Foreigner, Robert Earl Keen to Perform Concerts on Opening Weekend at Lone Star Park

Classic rock icons Foreigner and legendary Texas singer-songwriter Robert Earl Keen will help Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie celebrate its 10th anniversary with post-race concerts on opening weekend of the Spring Thoroughbred Season.

Foreigner, led by British journeyman rocker Mick Jones, will perform after the horse races on Friday, April 13 at approximately 11 p.m. Robert Earl Keen, best known for his signature sing-along "The Road Goes On Forever," is scheduled for an 8 p.m. performance on Saturday, April 14.

Both outdoor concerts will follow live racing and are part of opening weekend festivities at Lone Star Park, Texas' premiere live horseracing venue. Opening night for the 67-day meeting is Thursday, April 12.

Foreigner emerged as one of the world's top rock bands in the late 1970s. Their reign resulted in nine Top 10 hits and five Top 5 albums, including the 1981 chart-topper 4 which sold nearly 10 million copies making it one of the most successful rock albums of all time. Their memorable hits include:

  • "Feels Like the First Time" (#4 on U.S. Hot 100 in 1977)
  • "Cold As Ice" (#6 in 1977)
  • "Hot Blooded" (#3 in 1978)
  • "Double Vision" (#2 in 1978)
  • "Urgent" (#4 in 1981)
  • "Waiting for a Girl Like You" (#2 in 1981)
  • "Juke Box Hero" (#26 in 1982)
  • "I Want to Know What Love Is" (#1 in 1984)
  • "Say You Will" (#6 in 1987)
  • "I Don't Want to Live Without You" (#5 in 1988)

Keen has successfully melded roots-rock, honky-tonk, blues, funk and folk to form his own unique blend of Texas music since his initial release in 1984. Last year, Live at the Ryman was the Houston native's 13th commercial release, featuring live performances of his classics.

He mixes fun songs like "Merry Christmas from the Family" and "Five Pound Bass" with poetic and critically acclaimed tracks from works like 1993's A Bigger Piece of Sky, 2003's Fresh Farm Onions and 2005's What I Really Mean - just to name a few. Nationally known with fans of traditional country, folk, alt-country and college radio, Keen's Texas Uprising Shows have drawn as many as 25,000 people, proving "the party never ends."

General admission for each concert is just $3 for those who arrive early for live racing. However, the price will increase to $15 after 9 p.m. for the Foreigner concert on April 13 and to $15 after 5 p.m. for the April 14 Robert Earl Keen concert.

There will be 10 lives races that begin at 6:35 p.m. on the evening of April 13. Grandstand gates open at 5 p.m. Foreigner will take the stage after the last race around 11 p.m. On April 14, a matinee 11-race program will begin at 1:35 p.m. and doors will open at 11:30 a.m. An opening act will precede Keen, who is expected to take the stage at approximately 8 p.m.

The stage for both concerts 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.

Lone Star Park - which first opened 10 years ago on April 17, 1997 - has often mixed horse racing and live music with great success. Top acts such as Willie Nelson, Pat Green, The Beach Boys and Cross Canadian Ragweed have performed before large crowds after the races. In 2005, country-rockers Cross Canadian Ragweed lured the largest post-race concert crowd in Lone Star Park history when 23,656 passed through the turnstiles for live racing and music.

Lone Star Park, whose 16-week Spring Thoroughbred Season runs April 12-July 29, is located 12 miles west of Dallas and 20 miles east of Fort Worth one-half mile north of Intersate-30 off Belt Line Road in Grand Prairie at 1000 Lone Star Parkway. For more information, call (972) 263-RACE or visit lonestarpark.com.

Lone Star's Largest Post-Race Concerts

  1. 23,656, Cross Canadian Ragweed, June 17, 2005
  2. 23,091, Willie Nelson, April 5, 2002
  3. 21,157, Pat Green, June 15, 2001
  4. 21,049, Willie Nelson, April 4, 2003
  5. 20,302, Willie Nelson, April 16, 2004
  6. 19,195, Cross Canadian Ragweed, June 11, 2004
  7. 15,199, The Beach Boys, April 17, 2004
  8. 14,928, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Jason Boland & The Stragglers and Django Walker, July 12, 2002
  9. 14,038, Cross Canadian Ragweed, June 13, 2003
  10. 13,524, Charlie Robison, Jack Ingram and The Randy Rogers Band, July 16, 2005

Note: A crowd of 26,318 attended Lone Stars & Stripes which featured post-race fireworks and a Charlie Robison concert on July 4, 2003. One day earlier on July 3, 2003, 20,138 attended for post-race fireworks and a .38 Special concert.

Concert Listings

FOREIGNER April 13 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. $3 before 9 p.m. $15 after 9 p.m. (972) 263-RACE or lonestarpark.com.

ROBERT EARL KEEN April 14 at Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie. Gates at 11:30 a.m. First live race at 1:35 p.m. Outdoor concert with opening act starts after final live race at 6:30 p.m. Keen performs at 8 p.m. $3 before 5 p.m. $15 after 5 p.m. (972) 263-RACE or lonestarpark.com.

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