Carolina Country Music Fest to kick off next Thursday

Making Myrtle Beach’s dot on the map bigger and brighter, the Carolina Country Music Fest will draw some of the biggest touring acts, including Rascal Flatts, Lady Antebellum and Eric Church — the respective closing performers for 10 p.m. June 5, 6 and 7.

This festival has remained the talk locally and across the Carolinas all spring, with repeated touts on radio stations with strong signals reaching into the Grand Strand, such as WEGX-FM “Eagle” 92.9 from Florence and WKML-FM “The Big” 95.7 from Fayetteville, N.C.

A kickoff party on the night of June 4 will wind up with Sam Hunt, a former college quarterback who has scored two No. 1 hits since autumn: “Leave the Night On” and, just last month, “Take Your Time.” He’s new as a recording artist, but many listeners already know his music, for he lent a hand in helping compose other hit records of late: Kenny Chesney’s “Come Over,” Keith Urban’s “Cop Car” and Savannah, Ga., native Billy Currington’s “We Are Tonight.”