes on Sunday, April 12 with activities for all ages. It will mark the first Family Fun Day of the year and will feature an Easter theme highlighted by an appearance by Dora the Explorer, a free Easter Egg with a prize for all kids in attendance, races by age divisions on the main track, and a Six Flags Over Texas ticket giveaway to the first 500 children ages 12 and under. Also, the opening Family Fun Day will feature special Easter arts and crafts for the kids as well as the usual pony rides, petting zoo and a bounce house for children.

In addition, Sundays throughout the season will be special Senior Citizen Days, with senior citizens, age 65 or older, receiving free general admission.

ABOUT RANDY ROGERS BAND

Randy Rogers Band is currently one of the hottest acts on the Texas country music scene whose latest release Randy Rogers Band was the most downloaded country album on iTunes. Their previous release and major-label album debut on Mercury Nashville Records, Just a Matter of Time, had two singles on the Billboard Hot 100 -- “Kiss Me in the Dark” and “One More Goodbye.”

Before Just a Matter of Time, Randy Rogers Band released four other independent albums, including 2004’s Rollercoaster and Live at Billy Bob’s Texas. Both releases featured Billboard Hot 100 hits “Tonight’s Not the Night (For Goodbye)” and “Down and Out.”

Led by vocalist, rhythm guitarist and Cleburne, Texas native Randy Rogers, the band drew 13,040 people to Lone Star Park on June 13, 2008. They performed for the first time at Lone Star Park on July 16, 2005, opening for Charlie Robison and Jack Ingram. They stood on their own June 16, 2006, and attracted a crowd of more than 9,100 fans on a rainy Friday night.

ABOUT THE BEACH BOYS

You can capsulize most pop music acts by reciting how many hits they’ve had and how many millions of albums they’ve sold. But these conventional measurements fall short when you’re assessing the impact of The Beach Boys. To be sure, this band has birthed a torrent of hit singles and sold albums by the tens of millions. But its greater significance lies in the fact that it changed the musical landscape so profoundly that every pop act since has been in its debt.

The Beach Boys continue to create and perform with the same bold imagination and style that marked their explosive debut 40 years ago. Fronted by original member and lead singer Mike Love, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame who co-authored 11 Top 10 singles in five years with cousin Brian Wilson, the current lineup also features Grammy-winning songwriter Bruce Johnston, who has been with the band since 1965.

Besides their induction into the R&R Hall of Fame in 1988 and their 2001 NARAS Lifetime Achievement Award, presented at the Grammys, Rolling Stone selected their 1966 album Pet Sounds as number two on their list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time” and their single “Good Vibrations” as the “Number One Song of the Century.”

CONCERT LISTINGS

RANDY ROGERS BAND April 10 at Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie. Gates at 5 p.m. First live race at 6:35 p.m. Outdoor concert starts after final live race at 11 p.m. $5 before 9 p.m. $15 after 9 p.m. (972) 263-RACE or www.LoneStarPark.com.

THE BEACH BOYS April 11 at Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie. Gates at 11:30 a.m. First live race at 1:35 p.m. Outdoor concert starts after final live race at 6:30 p.m. $5 before 5 p.m. $15 after 5 p.m. (972) 263-RACE or www.LoneStarPark.com.

Starting on April 9, Lone Star Park’s 2009 Spring Thoroughbred Season will run four days a week every Thursday and Friday at 6:35 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 1:35 p.m. The Lone Star Million program on Memorial Day will start at 1:35 p.m. and special twilight programs with post-race holiday fireworks on Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July 4 (Lone Stars & Stripes Fireworks Celebration) will commence at 5 p.m. (All times are Central Time). Lone Star Park’s 31-day, 2009 Quarter Horse Fall Meeting of Champions will be held from Sept. 25 to Nov. 28.

Following are the key dates for the 2009 Spring Thoroughbred Season:

THURSDAY, APRIL 9 – OPENING NIGHT
13th running of the $50,000 Premiere Stakes

FRIDAY, APRIL 10 – RANDY ROGERS BAND IN CONCERT
Post-race concert by Mercury Nashville recording artists the Randy Rogers Band

SATURDAY, APRIL 11 – THE BEACH BOYS IN CONCERT
Post-race concert by Rock and Roll Hall of Famers -- The Beach Boys

SATURDAY, APRIL 25 – 3rd LONE STAR MILLION PREVIEW DAY
13th running of the Grade 3, $300,000 Texas Mile
13th running of the $50,000 Irving Distaff Stakes
13th running of the $50,000 Grand Prairie Turf Challenge Stakes
13th running of the $50,000 Richland Hills Stakes

FRIDAY, MAY 1 – STONEY LaRUE IN CONCERT
Post-race concert by one of today’s Red Dirt music leaders Stoney LaRue

SATURDAY, MAY 2 – KENTUCKY DERBY DAY
Simulcast of the 135th Kentucky Derby from Churchill Downs

SATURDAY, MAY 9 – 13th ANNUAL LONE STAR DERBY DAY
13th running of the Grade 3, $400,000 Lone Star Derby
6th running of the $125,000 Texas Stallion Stakes (Stymie Division)
6th running of the $125,000 Texas Stallion Stakes (Got Koko Division)

SATURDAY, MAY 16 – PREAKNESS STAKES DAY
Simulcast of the 134th Preakness Stakes from Pimlico Race Course

FRIDAY, MAY 22 – GARY ALLAN IN CONCERT
Post-race concert by MCA Nashville recording artist Gary Allan

MONDAY, MAY 25 – 11th ANNUAL LONE STAR MILLION DAY
13th running of the Grade 3, $400,000 Lone Star Park Handicap
13th running of the Grade 3, $200,000 Dallas Turf Cup Handicap
13th running of the Grade 3, $200,000 Ouija Board Handicap
13th running of the $100,000 USA Stakes
11th running of the $100,000 Cinemine Stakes
13th running of the $100,000 Valid Expectations Stakes

SATURDAY, JUNE 6 – BELMONT STAKES DAY
Simulcast of the 141st Belmont Stakes from Belmont Park
20th running of the $125,000-estimated TTA Sales Futurity (Colts & Geldings Division)
17th running of the $125,000-estimated TTA Sales Futurity (Fillies Division)

FRIDAY, JUNE 12 – CROSS CANADIAN RAGWEED IN CONCERT
Post-race concert by popular alt-country band Cross Canadian Ragweed

FRIDAY, JULY 3 – LONE STARS & STRIPES FIREWORKS CELEBRATION
First live race at 5 p.m. CT

SATURDAY, JULY 4 – LONE STARS & STRIPES FIREWORKS CELEBRATION
First live race at 5 p.m. CT

SATURDAY, JULY 11 – 9th ANNUAL STARS OF TEXAS DAY
8th running of the $125,000 Texas Stallion Stakes (Staunch Avenger Division)
8th running of the $125,000 Texas Stallion Stakes (Pan Zareta Division)
12th running of the $100,000 Assault Stakes
13th running of the $50,000 Allen Bogan Jr. Memorial Stakes
13th running of the $50,000 Harold V. Goodman Memorial Stakes
11th running of the $50,000 Valor Farm Stakes

FRIDAY, JULY 24 – ELI YOUNG BAND IN CONCERT
Post-race concert by popular, Denton, TX based recording artists the Eli Young Band

SATURDAY, JULY 25 – FAN APPRECIATION DAY
13th running of the $100,000 Silver Spur Stakes

SUNDAY, JULY 26 – CLOSING DAY
13th running of the $100,000 Middleground Stakes.