40 years of solid country gold. When it comes to ’90s country, there aren’t many artists higher on my personal favorites list than Shenandoah. The band behind hits like “Two Dozen Roses” and “The Church on Cumberland Road” was formed in Muscle Shoals, Alabama back in 1984 by lead singer (and one of the greatest country vocalists of all time) Marty Raybon, along with drummer and background vocalist Mike McGuire. While they started as a house band, they quickly landed a deal with Columbia Records and released their debut self-titled album in 1987. It was their sophomore album, The Road Not Taken, that made the band a household name with hits like “Sunday In the South” and “Two Dozen Roses,” which along with “The Church on Cumberland Road” became Shenandoah’s first three consecutive #1 hits. Over the next decade, the band was a staple of country radio and became one of the foremost bands of the ’90s with hits like “Ghost In This House,” “The Moon Over Georgia,” “I Want To Be Loved Like That,” and one of my personal favorites, “Janie Baker’s Love Slave.” After taking some time off from the band starting in the late ’90s, Raybon once again became the lead singer of Shenandoah in 2014, and since then the band’s continued to take their hits on the road while also dropping new music in their signature ’90s country style. And now, after four decades as a band, Shenandoah is hitting the road for a massive 40th anniversary tour. Featuring several festival stops, including Rock the Country, Two Step Inn in Georgetown, Texas and the recently announced Alan Jackson’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere Fest in West Palm Beach, Florida, the tour will start later this month in Wickenburg, Arizona and wrap up in Thackerville, Oklahoma in December, with stops in nearly every corner of the country along the way. (I’ve already got my eye on the Nashville date in October). Shenandoah’s one of those bands that seems underappreciated for a group with so many massive hits in their catalog. And if you’ve seen them lately, you know that Marty Raybon’s still got the pipes that he had 40 years ago when they were first getting started in 1984. I always like to remind people to go see your favorite artists while you still have the chance, because they’re not going to be touring forever. Shenandoah is one of those iconic ’90s country bands that every country fan needs to see at least once, and for their 40th anniversary, they’re making sure that everybody will get the opportunity. I know I’ll be there when they make their stop in music city, singing my ass off to all of their many hits. Shenandoah 40th Anniversary Tour Dates: Mar 27 – Wickenburg, AZ – Flying E Ranch Mar 28 – Edna, TX – Red White & Bulls Apr 3 – West Chester, OH – Lori’s Roadhouse Apr 11 – Moncton, NB – Casino New Brunswick Apr 12 – Moncton, NB – Casino New Brunswick Apr 17 – Orange Grove, TX – The Post OG Apr 18 – Georgetown, TX – Two Step Inn Apr 24 – Lancaster, PA – American Music Theatre May 1 – Belleville, TX – Rock the Country May 15 – Rama, ON – Casino Rama Resort May 22 – Monticello, MS – Atwood Music Festival May 23 – Fort Worth, TX – Billy Bob’s Texas May 29 – Bloomingdale, GA – Rock the Country June 6 – Gail, TX – Coyote Store June 13 – West Palm Beach, FL – Alan Jackson’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere Fest June 19 – Hiawassee, GA – Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds June 20 – Patterson, GA – Mossy Pond Lodge June 26 – Gas City, IN – Performing Arts Center June 27 – Blacksburg, SC – Festival July 3 – Charles Town, WV – Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races July 11 – Fortuna, CA – Fortuna Rodeo July 16 – Florence, AL – St. Jude Trail Ride July 17 – Mount Vernon, KY – Renfro Valley Entertainment Center July 22 – Paso Robles, CA – California Mid-State Fair July 23 – Yerington, NV – Night in the Country July 24 – Corona, CA – Dos Lagos July 25 – Fort McDowell, AZ – We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort Aug 1 – Gethsemane, KY – The Amp Aug 5 – Wausau, WI – Wisconsin Valley Fair Aug 8 – Detroit Lakes, MN – WE Fest Aug 9 – Hastings, MI – Rock the Country Aug 14 – North Lawrence, OH – Neon Nights Aug 18 – Lewisburg, WV – West Virginia State Fair Aug 21 – Fairbury, IL – Fairbury Fair Aug 22 – Chippewa Falls, WI – Northern Wisconsin State Fairgrounds Aug 24 – Centre Hall, PA – Grange Fair Aug 28 – Ocala, FL – Rock the Country Sept 11 – Hamburg, NY – Rock the Country Sept 17 – Philadelphia, MS – Ellis Theater Sept 19 – Morehead, KY – Poppy Mountain Bluegrass Festival Oct 3 – Marshall, TX – Bear Creek Smokehouse Oct 9 – Nashville, TN – TBD Oct 16 – Rockdale, TX – Rockdale Fair Oct 17 – Angleton, TX – Brazoria County Fair Nov 14 – Lufkin, TX – Temple Theater Nov 21 – Kingman, KS – Kingman Historic Theatre Dec 4 – Tulsa, OK – Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa Dec 5 – Thackerville, OK – WinStar World Casino & ResortThe post Shenandoah Announces Massive 40th Anniversary Tour first appeared on Whiskey Riff.