R&B/pop star Ne-Yo has called off his Sept. 18 date at the Puyallup Fair grandstand due to "unforeseen circumstances," fair organizers announced on their site Tuesday.

Fans can be reimbursed for ticket costs and still receive free gate admission to Puyallup Fair. Learn more here.

A replacement show will likely be announced soon, said Fair spokeswoman Karen LaFlamme.

Ticket pre-sale for Wynnona Judd's Sept 21 appearance at the Puyallup Fair with the Tacoma Symphony has kicked off. It runs through 9 a.m. Saturday. The Puyallup Fair folks even e-mailed a password to use with Ticketmaster: sing. Reserved tix are going for 15 to 50 bucks.

The Puyallup Spring Fair is always a hot spot for catching country’s rising stars, Dierks Bentley, Joe Nichols and Ashton Shepherd being examples from recent years.

Friday (April 17) the main musical attraction at the Puyallup Fair & Events Center will be husband-and-wife team Joey and Rory Feek, a.k.a. Joey and Rory, best known for smash hit “Cheater, Cheater” and appearing on CMT reality show “Can You Duet?”

I’ll have a story on it in tomorrow’s GO section. Meanwhile, here are some clips from the interview they did with me, on break from shooting another one of those Overstock.com commercials.

Part 1: The ACM nomination, making new friends in Nashville

Part 2: Their new video and the politics of Nashville

Part 3: Before they were famous and what lead up to “Can You Duet?”

Part 4: Rory’s ties to the Northwest and Blaine Larsen

Joey + Rory are the latest rising country stars to visit the Puyallup Spring Fair. They'll play the Puyallup Fair & Events Center at 7:30 p.m. on Friday (April 17).
BRYAN ALLEN

Rock supergroup Crosby, Stills & Nash will headline the Puyallup Fair grandstand on Sept. 14, fair organizers announced Friday. And while tickets officially go on sale to the general public at 9 a.m. Saturday (April 18), Ticketmaster will have a special online "pre-sale" from 9 a.m. Tuesday through 9 a.m. Saturday. The password is "Crosby." Prices are set at $31 to $61, and you can learn more on the Fair's site.

Last fall, some of you heard Fergie mangle Heart’s “Barracuda” at the Puyallup Fair. But on Sept. 23, Heart fans will get to hear the real deal as Ann and Nancy Wilson bring their Seattle-bred classic rock band to the grandstand at the Puyallup Fair & Events Center. (That's Ann in the pic, and she sounded a hell of a lot better than her Fergaliciousness when Heart opened for Journey at Auburn's White River Amphitheatre last summer.) The show is set for a 7:30 p.m. start, fair organizers just announced. Tickets will go for $20 to $50, and Ticketmaster will have them beginning at 10 a.m. on Valentine's Day. Check the Puyallup Fair site for more info on this year’s concert series.
ERNEST JASMIN

Rising country star Jason Aldean will help kick off the Puyallup Fair on Sept. 11. Organizers just announced that the rising country star – best known for hits “She’s Country,” “Hicktown” and “Why” – will headline the Puyallup Fair & Events Center grand stand on opening night of this year's fair, after the PRCA Rodeo.

Tickets for Aldean's performance are set at $30 to $50. The rodeo series continues through Sept. 13, and tickets for all of the above go on sale at 10 a.m. on Feb. 7. Show times and prices are as follows.

Puyallup Pro Rodeo PRCA Playoffs
Friday, Sept. 11, 1 p.m.
$5* / Golden Saddle $18.00
* $5 rodeo does not include Puyallup Fair gate admission. Opening Day Bonus: Enter Fair on 9/11 between 10 am and noon and receive free Fair gate admission. Entrance after noon requires gate admission purchase.

Puyallup Pro Rodeo PRCA Playoffs, followed by Jason Aldean
Friday, Sept. 11, 6:30 p.m. rodeo
$30.00 / $40.00 / Golden Saddle $50.00

Puyallup Pro Rodeo PRCA Playoffs
Saturday, Sept. 12, 1 p.m.
$15.00 / $20.00 / Golden Saddle $30.00

Puyallup Pro Rodeo PRCA Playoffs
Saturday, Sept. 12, 6:30 p.m. rodeo
$15.00 / $20.00 / Golden Saddle $30.00

Puyallup Pro Rodeo PRCA Playoff Finals
Sunday, Sept. 13, 1 p.m.
$20.00 / $25.00 / Golden Saddle $35.00

In a kinder, gentler moment before last year's infamous Tim McBrawl incident in Auburn, Jason Aldean paused to let a fan snap a shot of his tush. You know, even though he was a little busy. Between this and what made national news later, we're thinking there may be a barricade for the Fair show.
ERNEST JASMIN

Alas, Fergie is no Ann Wilson.
ERNEST JASMIN

Seattle rock legends Heart recently denounced John McCain’s presidential campaign for co-opting their ‘70s hit “Barracuda” during the RNC. And I’m thinkin’ maybe Fergie should be next in line for one of those official cease and desist orders.

The cover of Heart’s classic that her Fergaliciousness wailed her way through before nearly 6,000 fans Tuesday night at the Puyallup Fair was karaoke-worthy at best; ditto on occasionally cringe-worthy snippets of Paul McCartney's "Live and Let Die," Led Zeppelin's "Black Dog," the Rolling Stones' "Start Me Up" and Sublime's "Santeria" that she worked into a mid-set medley. (Uh, which one of these does not belong? And when did Fergie turn into a rocker? Anyway, at least Heart fans will be able to hear the real version of "Barracuda" Friday at White River.)

