With a handful of increasingly successful mega-events under their belts, the organizers of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio got the idea to spin off a country counterpart, the gathering that became the Stagecoach Country Music Festival.
The challenge, however, was that music was largely outside the wheelhouse of the folks at Goldenvoice, the promoter behind the rock, pop and dance music-leaning Coachella.
“We had no idea who the audience would be, or how to sell it,” said Goldenvoice chief Paul Tollett, seated outside the trailer that acted as his base of operations during the second and final weekend of the Coachella festival.
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“We were putting up fliers in feed stores, Boot Barn stores, places that sell farm equipment,” he said with a smile. “Once we saw who the audience was, we realized we just should have been putting them up on college campuses.”
That was in 2007, when the inaugural Stagecoach festival was headlined by acts that had established their careers in the 1980s and 1990s, including George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson and Brooks & Dunn. In that first year, attendance totaled about 27,500 a day over two days. Scoring the Eagles the following year, Stagecoach expanded to three days and pulled in about 40,000 a day. In 2012, the festival sold out in advance for the first time.
For this year’s event, a new generation of performers has emerged. Topping the 2016 lineup for the 10th edition of Stagecoach, which gets underway Friday at the Empire Polo Club, the big guns are Eric Church, Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan.
As of Tuesday, Stagecoach is officially a sellout, with attendance capped at 75,000 a day, up slightly from last year’s figure of 72,000.
For Stacy Vee, Goldenvoice’s director of festival talent who books Stagecoach each year while Tollett focuses on Coachella, the 10th edition of Stagecoach feels a lot like a school graduation commencement.
This is pretty much our biggest year ever.
— Stacy Vee, Goldenvoice’s director of festival talent
“This is pretty much our biggest year ever,” she said. “Luke has worked his way up through the festival to headliner status. He played in 2008 and was second on the bill and has now come back four times. Eric was the first artist who opened the main stage at that first year, and to have him back for the 10-year anniversary is a big moment for us. The same with Carrie. They’re all part of the fabric of this festival.”
In all, 63 acts are slated this on Stagecoach’s three main performance stages. That’s well fewer than half of the 170 acts for each of Coachella’s two weekends. But Stagecoach is handily the best-attended and highest-grossing country music festival in the world, according to Gary Bongiovanni, editor of Pollstar, the concert industry-tracking publication.
Last year, Stagecoach grossed $21.9 million, making it the third-highest grossing festival of any kind in the world, behind only Coachella ($84.3 million) and Outside Lands in San Francisco ($24.3 million).
One element that distinguishes Stagecoach from many other country music gatherings is the breadth of the lasso Vee throws in booking both veteran as well as up-and-coming country, Americana and even classic rock performers.
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ZZ Top bassist Dusty Hill, left, and guitarist Billy Gibbons perform on the Palomino Stage. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons performs on the Palomino Stage. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Melissa Hill, sitting on Jake Stockton’s shoulders, poses for a friend’s photo at sunset while listening to George Thorogood and the Destroyers play on the Palomino Stage. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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George Thorogood performs on the Palomino Stage. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Kimberly Perry, lead singer of the Band Perry, performs on the Mane Stage. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Sign language interpreter Sara Groves, right, signs as Sara Evans’ performance is projected on a big screen. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Hot Rize performs on the Mustang Stage. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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A youngster’s energy wanes on the final day as he waits for Jerrod Niemann to perform on the Mane Stage. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Jerrod Niemann performs on the Mane Stage. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Fans cheer as George Thorogood performs on the Palomino Stage. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Silhouetted against a giant video screen, 5-year-old Nick Fernandez of La Quinta sits on his mom’s, Julie Fernandez, shoulders to get a better view as headliner Blake Shelton performs on the Mane Stage. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Headliner Blake Shelton performs on the Mane Stage. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Lindsey Dal Porto of San Francisco drinks beer out of a pink flamingo lawn decoration on top of an RV as country music plays in the background during the final day of the three-day Stagecoach Country Music Festival. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Madison Marlow of Maddie & Tae performs on the Mane Stage on the third day of the sold-out three-day Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, Calif.
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Taylor Dye, left, and Madison Marlow of Maddie & Tae perform on the Mane Stage.
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Zach Swon, left, and Colton Swon of the Swon Brothers perform on the Mane Stage.
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Eric Burdon and the Animals performs on the Palomino Stage. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Logan Brill and guitarist John Hollier performs on the Palomino Stage during the final day of Stagecoach.
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Country music fans sit on top of their RV on the second day of the three-day Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Saturday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Country music fans dance as Nikki Lane performs on the second day of the three-day Stagecoach Country Music Festival. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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John Moreland performs at the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Saturday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Zack Carroll and Shae Weiss dance after parading The Front Porch -- a Great Depression-era themed house pulled by a tractor around the Stagecoach RV Resort during Stagecoach Country Music Festival. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Old Salt Union performs on the Mustang Stage at the Stagecoach Country Music Festival. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Marie Nakashima, center, of San Diego, dances as Old Salt Union performs at the Stagecoach Country Music Festival. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Caitlin Rose performs on the second day of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Bonnie Jenkins, left, Willie Niner, middle, and Rico Martinez hold photos of Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert in the RV Resort at the Stagecoach Country Music Festival.
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Nikki Lane performs at the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Saturday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Jake Owen leans into the crowd as he performs on the Mane Stage. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Jake Owen greets fans as he performs on the Mane Stage. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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A couple embrace as headliner Tim McGraw performs the Mane Stage.
