Acclaimed Country Music Star Sunny Sweeney Set to Shine at 35th Rison in the Fall Festival
Sweeney Headlines Full Day of Music Oct. 18
Click Map for Details on Vendors!
RISON – Rison’s premier event, the Rison in the Fall Festival will celebrate its 35th year Saturday, Oct. 18 with a headlining show from acclaimed country artist Sunny Sweeney bringing her honky-tonking Rhinestone Requiem Tour to Rison, Arkansas.
Rison Shine Community Development, Inc. is excited to welcome Sunny Sweeney to Rison, where she will perform her hits “From A Table Away,” “Staying’s Worse Than Leaving,” and new music such as “Diamonds & Divorce Decrees,” from her new album “Rhinestone Requiem” to be released August 1 prior to the festival.
Sweeney will be joined on the Rise Up Rison stage by special guests Thom Shepherd, Coley McCabe and Ernie Halter, as well as Arkansas-based talents Copper Flats and Laura Caroline.
“We’ve got a great lineup of music planned for this year’s festival,” said Douglas Boultinghouse, festival director. “We’ve got one of traditional country music’s torch-carriers with Sunny, a powerhouse hit-songwriting duo with Thom and Coley, the brilliant multi-genre crooner Ernie Halter, rising trio Copper Flats making their mark in Nashville, and Cleveland County’s own Laura Caroline!”
Rison Shine is set to expand the music and fun this year with a second event! The festivities will begin one month prior kicking of the fall season and fair month with the Rison BBQ Cook-Off Saturday, Sept. 6 at the Cleveland County Fairgrounds. This year’s cook-off will feature a grand prize of $1,000 sponsored by Chris Reed Logging, plus a free concert from one of the fall festival’s past acts, Midnight South.
Additional prizes per category (ribs, chicken or cooker’s choice) will be awarded based on participation. A people’s choice contest will also take place. A portion of the entry fees and people’s choice ticket sales will kickstart funding for the 2026 Rison in the Fall Festival.
“Rison Shine is honored to commemorate 35 years of Rison in the Fall with two events that have become traditions for Rison,” said Boultinghouse. “Thanks to our generous sponsors, we have been steadily growing over the years with a strong resurgence over the past five years. And we’re aiming to continue for many more years to come!”
Since its revival in 2019, the festival has welcomed top-billed performances from Charles Esten, Rissi Palmer, David Nail, Julie Roberts, Erin Enderlin and Twitty & Lynn.
Both the Rison BBQ Cook-Off on Saturday, Sept. 6 and the Rison in the Fall Festival on Saturday, Oct. 18 are free for the public to attend.
The 35th Anniversary Rison in the Fall Festival is sponsored by Donnie and Charlotte King, RIson Pharmacy, FBT Bank, Stella-Jones, Gateway Bank, Rison Serenity Wellness Spa, Trotter Ford, EASI, Absolute Health, Edward Jones Advisor Jacob Wilson Cycle & Marine Supercenter, Entergy Arkansas, Buie and Cole Funeral Homes, Green House Cottages of Southern Hills, Connect Bank, ShopWise Grocery, My Berry Patch, Douglas B Design, Cleveland County Herald, Jefferson Regional, Hornaday Mowing, Holt Builder’s Supply, Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield, State Representative Sonia Barker, Cleveland County Auto Parts, Corner Express, C&L Electric, Gentiva Hospice, Rally Networks, Chief Lumber Company, Double M Firearms, 4M Equipment, Tri-W Logging, Remax Platinum Team Jaggers, Triple Cross BBQ, Anytime Smoothie, Pizza Pro, El Girasol Mexican Restaurant, Melhorn Bros. Feed, Big Red’s Feed Trough, Pine Bluff Sand and Gravel, and Stewart’s Hauling.
In addition to Chris Reed Logging, the 2025 Rison BBQ Cook-Off and Concert is sponsored by Premiere Poultry, Scharf Heat & Air, Rison Grind Gym & Fitness, Roy Phillips and Keden Shrum.
Additional activities for the 2025 Rison in the Fall Festival are expected to be announced at a later time.
Festival Food Trucks & Vendors
Rison Shine is accepting applications for vendors for the Oct. 18 festival. Spaces are limited within Main and Third Streets, so vendors are encouraged to sign up now.
Registration forms can be accessed online at www.clevelandcountyarkansas.com or by stopping by the Cleveland County Herald office. Fees are $50 for vendors and $200 for food trucks.
Click Here for Food Truck Registration FOOD TRUCK SPACES FULL
Click Here for Vendor Booth Registration
For more information on vendors, contact Boultinghouse at (870) 510-2433.
BBQ Cook-Off Entries
The entry period for the Sept. 6 BBQ Cook-Off is now open. There is a $50 entry fee per category – ribs, chicken or cooker’s choice.
