Ice Cube is an announced performer at the 2022 Big Fresno Fair. Photo contributed

Showmen from the realm of rap, country music and comedy are among the first performing acts announced for the upcoming Big Fresno Fair in October.

The Big Fresno Fair is excited to announce the first seven shows as part of its 2022 Table Mountain Concert Series in the Paul Paul Theater presented by Modelo and Toyota – Dwight Yoakam; Ice Cube; KMJ’s 100th Anniversary Celebration featuring Tower of Power and special guest Paul Rodriguez; Midland; Dana Carvey; Phil Wickham and Ladies Night Out Featuring Ashanti and Baby Bash.

This is the first round of entertainment announcements with more to follow to fill the 12 nights of the 2022 Big Fresno Fair. These seven concerts will go on sale first to Big Fair Fan (BFF) Club members, the Fair’s free email newsletter, as part of an online only pre-sale from Tuesday, May 17 at 10 a.m. until Tuesday, May 31 at 11:59 p.m. During this time, any BFF Club member who purchases a Fair concert ticket can also purchase a Fair admission ticket for 50% off; discounted admission and concert tickets must be purchased in the same transaction. Tickets will then go on sale to the general public (online only) beginning Wednesday, June 1 at 10 a.m. The Fair’s Box Office will open August 15.

BFF Club Members will receive a special password via email on Monday before the pre-sale.

More about the entertainment:

Dwight Yoakam – Wednesday, Oct. 5 | Ticket Prices: $50, $40, $35

Dwight Yoakam has sold more than 25 million albums worldwide, and he is a 21-time nominated, multiple Grammy Award winner. He has 12 gold albums and nine platinum or multi-platinum albums, with five of those albums topping Billboard’s Country Albums chart and another 14 landing in the Top 10. Nearly 40 of Yoakam’s singles have charted on Billboard, with 14 peaking in the Top 10. In 2013, Yoakam was granted the Artist of the Year award from the Americana Music Association, the most prestigious award offered by the organization and in 2019 was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in the Songwriter/Artist category at the 49^th anniversary Gala.

Ice Cube – Thursday, Oct. 6 | Ticket Prices: $55, $45, $35

Ice Cube is an award-winning musician, actor, director, producer, civil rights leader and CEO and co-founder of the BIG3 professional 3-on-3 basketball league. Formerly known for his groundbreaking lyrics in N.W.A’s music, Ice Cube left the group at the peak of its popularity to pursue one of the most successful careers in music history. As a solo recording artist, Ice Cube has sold more than 10 million albums while remaining one of rap’s most respected and influential artists and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2016. Beyond music, Ice Cube is a lifelong civil rights activist and the co-author of the Contract With Black America. 

KMJ’s 100th Anniversary Celebration feat. Tower of Power with special guest Paul Rodriguez – Tuesday, Oct. 11 | Ticket Prices: $32, $22, $18

KMJ is celebrating its 100th Anniversary at the 2022 Big Fresno Fair. KMJ began broadcasting on March 23, 1922 and is the 38th oldest licensed and continually operated radio station in America.

For over 50 years, Tower of Power has delivered the best in funk and soul music. Originally a soul band called “The Motowns” consisting of members Emilio Castillo, (the late) Rocco and “Doc” Kupka, the group went on to change their name to Tower of Power, writing songs for East Bay Grease, which defined their sound and landed them with Warner Brothers. Bump City, their 1972 debut for the label, was a hit on both the Billboard 200 and the R&B Albums chart, and netted them the hits “You’re Still A Young Man” and “Down to the Nightclub.” The 70s were a boom period with radio classics such as “So Very Hard To Go” and “What Is Hip?” Castillo says their love of the stage is the same today as it was back in 1968. Tower’s window-rattling grooves and raucous party spirit has been a balm for the soul throughout their half-century existence, but the release of 50 Years of Funk & Soul: Live at the Fox Theater couldn’t arrive at a better time. 

Midland – Wednesday, Oct. 12 | Ticket Prices: $50, $40, $35

Academy of Country Music Award winner group Midland, from Dripping Springs, Texas features lead vocalist Mark Wystrach, guitarist/vocalist Jess Carson and bass player/vocalist Cameron Duddy. Since releasing their debut album On the Rocks in 2017, Midland’s blend of ’70s country-rock song structures and tightly stacked harmonies – with a dose of country traditionalism thrown in for good measure – have brought the group two Top 5 hits on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart (“Drinkin’ Problem” and “Burn Out”); the No. 1 position on Billboard’s Top Country Album Sales chart for their sophomore album Let It Roll (Big Machine Records) and earned praise from outlets such as Rolling Stone, Variety, NPR and Entertainment Weekly.

Dana Carvey – Thursday, Oct. 13 | Ticket Prices: $42, $32, $22

One of Saturday Night Live’s (SNL) talented alumni, comedian Dana Carvey joined the show in 1986, and was a catalyst for SNL’s soar in popularity. With his sharp, quicksilver characters and uncanny ability to exaggerate dead-on impersonations from George Bush and Ross Perot to Johnny Carson and Regis Philbin, Carvey became the darling of the SNL for six solid seasons. During this time, he created some of the show’s most memorable characters, including “Church Lady,” “Garth” of Wayne & Garth fame, Grumpy Old Man and bodybuilding “Hans” of Hans & Franz notoriety.

Phil Wickham – Friday, Oct. 14 | Ticket Prices: $32, $22, $18

Since his self-titled debut in 2006, Phil Wickham has emerged as a leader in the modern worship movement, capturing countless songs that have been sung in churches all around the world. His Gold-certified single, “This Is Amazing Grace,” was his first career No. 1, holding the top spot on the charts for 13 consecutive weeks and was named Billboard’s No. 1 “Christian Airplay Song of the Year” in 2014 and BMI’s “Christian Song of the Year” in 2015, while the anthemic “Living Hope” earned him a GMA Dove Award for “Worship Recorded Song of the Year” in 2019.

Ladies Night Out feat; Ashanti and Baby Bash – Saturday, Oct. 15 | Ticket Prices: $50, $40, $35

Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter, actor and author, Ashanti burst onto the music scene in 2002 with her smash hit, self-titled debut album, Ashanti. It landed the No. 1 spot on both the Billboard’s Top 200 and R&B album charts, selling an astounding 504,593 units in its first week. This set a SoundScan record as the most albums sold by any debut female artist in the chart’s history and granted her a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records. Over the span of her 20-year career, Ashanti has released six studio albums and received a number of illustrious rewards including eight Billboard Awards, a Grammy, two American Music Awards, two Soul Train Awards and six ASCAP Awards.

Baby Bash released his first album Savage Dreams in 2001, which was followed by his sophomore album On the Cool (2002). In 2003, he signed a contract with Universal Records where he then released his first major album, The Smokin Newphew, which ranked 48 on the Billboard 200 and received Gold certification by RIAA. The album included the single “Suga Suga” (alongside Frankie J), which peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100.