PROVIDED In the ’70s, the Charlie B. Ranch Arena hosted ZZ Top an Fleetwood Mac After three successful years, Charlie B. Ranch Arena is hosting their fourth annual Rock the Ranch Music Festival on Sat. Aug. 31 in Seneca, S.C. Not only will the festival showcase talented, touring musicians, but it is giving back to two charities: The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Shriners Hospital for Children.
To rock the ranch with artists like The Steel Woods, Dillon Carmichael, Ashland Craft and more, visit rocktheranchmusicfest.com to purchase tickets. Tickets are $20 for pre-sale and $25 the day of, with kids 12 and under free. The festival opens their gates at 1 p.m. with music starting at 2 p.m.
When we asked Kyle Nicholson, a founder of Rock the Ranch Music Festival, his reasons for starting this festival, he told us about his good friend Michael Gray, who passed away suddenly in 2015.
“Michael and I played music together our whole lives,” says Nicholson, “Michael played guitar and I play bass.” Rock the Ranch is more than just a festival — it is an opportunity to honor Michael Gray and to reboot Charlie B. Ranch Arena to its former musical glory.”
Back in the ’70s, Charlie B. Ranch Arena brought great musical names to its stage, such as Fleetwood Mac, ZZ Top, James Gang, The Marshall Tucker Band, and countless others. The crew of Rock the Ranch are hoping to restore the venue to what it once was — a hub for talented artists and music lovers alike.
And so far, so good — the first three years were such a hit that the festival was able to donate $23,000 back to The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Shriners Hospital for Children, both of which hold a special place in the founders hearts.
“Shriners does amazing work and they help children no matter what,” Nicholson says. Insurance or no insurance, Shriners has touched the lives of the Rock the Ranch family and many others. Similarly, the gentleman who owns the property was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis back in the ’80s, when research and a cure were years down the road. “There will be a cure in our lifetime,” Nicholson says with confidence, thanks to the dedication of The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
