#Skinnerfest Lineup Announced

On Sunday, August 18th, more than 40 Oklahoma musicians will gather at Venue Shrine, Mercury Lounge and Burn Co. BBQ at 18^th and Boston in Tulsa to play an intimate festival celebrating the life and songwriting tradition of Oklahoma music hero, Tom Skinner. The festival will benefit Oklahoma musicians in crisis through the nonprofit Red Dirt Relief Fund.

Grammy-nominated songwriter John Fullbright will host VIP Brunch. Backed by a full band, Fullbright will invite guests from the festival lineup to share the “gospel according to Tom Skinner.” A VIP Brunch ticket includes Burn Co. BBQ’s famous brunch, Deep Eddy Bloody Mary bar, Broken Arrow Brewing Co. beer plus admission to the full festival. Following brunch, general admission gates open at Mercury Lounge and Shrine for acoustic song swap sets and eventually full band sets with special guests later in the evening.

Skinner was often quoted for his description of Red Dirt music as “more of a brotherhood and a community thing than it is necessarily a style.” This festival seeks to celebrate that community in a festival atmosphere that will surprise music fans of all genres by showcasing all Oklahoma talent. The festival name comes from Skinner’s song, Skyline Radio. Skinner was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame just four months before his death on July 12, 2015.

Red Dirt Relief Fund is a non-profit organization that provides a safety net of critical assistance to Oklahoma musicians like Tom Skinner who remained a committed supporter of the organization until we lost him in 2015. Nine musicians performing this year have benefitted from RDRF grants. Operated by an all-volunteer Board, RDRF has granted over $160,000 to musicians in the state since 2012.

Now in its fourth year, so-called “Skinnerfest” is proudly presented by Hideaway Pizza along with several local businesses including Tulsa Dental Center that provides low-cost care to Oklahoma musicians through a partnership with Red Dirt Relief Fund.

Advance General Admission ticket are $12 or $50 for VIP (limited) and can be purchased at reddirtrelieffund.org/skyline. GA tickets are $20 at the door. Both GA festival stages are 21+. Brunch is all ages.