All cook-off contestants are invited to participate in the People’s Choice Contest. There is no cost to enter other than bring enough barbecue to provide samples to the public who will be judging the contest. The sample sizes will be left to the discretion of each cooker.
The winner of the People’s Choice award will be determined by votes of those who purchase a $10 ticket.
Entertainment Headed to Rison, Arkansas
Sunny Sweeney
Acclaimed country artist and host of SiriusXM’s Sunny Side Up (Willie’s Roadhouse) and Sunny Side of Life (Outlaw Country), Sunny Sweeney will headline the Rison in the Fall Festival on Saturday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m.
Sweeney is set to release her highly anticipated new album, Rhinestone Requiem, on August 1, 2025. A bold, unapologetic return to her roots, the record – which is available for pre-save today – is a sparkling yet soul-baring exploration of resilience, heartbreak, and honky-tonk healing. Leading the way is the album’s debut single, “Diamonds & Divorce Decrees,” also available today.
Crafted with Sweeney’s signature blend of raw honesty and wry wit, Rhinestone Requiem – co-produced by Sweeney with her longtime guitarist Harley Husbands – showcases a more vulnerable and defiant voice than ever before. Drawing on her East Texas upbringing and years of cutting her teeth in the Nashville and Austin music scenes, the album marries traditional country twang with hard-earned truths and a few rhinestones for good measure.
The lead single, anthemic “Diamonds & Divorce Decrees,” sets the tone with its tongue-in-cheek lyricism and ironically upbeat instrumentation, given it details the life of a lady stuck between the beginning and end of a marriage.
“I was moving out of my house in Austin, cause the rent got too high, and it was a sudden decision, but I called my mom and said, ‘hey, can I just store some of my stuff at y’all’s house for a little bit while I figure out what I wanna do?’ My mom is the best, so she said yes, and I moved all my stuff in and basically went on the road,” explains Sweeney of the inspiration behind the song.
“I was a gypsy for a couple years, but finally ended up buying a house and moved all my stuff into my new house – except my safe. It’s like 2 cubic square feet. Very small. She kept saying, come get your stuff, it’s in our way. So after I jokingly told her to put a lamp on it and make it a table, I said, ‘all that’s in there anyway is grandma’s diamonds and my divorce decrees.’ My country songwriter brain kicked on, and I was like wait…what? I have to write that.”
Rhinestone Requiem, recorded at Cherry Ridge Studio in Texas, is a declaration of self-assurance and artistic freedom. Whether channeling heartbreak, joy, or resilience, Sweeney’s songs connect deeply with both women and men, offering comfort, camaraderie, and catharsis. For Sweeney, the goal remains simple yet powerful: to make music that feels like a trusted friend talking directly to the listener.
Sweeney is her generation’s sly country conscience, warm but stubborn, sad but funny, rowdy but thoughtful.
“I am so glad I’ve been able to get this far in this business and still hold my music values,” Sweeney says. “Being independent has given me the freedom to do more of what I want.”
For Sweeney, doing what she wants has meant crafting smart honky tonk for about two decades. “I really do love country music,” she says. “For me, it’s the stories and hooks.”
If anyone has the bona fides to be country music’s loving, defiant standard-bearer, it’s Sweeney. In addition to releasing five critically-acclaimed albums since her 2006 debut Heartbreaker’s Hall of Fame, she has become a trusted song curator and advocate for other artists as the host of her SiriusXM shows. Earlier this year, Sweeney and past Rison in the Fall guest Erin Enderlin toured the country together, sharing the stage with country music icon Trisha Yearwood. Sweeney and Enderlin both co-wrote songs with Yearwood for the star’s upcoming album “The Mirror.”
“We are so thrilled to have Sunny joining us in Rison this year,” said Boultinghouse. “Not only will she be bringing her authentic country music to our town, she will also be bringing our town to the radio through her shows on SiriusXM.”
For more information on Sweeney, visit www.sunnysweeney.com
Thom Shepherd & Coley McCabe
Thom Shepherd and Coley McCabe are a dynamic country duo blending heartfelt storytelling, tight harmonies, and an irresistible mix of songwriting, Americana and Country. They will take the Rise Up Rison Stage at Rison in the Fall at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18.
Known for their engaging live shows, the pair travel extensively, captivating audiences with acoustic-driven performances full of humor, personal stories, and emotional depth. Their sound fuses country roots with a breezy, coastal flair they call “Beach Country”—think heartfelt ballads, feel-good anthems, and palm tree daydreams – Live shows are part concert, part comedy, and part therapy session—filled with laughter, tears and songs that hit home.
As a duo, Thom and Coley are multi-Trop Rock Music Association award winners, as well as individually with Shepherd winning songwriter of the year and McCabe taking home the female vocalist honor. Shepherd also holds honors as the Country Music Association of Texas’ songwriter of the year.
