Frankie Ballard is one of those artists you meet and instantly connect with.  He's like that fiend you know all your life.

Last year he stopped by the Hawk studios to perform for a special group of Hawk listeners! Now, everybody knew Frankie for his song Helluva Life, but by the time he left they knew him a little more personally, as the songs he played that day told a story which everyone could relate to.

"I see people relating to the words of these songs," says the Sunshine and Whiskey singer, "using the lyrics to reflect on their own lives."

Now everyone in the Greater Binghamton area will get to know Frankie Ballard as he headlines our inaugural Toyota Country Lights Festival, July 10th at NYSEG Stadium in Downtown Binghamton.

"I've been slugging it out on the road for a long, long time," he says with a characteristic smile, "and it's great when I'm far from home to have people out there know who I am and to feel like we've created a real bond."

Frankie did not receive the overnight success that some artists enjoy.  It all started as a dream when he left his home in Battle Creek Michigan where he studied guitar greats, playing open mic nights and even played drums in a band.  After college he got really serious with his music dream.  Somewhere between playing 200+ nights a year with his band, he found time to visit Nashville once-a-month.

This all paid off as it later led to Frankie opening for some of his idols such as, Kenny Chesney and Bob Seger.  He loves road life and playing for his fans.

"This music was born on the road," he says, "I'm the product of going out and making it happen, finding out what works. My influences fall everywhere from Bob Seger to Howlin' Wolf to Jerry Reed, and through the years it’s all come together in my songwriting and playing. People who listen are going to hear me from top to bottom."

Frankie will join a number of other country acts for a full festival of music, right here in Downtown Binghamton.

The Toyota Country Lights Festival promises to be one of the hottest concert in Binghamton this Summer.  The stadium is the perfect place for a country concert and the night promises to be full of surprises. This is one show you definitely want to see this summer and it's right in our backyard!

More From 98.1 The Hawk