A few pitch problems aside, Ferg' did better on her own hits, which included, “London Bridge,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Glamorous” and Black Eyed Peas’ “My Humps.” And between songs, she offered up such zen koens as, “I think God gave us Taco Supremes for a reason” and (talking to her guitarist after being distracted by a carnival ride in the distance), “That ride kind of reminds me of your hand – going up and down.” Huh?

She seemed a little listless and out of it early on compared to previous appearances I’ve seen her make with the group that made her a household name, Black Eyed Peas. And the rambling, 10-minute band and dancer intros she tacked onto the end of her set would have been totally anti-climactic had they not been so entertainingly graceless and raunchy. The little girls that got up onstage with her right about then were pretty cute, though, as they griped about not being able to get backstage earlier and, strangely, bragged about getting backstage to meet Springsteen. Didn't know 'tweeners loved the Boss, did you? And just to end on a positive note: Ferg’s “lady lumps”? On the lovely side.

The Dutchess busts a Fergalicious dance move, something she did surprisingly little of Tuesday night at the Puyallup Fair. Her one-handed cartwheels were a hit, though.
ERNEST JASMIN

Fergies in training: Adorable or cause for concern? You know, I was surprised at the number of little squirts running around, considering Ferg's occasionally raunchy banter and, you know, the fact that she sings about "lady lumps."
ERNEST JASMIN

Who knew Kid Rock would still be going so strong after nearly 20 years in the music biz? Yeah, believe it or not, the guy's been at if for close to two decades. Granted, it doesn't seem that long since he wasn't a household name when he released a couple of mediocre rap albums, "Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast" and "The Polyfuze Method," in the mid-'90s.

He really struck pay dirt by remaking himself as a rap n' roller on “Devil Without a Cause” in '98. And he could have easily fizzled out when rap-rock went out of style a few years back, but was savvy enough to revamp his style again, this time as a Southern (by way of Detroit) rocker. And with his newest album, “Rock N’ Roll Jesus,” he may be more popular than ever. That disc surprisingly crept back up to No. 3 on the Billboard 200 recently, despite being nearly a year old, thanks to Lynyrd Skynyrd-appropriating smash hit “All Summer Long.”

He's that wife-beater clad rock everyman that fans – including nearly 11,000 at the Puyallup Fair grandstand Wednesday night – strongly identify with; the guy whose down home, kinda grimy vibe is just right for gettin' the party started. And I’ve gotta admit that, I kinda like the guy, too -- even if he is, basically, the P-Diddy of rock; a guy who, like Diddy, has mastered the art of cashing in by rehashing other people's old hits. But the guy's also got charisma and that intangible "it" that makes him a great performer. What he lacks in originality, he makes up for with a killer, feel good live show, one that included rockin’ renditions of his biggest hits Wednesday night -- "Cowboy," "Bawitdaba," "American Badass." But what made the night for me was a cameo by Run DMC’s Rev. Run.

Kid Rock talked Run into going out on the road with him on hit reality show “Run’s House.” I’m a fan of Run DMC from way back, but never got to see the legendary rap trio. So finally getting to hear “Rockbox,” “King of Rock” and “Here We Go” live was a major highlight to my summer concert season, even if DMC and the late, great Jam Master Jay were nowhere to be seen.

It was definitely a PG-13 set, in contrast to most Puyallup Fair shows. And among other set highlights were “Half Your Age,” a funny battle of the sexes that had drummer Stefanie Eulinberg come from her behind the kit to deliver a raunchy counterpoint to Kid Rock boasting that his new girlfriend is “half your age and twice as hot.” (Can’t quote it here, but use your imagination.)

And another accidentally funny moment occurred when backup Stacy Michelle joined Kid Rock for “Picture,” the hit duet he recorded with Sheryl Crow. Michelle had blended into the background for most of the show and got one of the night’s biggest ovations as she stepped forward because of her uncanny resemblance to Crow. Hey, I’ll admit it. I was fooled for a minute, too.

Al Green, injuries and car trouble conspired to keep me away from the first few grandstand shows of Puyallup Fair 2008. But I finally did the Puyallup Wednesday night and caught Kid Rock's show. Here's what it looked like and what he played.
ERNEST JASMIN

Let’s just say my interview with Chris Cagle didn’t go so well last week.

That guy will kick off the Puyallup Fair’s 2008 concert season on Friday night (Sept. 5). And I’m guessing he was a bit testy because he doesn’t want to talk about stuff like this …

… and more recently this.

Understandable, I guess. But if the guy didn't have such a hair trigger maybe we could have gotten around to talking about, I don't know, his music.

Guess this guy had no comment. Hopefully, he'll be more chatty and in a better mood Friday night at the Puyallup Fair.
FRANK MICELOTTA/GETTY IMAGES

Seats are being added to the Puyallup Fair & Event Center grandstand for Carrie Underwood's Sept. 19 appearance. And organizers at the Fair just announced that an additional 300 tickets are being released at 10 a.m. Friday. So be standing at a Ticketmaster outlet or have this page open if you haven't scored tix to see the "American Idol" grad yet.

And you can find more info about the Puyallup Fair, including a complete schedule of grandstand acts, here.

Just when you thought the Puyallup Fair lineup was etched in stone, fair organizers made one final announcement this afternoon. Varsity Fanclub, Prima J, Jordan Pruitt and Clique Girlz will cater to the 'tween market when they invade the grandstand on Sept. 12.

Tickets are $10 to $20 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday (Aug. 23). Find more details on the Fair site.

Nashville legend Ronnie Milsap will headline the Puyallup Fair & Events Center grandstand on Sept. 15, Fair organizers announced today. The country vet -- known for "A Woman in Love," "Any Day Now," "Never Had It So Good" and other hits -- will have support from Tacoma Symphony.

Ticket are set at $15 to $35, and will be available through Ticketmaster beginning 10 a.m. on July 12. Find the Puyallup Fair's full concert lineup here.