Separately, the husband and wife artists have a proven track record of hits.
Shepherd is the writer of five No. 1 country hits, including “Riding with Private Malone” and “Redneck Yacht Club,” as well as Texas-chart toppers like “Beer Season,” “My Texas,” and “The Night Is Young.” His songs have been recorded by George Jones, Blake Shelton, Easton Corbin, Montgomery Gentry, Colt Ford, Tracy Lawrence and more, with two featured on Grammy-nominated albums.
A Nashville veteran turned full-time touring troubadour, Shepherd’s hit “Always Saturday Night” appears in The Parrot Heads Documentary, and his song “New York to Montana” even inspired a novel.
McCabe is a platinum-selling artist and songwriter from West Virginia who’s shared the stage at the Grand Ole Opry and beyond. A former RCA Nashville recording artist, she is known for “Grow Young With You,” her duet with Andy Griggs featured in the 2000 film “Where the Heart Is,” and the song “Who I Am to You.” She is the co-writer of SheDaisy’s Top-5 smash “Lucky 4 U (Tonight I’m Just Me)” and has cuts with country legends like Loretta Lynn.
“We’re excited to brighten up our fall festival with a fun-filled set of beachy vibes from Thom and Coley,” said Boultinghouse.
For more information, visit www.thomandcoley.com
Ernie Halter
Genre-blending mega talent Ernie Halter will take the Rise Up Rison Stage at 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18.
Halter’s intimate style of songwriting, storytelling and DIY touring have earned him a loyal fanbase of over 500,000 followers, and more than 50 million streams worldwide.
A regular at iconic venues such as The Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, The Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles, and The Bitter End in New York City, he has shared studio and stage with such diverse artists as Brett Young, Lady A, Allen Stone, Neil Young, Justin Bieber, Jason Mraz and more.
His songs have been heard on Good Morning America, Jimmy Kimmel, Army Wives, General Hospital, and HBO’s The Leftovers.
Recently, Halter’s song “Daddy’s Little Girl” (as sung by Nick Edwards on Britain’s Got Talent) has become one of the most watched videos online of 2021 with over 350 million views worldwide.
“Ernie’s been a great friend of mine for many years now,” said Boultinghouse. “I am thrilled to have him on this year’s lineup. Our attendees will be treated to a spectacular set. Trust me, you’re going to love Ernie!”
For more information, visit www.erniehalter.com
Copper Flats
Copper Flats is a country music trio debuting in 2025 made up of band members Brandon Kelly (lead vocals), Jeremy Castaldo (keys/acoustic guitar/electric guitar/background vocals) and Drew Smith (acoustic guitar/background vocals). The trio will take the Rise Up Rison stage at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18.
Copper Flats is already lighting up its followers’ feeds on socials with charismatic personalities and thick country sounds. This Arkansas-based band took the long-term approach to their music by spending six months in Nashville meticulously writing and recording a year’s worth of original songs. Inspired by time with family, the outdoors, and everyday life, the depth of the lyrics tells a story we’ve all lived.
New music is currently streaming on all music platforms.
As longtime founders and musicians in previous projects, the bandmates are no strangers to big stages. If you thought you recognized Smith and Castaldo as original members of Midnight South and supporting musicians for country artist Tyler Kinch, you’d be correct.
Among the three band members, they have shared the stage supporting some of the biggest names in country music, like Kenny Chesney, Parker McCollum, Justin Moore, Dylan Scott, Bailey Zimmerman, Flatland Cavalry, Nate Smith, Randy Houser, Lonestar, Tracy Byrd, Aaron Tippin, Collin Raye, Sammy Kershaw, Tyler Farr, Corey Kent, Jon Langston, Sister Hazel, Easton Corbin and Tanner Usrey.
“The Copper Flats guys are quickly making a name for themselves in Nashville,” said Boultinghouse. “We are honored to have them making their debut at the Rison in the Fall Festival this year.”
For more information, visit www.copperflatsmusic.com
Laura Caroline
Rooted in faith and raised on country, Laura Caroline is no stranger to Rison in the Fall. She has attended the festival many times over the years, but this year will be her first on the stage as an artist. The Cleveland County native will kick off the festival at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18.
Originating from Kingsland, Arkansas—the birthplace of Johnny Cash—Laura carries the legacy of true southern sound in every note she sings. With deep roots in gospel and classic country, her voice tells the story of growing up in the heart of the south, where Sundays were for church pews and every dirt road had a song.
A lifelong performer who took the stage at just four years old, Laura has spent years honing her craft at churches, hometown venues, and events across the region. Now, she’s stepping into her own spotlight, recording original music that blends heartfelt storytelling with a fresh edge. Her upcoming releases capture the spirit of her influences—think 90s country meets front-porch soul—while carving out a sound that’s unmistakably hers.
