By Steve Sherlock

OXFORD — Officials from the Oxford County Fair announced Thursday, Sept. 14, that country singer Randy Houser will fill in Saturday for headliner Montgomery Gentry.

The Montgomery Gentry show was cancelled following the death last week of country star Troy Gentry in a helicopter crash in New Jersey.

“We appreciate everybody’s patience and support, we have a new headliner for Saturday, Sept. 16th, Randy Houser CMA song of the year nominee,” fairground officials said in a Facebook post.

Houser, who began as a songwriter in Nashville in 2002, was nominated for a Country Music Association award for Song of the Year in 2015. He also has two other nominations from CMA, including Best New Artist in 2009.

The Mississippi native has landed 12 songs in the country charts, including three that went to No. 1 — “How County Feels,” “Runnin’ Outta Moonlight” and “We Went.”

His last two albums both peaked at No. 3 on the country charts.

The Oxford show was added to his touring schedule, but Houser has not commented on social media about the last minute change. He did post on his Twitter account last week that it was a sad day for country music when Gentry died.

“Man they just don’t make em any nicer than Troy Gentry. He was always very very kind. Just can’t believe it. What a loss,” he posted.

Houser’s show Saturday at Family Fun Field on the Oxford Fairgrounds is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. The music starts at 2:30 p.m. with Cold Blue Steel, followed by Chad Porter at 3:45 p.m. Skosh will follow Houser at approximately 7 p.m.

Admission into the fair Saturday is $10, which includes the concert.

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