LAS CRUCES, N.M. — The second annual Las Cruces Country Music Festival will be headlined by the legendary Charlie Daniels Band and rising country music superstar Cassadee Pope. The festival will be held April 24 to 27, 2014, on Main Street in downtown Las Cruces, N.M.

Hosted by the Las Cruces Convention & Visitors Bureau and produced by Helping Hands Event Planning, the festival will be a four-day celebration of country music, including live concerts, a songwriters workshop, artist meet-and-greets, a brunch and fashion show featuring acoustic performances by some of the festival artists, and a New Mexico True Experience, which will include authentic vendors from around New Mexico. The 2014 festival will be held in conjunction with the New Mexico State University Inter-Collegiate Rodeo.

"We are excited to be hosting our second Las Cruces Country Music Festival," said Las Cruces Convention & Visitors Bureau Executive Director Phil San Filippo. "It will be a great opportunity to showcase our dynamic city while at the same time offering country music fans a wonderful event. Country music is a big part of Southwestern culture, and we believe we will attract visitors from many different areas. Most importantly, the Las Cruces Country Music Festival will be a big economic boost to the local economy."

The Charlie Daniels Band will headline Friday night's concerts, while rising star Cassadee Pope (The Voice season 3) will headline the Saturday night stage. Las Cruces singer and songwriter Bri Bagwell will be back to perform in 2014 as well. Other acts include Casey James (American Idol season 9), James Wesley and Chase Bryant.

In addition to a lineup of great country music acts, the festival will include a songwriters workshop from songwriting master Tommy Lee James, whose six No. 1 country songs include "And Still" by Reba McEntire, "A Man This Lonely" by Brooks and Dunn, "If You See Him/If You See Her" by Brooks and Dunn/McEntire, "Wrong Again" from Martina McBride, "What I Really Meant To Say" by Cyndi Thomson and "She's My Kind Of Rain" from Tim McGraw.

A talented multi-genre writer, James' hit songs have also been by diverse artists such as Taylor Swift, Pussycat Dolls, Rascal Flatts, Delta Goodrem, Orianthi, Gary Allan, Trisha Yearwood, 98 Degrees, Lonestar, Emerson Drive, Jo Dee Messina, Easton Crobin, Brian McFadden, Jamelia, Marie Serneholdt, Days Difference, Joe Walsh and One Direction.

Other festival events will include:

• Fiddling Contest – The winner will receive a fiddle autographed by Charlie Daniels and a chance to meet the legend himself.
• New Mexico State University Inter-Collegiate Rodeo – Visitors who purchase a weekend pass to the Country music Festival will also receive free admission to the rodeo, which takes place on the same weekend on the NMSU campus.
• Unplugged at the Farm and Ranch – To conclude the festival, the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum will host a cowboy brunch, acoustic concert and Western wear fashion show in the courtyard of the museum.

Las Cruces Country Music Festival weekend passes, which include access to all concerts, the songwriters workshop and brunch, are $55 per person with a discount for the military and their families. Day passes are $20 per person each day.

For more information including a festival schedule, visit www.lccountryfest.com or call 575-522-1232. For media inquiries or high-resolution photography of the 2013 festival, contact Brooke Traister at brooke@tuckerpr.com or 214-252-0900.

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About Las Cruces:

Nestled in the Mesilla Valley between the Rio Grande River and Organ Mountains, Las Cruces, N.M., is quickly becoming a popular southwestern destination. Visitors can experience 72 holes of spectacular year-round golf and world-class Mexican food. Las Cruces blends a unique variety of special events, attractions, culture and historical sites, as well as superb weather, with 350 days of sunshine per year. For more information on all Las Cruces has to offer, visit www.explorelascruces.com. For media information, contact Brooke Traister of Tucker & Associates at brooke@tuckerpr.com  or 214-252-0900.

About The Charlie Daniels Band:

With more than 50 years in the music business, Daniels is responsible for some of the most memorable county hits, including "Uneasy Rider," "Long Haired Country Boy," "The South's Gonna Do It Again," "In America," "The Legend of Wooley Swamp" and "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," which won a Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group in 1979, as well as Single of the Year at the Country Music Association Awards. Daniels has received numerous accolades, including induction into the Grand Ole Opry and Musicians Hall of Fame, the Pioneer Award by the Academy of Country Music and a star on the Music City Walk of Fame. He is also very passionate about the military, and for the past several years has headlined a special concert each spring at David Lipscomb University benefiting the Yellow Ribbon Program which provides scholarships for veterans.

About Cassadee Pope:

Showcasing soaring vocals and fresh sounds, Cassadee Pope's album Frame by Frame debuted in the upper echelon on the Billboard charts, and her current single, "Wasting All These Tears," is currently No. 12 on the country charts. The Voice (season 3) champion is one of only two solo women in the past five years to top the country charts with a debut release. Selling more than 1.7 million tracks to date, the petite powerhouse also dominated the No. 1 spot on iTunes' All-Genre chart with three of her performances. The Florida native has since opened for Rascal Flatts on her first major country tour and earned a spot singing with the super-group. She has been featured as one of CMT's Next Women of Country and shared her journey in a docu-series on the network, earning millions of viewers each week. She has previously appeared on NBC's America's Got Talent, TODAY, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and VH1's Big Morning Buzz Live with Carrie Keagan and sat in with legendary band The Roots on NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.