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Country music fans cheer during Jake Owen’s performance on the Mane Stage. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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A fan watches Sturgill Simpson perform on the Palomino Stage. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Headliner Tim McGraw performs on the Mane Stage on the first night of the sold-out three-day Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club.
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Headliner Tim McGraw performs the Mane Stage. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Headliner Tim McGraw performs the Mane Stage.
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Fans cheer as headliner Tim McGraw performs the Mane Stage.
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Steve Earle performs on the Mustang Stage. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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A fan cheers as Parmalee performs on the Mane Stage. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Parmalee performs the Mane Stage. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Sturgill Simpson performs on the Palomino Stage. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Pegi Young & the Survivors perform on the Palomino Stage. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Jake Owen is photographed at sunset before performing on the Mane Stage. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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The Time Jumpers featuring Vince Gill and Kenny Sears performs on the Palomino Stage on the first night of the sold-out three-day Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio Friday, April 24, 2015. Stagecoach is reported to be the highest-grossing festival centered on country music in the world. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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The Time Jumpers, featuring Vince Gill on guitar and Kenny Sears on fiddle, perform on the Palomino Stage. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Balsam Range singer-fiddler Buddy Melton performs on the Mustang Stage. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Balsam Range performs on the Mustang Stage. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Fans cheer in the heat as Kacey Musgraves performs on the Mane Stage. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Kacey Musgraves performs on the Mane Stage. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Jake Owen performs on the Mane Stage. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Jake Owen performs on the Mane Stage. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Merle Haggard tips his hat to the crowd from the Palomino Stage. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Merle Haggard performs on the Palomino Stage. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Alex Joseph of Laguna Beach and Angel Howard of Lakewood share a kiss on the Honkytonk Stage on Day 1. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Country music fans race to get the best viewing spot during opening day of the three-day Stagecoach Country Music Festival. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Country music fans take dance lessons from members of the Powerhouse Percussive Dance group from Anaheim at the Honkytonk Stage on Day 1. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Alex Joseph of Laguna Beach and Angel Howard of Lakewood dance on the Honkytonk Stage on Day 1. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Kirsten Thorn, left, and Anastasia DeSantis, both of Garden Grove, take a break from dancing at the Honkytonk on Day 1. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Teresa James, left, of Diamond Bar and Sarah Fernandez, of Rancho Cucamonga have their photo taken on opening day. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Fans pull their cooler to their campsite in the RV Resort on opening day. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Eric Greene of Norco throws a lasso around Chelsey Spangler of Newport Beach on Day 1. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Brian Sosa, left, of Los Angeles, Ian Pendergraft of San Diego, and a sombrero-wearing Austin Carver of Orange show off their American flag print tights in the RV Resort on opening day. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Pegi Young & the Survivors perform on the Palomino Stage on Day 1. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Along with the platinum-selling headliners, this year’s bill includes such critical favorites as Emmylou Harris (back for the first time since she played the inaugural Stagecoach), her frequent collaborator Rodney Crowell, revered Texas singer-songwriters Robert Earl Keen and Billy Joe Shaver, tradition-minded singer Lee Ann Womack, dobro master Jerry Douglas and his bluegrass conglomeration the Earls of Leicester (a loose salute to Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs), and rising L.A. country singer-songwriter Sam Outlaw.
Vee said one way she discovers rising acts to bring to Stagecoach is by visiting the annual Country Music Assn. Festival in Nashville, which typically boasts a bevy of baby acts along with the heaviest hitters among current country stars. “I went out there last year and kind of went on a shopping spree,” she said. “I picked up a few of this year’s acts that way.”
She’s also brought in Chris Stapleton, the sole act this year to play both Stagecoach and Coachella, something she and Tollett typically try to do as a bridge between the two events.
“That was booked back in September, well before his CMA performance,” she said, referencing the breakout appearance at the CMA Awards show with Justin Timberlake that helped catapult Stapleton to stardom.
“We love his album and tried to get him last year, but the timing didn’t work out,” she said. “We’ve featured him prominently on the poster, right next to John Fogerty. Even in September, we knew he was a rising star, but things have really just exploded for him. We had so much fun with him on stage at Coachella. It’s fun to get to spend nearly a month with him.”
On the classic rock front, this year’s bill includes Creedence Clearwater Revival founder and frontman John Fogerty and the Doobie Brothers. The inclusion of such acts, which in recent years have included “American Pie” singer Don McLean and former Animals lead singer Eric Burdon, Vee said, “was just an experiment that has worked, plain and simple.”
“Two years ago, when we had Lynyrd Skynyrd playing in the Palomino tent, we were taking a chance,” she said. “We had no idea how successful it might be. But Paul and I loved the idea, the staff loved it. Walking over that night from the main stage I was shoulder to shoulder with people who were coming to the tent to see them.
“Those tents are magical,” she said of the Palomino and Mustang stages, where more of the fringe acts and country and bluegrass veterans play. “They’re something we pour our hearts into and care so much about. It’s so wonderful to see people learning about new music and learning about old music in those tents.”
Generally, however, she said there’s no single road to assembling the balance of acts that appear each year at Stagecoach.
“We don’t necessarily set out to meet a quota for any given genre,” she said. Nor does she tend to give special consideration to acts from Southern California, although the region generally is well-represented at Stagecoach each year.
“We take it year by year, see what inspires us and go after who we can’t stop listening to.”
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