Dan Smalley Headlines Rally on the Red Free Night of Entertainment

SHREVEPORT, La. (Oct. 27, 2021) – Back for the first time since 2018, the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl Rally on the Red will feature a free night or fun for fans in downtown Shreveport-Bossier City.

Dan Smalley, who hails from Shreveport, will headline the night at the Coors Light Block Party – following 2018 Louisiana Music Prize winners Tipsey and Shreveport-native Kyle Craft. The Coors Light Block Party, alongside the Louisiana Mardi Gras Preview Parade and Pep Rally and Battle of the Bands, will form the Rally on the Red free night of entertainment.

Craft will lead off the Coors Light Block Party on the BOM Stage in the Red River District. Tipsey will follow him from 6-7 p.m., and then two school marching bands will play in a pep rally and battle of the bands at 7 p.m. Smalley will headline the night of music and entertainment at 8 p.m. on the BOM Stage in the Red River District.

During the Block Party, the Louisiana Mardi Gras Preview Parade will start at 5:30 p.m. and run through the Louisiana Boardwalk Outlets. The parade will feature floats from local Mardi Gras Krewes, as well as the two school bands and spirit squads. Floats from the parade will be parked along Commerce Street in downtown Shreveport following the parade. 

Smalley is an Alaska native who came of age in Shreveport and sings his confessional, soul-baring songs with deep conviction. Smalley expresses a fresh take on country music that knows tradition – inspired by the greats of the genre and infused with the swampy sounds of his roots, the gospel of hardwood church pews and the impassioned delivery of R&B. 

Artists like Merle Haggard, Ray Charles, Al Green, and Willie Nelson provided a musical roadmap for Smalley to follow, and the against-the-grain success of Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell, and Sturgill Simpson drew him to Nashville. In the Country Music Capital, he began working with producer Keith Stegall – known for his award-winning work with the likes of Alan Jackson and Zac Brown Band. Ashley McBryde and Dillon Carmichael already have picked up on Smalley’s writing ability, including his songs on their recent albums. Smalley has joined bills alongside McBryde, Nelson, Tim McGraw, Justin Moore, and Dwight Yoakam. 

If I’m Being Honest, Smalley’s debut EP that came out March 2020 via Big Machine Records, draws candidly on his life story to deliver compelling tales of persistence, love and redemption.

Tipsey is not your average cover band. As the 2018 winners of the Louisiana Music Prize, performers at the 2019 Essence Festival in New Orleans, LA, and featured artists in Winter 2020 edition of Essence Magazine, this eight-piece artillery is equipped with poets and lyricists and has original songs that will get any party started. This eccentric, urban band is sure to provide a high-energy, interactive show like no other. With a vast array of influences ranging from Journey to Cash Money with stops in “Soulville,” Tipsey will make fans want to dance the night away.

ABOUT THE RADIANCE TECHNOLOGIES INDEPENDENCE BOWL™:

Established in 1976, the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl™ is the nation’s 11th-oldest bowl game. The 45th edition is slated to match up BYU and a representative of Conference USA on Saturday, December 18, 2021 at 2:30 p.m. CST on ABC. Louisiana Tech recorded the first shutout in the game’s history with a 14-0 victory over Miami in the 44th Independence Bowl in 2019. The Independence Bowl Foundation announced a one-year extension with Radiance Technologies – ensuring they will be the title sponsor through 2025. The bowl’s conference and team agreements, as well as the television agreement, also run through the 2025 season. Army West Point and BYU are slated to matchup against a rotation of the Pac-12 Conference, American Athletic Conference and Conference USA, which will be televised on an ESPN network.

The Independence Bowl Foundation is prevalent in the Shreveport-Bossier City area throughout the year, hosting events to help enhance the economic impact and growth of our community. The Mission of the Independence Bowl is to attract and provide quality, nationally recognized football competition oriented to the Ark-La-Tex region. For more information, visit RadianceTechnologiesIndependenceBowl.com or follow the bowl on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @IndyBowl.