Pro Football Hall of Fame announces opening act for Concert for Legends
CANTON − The Concert for Legends will feature a one-two punch of country music and rock 'n' roll.
Mitchell Tenpenny will open for Nickelback at the Aug. 3 Concert for Legends at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium during the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival.
Tenpenny's music has both country and pop leanings and even soars into the power pop genre on numerous songs.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame says fans will enjoy the mix of music.
"Mitchell Tenpenny and Nickelback appearing at the 2025 Concert for Legends will create an atmosphere of energy and a fun environment for fans," Jim Porter, president and CEO of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, said in a prepared statement. "We are extremely excited to bring these acts together on the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium stage."
Boasting 343,000 followers on Facebook and 442,000 follower s on Instagram, the Nashville native and multi-platinum artist also blends touches of rhythm and blues, bluegrass and rock. Other work draws comparisons in the country genre to Jordan Davis, Thomas Rhett, Nate Smith and Luke Combs.
His biggest song was the crossover hit, "Drunk Me." It reached the top 10 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart.
Downtown concert: Country Fest artist coming to Canton. First ticketed show announced for Centennial Plaza
Who is Mitchell Tenpenny?
Tenpenny, grandson of former Sony/ATV Music CEO Donna Hilley, is a two-time Academy of Country Music Award nominee. He also has garnered nominations for Country Music Assocation and Country Music Television awards, the Pro Football Hall of Fame said in its announcement.
In 2024, he was nominated for CMA New Artist of the Year in a group that included Megan Moroney, Shaboozey, Bailey Zimmerman, Nate Smith and Zach Top.
Tenpenny's most recent single, "Same Moon," is a breezy, up-tempo love song, evoking the pop rock songcraft of John Mayer.
His other popular songs include "Truth About You" and "At the End of a Bar," a collaboration with Chris Young. Tenpenny's 2018 album, "Telling All My Secrets" debuted No. 5 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart.
Canadian rock royalty: Pro Football Hall of Fame announces 2025 headliner for Concert for Legends
Tenpenny's most recent album was the 2024 release, "The 3rd," which features the songs, "Woke Up in a Dream," "Bigger Mistakes," "Not Today," "Make It Rain" and a cover of "Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls.
Outside music, the 35-year-old songwriter has been honored by the American Cancer Society of Tennessee for his work with the ACS Hope Lodge. Started in 2018, Tenpenny's "The 10Penny Fund" has raised more than $500,000 for sustainable and meaningful programs to support cancer patients.
Concert for Legends has history of country
Tenpenny's other shows this summer include the Country Summer Music Festival 2025 on June 28 in Santa Rosa, California.
The Concert for Legends has booked country music stars as the main attraction in the past, including Zac Brown Band in 2023 and Carrie Underwood in 2024. Toby Keith, Brad Paisley and Jimmie Allen played the big show in past years.
Nickelback, however, was a return to the rock music origins of the inaugural Concert for Legends, which featured the legendary Aerosmith in 2015 in a dazzling concert that many Canton-area residents still rave about. Journey headlined the Concert for Legends in 2022, another well-attended event.
Achieving multi-platinum success in the aughts, Nickelback is known for the hit songs " How You Remind Me ," "Photograph" and "Rockstar."
Accolades for Nickelback include being recognized as Billboard's Top Rock Group of the Decade for the 2000s while receiving multiple Grammy nominations and winning three American Music Awards.
The band was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2023 for being "one of the most commercially viable and important acts of the past two decades."
Starting at $75.90 ($55 plus fees), tickets for the Concert for Legends can be purchased at https://www.profootballhoffestival.com.
Reach Ed at 330-580-8315 and ebalint@gannett.com. Follow on Instagram at ed_balint and TikTok @edwardbalint .
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Mitchell Tenpenny opening for Nickelback at Pro Football Hall of Fame