Set to open this year’s festival, Laura brings a mix of crowd favorites and original songs that stay true to her roots while offering something new. She’s not just honoring the past—she’s building her own chapter in country music.
“Since taking the reins of the festival in 2019, one of the things I love most is using the opening slots to showcase Arkansas-based talents, and it’s even better when the talents have ties to our community,” said Boultinghouse. “When Laura reached out last year looking for events to play in and around Rison, we realized instantly how incredible her musical gifts are and have been finding places for her to sing all over the county. There’s no one better to open up the 35th anniversary of our festival than Laura Caroline.”
For more information, visit www.lauracarolinemusic.com
Midnight South at the BBQ Cook-Off
For the first time, Rison Shine Community Development, Inc. will host a concert from Arkansas’ own Midnight South to wrap up the Rison BBQ Cook-Off at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6 at the Cleveland County Fairgrounds. The event kicks off the fall season leading up to the October festival, and a month of activities with the Cleveland County Fair Association.
Midnight South formed in September of 2021 when friends Matt Sammons and J.L. Jones began writing and playing music together, along with other close friends. The group spent many late nights writing, jamming and brainstorming ideas. Less than two years later, they were named “Vocal Group of the Year” by the Arkansas Country Music Awards Association.
The focal point of the music that emerged was prominent three-part harmonies. Having all grown up singing gospel music in church, as well as being heavily influenced by ’80s and ’90s country bands, such as Alabama, The Oak Ridge Boys, Diamond Rio, and Shenandoah, the band knew that big harmonies were sure to be a mainstay in its new music.
The band released its first single “Better Than A Country Song” shortly after forming. The track is “an ode to the simple way of rural southern living, but also a love song.” This release was closely followed by several subsequent singles: “So Country,” “I Find Home,” “Good Ol’ Days,” and “Girl I Was Looking For.” Recorded and engineered at Studio 2100 in Springfield, Missouri, with Jeff Smith at the helm, they provided the foundation for the band to begin playing shows with original material. For the band’s single, “Girl From Mississippi,” the boys teamed up with Aaron Gillespie (who has produced various country artists and has written with several artists on country radio including Mitchell Tenpenny).
In April of 2022, the band got its first big breakout show opening for Easton Corbin at TempleLive in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Since that first big show, Midnight South has shared the stage with many country music mainstays, some of which include Dylan Scott, Randy Houser, Colt Ford, Tyler Farr, The Josh Abbott Band, Frank Foster, Chris Cagle, Jon Langston, and Texas Hill. After an incredible reception from the home state crowd, things quickly took off from there. An increasingly busy schedule necessitated some personnel shifts, leading to the addition of drummer Darin Davis (Cabot, Arkansas) and lead guitar player Billy Lowe III (Russellville, Arkansas).
In May of 2023, they were selected as one of the eight Jim Beam session artists, performing at the 2023 Gulf Coast Jam in Panama City Beach, Florida. Competing in a “battle of the bands” for a chance to open for Kenny Chesney at the festival, the band won decidedly and got to share the stage with the likes of Lily Rose, Bailey Zimmerman, Chase Rice, and most notably, Kenny Chesney. This marked Midnight South’s biggest show to date as they played for upwards of 25,000 country music fans.
2023 also saw the band nominated for “Entertainer of the Year” and “Vocal Group of the Year “by the Arkansas Country Music Awards Association. Riding high from the stellar performances at Gulf Coast Jam, the band traveled back home on little to no rest – in a van with no air conditioner – bound for the Arkansas Country Music Awards. At the ACMA ceremony, Midnight South performed its first single, “Better Than A Country Song,” and took home the Vocal Group of the Year award, just two days after their monumental performance in Panama City; it was truly a week to remember.
These successes launched the band into a very busy summer and fall tour schedule in 2023 all over the country, including a slot at the 2023 Rison in the Fall Festival opening for David Nail.
That was followed by additional singles: “Best Bar in Town” (March 2024), “I Want It All” (June 2024), “Piece of Me” (September 2024, a duet with labelmate Erin Gibney), and “Villains” (October 2024). Also in 2024, they were honored to score their second Arkansas Country Music Award in as many years in the Vocal Group of the Year category.
The band is set to shine in 2025 with more singles to satisfy its growing fanbase – “One More” (February 2025) and “Loved by You” (March 2025) – with more songs on tap for release in the months to follow.
“We are honored that the guys of Midnight South had such a blast in Rison in 2023,” said Boultinghouse. “Rison Shine can’t wait to launch our newest event by having them perform to cap off the grand prize presentation at the Rison BBQ Cook-Off.”
For more information, visit www.midnightsouth.com