Local Drummer Headlines Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Concert For Legends

There must be something in the water in Stark County that produces country, superstar drummers. Last year, the Pro Football Hall of Fame Concert for Legends was headlined by Tim McGraw and pounding away on the high-hats was Washington High School graduate Shawn Fichter.
 
This is the second year in a row the Hall of Fame selected a national recording artist with a Stark County tie. The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced earlier this week that country legend Toby Keith will headline the 2017 Concert for Legends.
 
Leading the way on drums is Dave McAfee, also a graduate of Washington High School, who has been Keith’s lead drummer since 2000.
 
The concert will take place on Aug. 6 at 8 p.m. at the new Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium to close out the 2017 Enshrinement Week Powered by Johnson Controls.
 
"I had no idea we were doing this until this morning," McAfee said during a phone interview with the Canton Rep. "It's going to be quite the event. I'm really looking forward to seeing all my friends and family. Me and my high school class have kept in great touch, believe it or not. I hope they'll be coming."
 
"It's great that gig is for the Hall of Fame," he added about the Aug. 6 concert at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. "I'm a huge football fan, of course. I marched in several of the (Hall of Fame Festival) parades back in the day. I was in the Tiger Swing Band."
 
Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on April 7 via ProFootballHOF.com/tickets or by phone at 844-446-3849. Ticket prices are $45, $60, $80, $99, $130, $180 and $230, and premium and club access seats are $100 and $185.
 
George Veras, the Hall's Chief Operating Officer & Executive Producer said, “Keith is the right fit for the concert because he loves the game and doesn't have another show scheduled for the Cleveland or Columbus area.” And, he added, Keith "really wanted to come."

"This is a very special venue to come to," Veras concluded. "It gets great exposure for the artist beyond just the regular gig. They're a part of history."

Individual tickets for the Aug. 3 Hall of Fame Game between the Arizona Cardinals and Dallas Cowboy and for the Aug. 5 Enshrinement Ceremony will go on sale Friday, March 31. Event packages for the week are already available. http://www.profootballhof.com/tickets/