Bartow Ford has been giving away a truck during the fall for as long as Bartow Ford President Benny Robles Jr. can remember. He noticed that when it came time for the giveaway, only a few finalists and family members would show up. “I always felt like, especially back in the day, when you hear about a dealership giving away a vehicle, you kind of write it off as a hoax or a gimmick to get people in the door. And we really are giving away an F150,” he said.
“I wanted to come up with an idea where a lot of people would be there from the community, but I wanted it to be fun for the community. There’s no radio spot or TV commercial I can do that’s going to make someone buy a vehicle that day, but if I can have a wonderful time with the community and they have a wonderful time at the dealership, and in the meantime, we raise a lot of money for local charities – that should stay pretty top of mind,” Robles said. “We feel like the community is really what makes Bartow Ford special, whether it’s the employees that we have or the customers that we have – we feel like they’re part of our family. To be able to get together, have a great time, listen to some country music, and give away an F150 sounded like a good idea.”
Last year, the dealership launched Bartow Ford’s Concert on the Lot Series. They’re revving up again for a premier county music concert featuring multi-platinum GRAMMY nominee and CMA and ACM award winner Lee Brice. Joining Brice on the Bartow Ford stage is good friend and country music vocal powerhouse Randy Houser. “We are so excited to bring this entertainment experience to Polk County at a ticket price that makes it affordable for more people in our community,” Robles said. “We promise it will be a night to remember.”
Bartow Ford is partnering with 97 Country and The Dallas Bull for the November 11 event, which will be held at the dealership. Doors will open at 5 pm, and music begins at 6:30 pm. A variety of food and beverage vendors will be on hand. In addition to the night’s entertainment, one lucky concert attendee will win a Ford F150. Contest details will be available on BartowFord.com as the event gets closer.
Bartow Ford is committed to charitable work with organizations like the Achievement Academy and VISTE, and this event will be no different. Tickets, which can be purchased at BartowFord.com, are $31. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Humane Society of Polk County and the Wounded Warrior Project. According to woundedwarriorproject.org, “The WWP mission is to honor and empower Wounded Warriors who incurred a physical or mental injury, illnesses, or wound, co-incident to [their] military service on or after September 11, 2001.” As the concert falls on Veteran’s Day, Robles said, “I also want to take care of the veterans because we appreciate all the sacrifices they’ve made.” Robles said he looks forward to interacting with the community at the event. “I feel like that’s what makes it special, that connection.”
LEE BRICE
When Lee Brice isn’t selling out arenas, writing and recording songs, or building new brands like American Born whiskey, you’ll find the family man with his wife Sara, two young boys, and baby daughter. Meanwhile, with more than 14 million in RIAA-certified sales and streams, and nearing three billion spins on Pandora, Brice continues to enjoy massive success at country radio, digital streaming services, and on the road. Lee is also a GRAMMY nominee, a CMA nominee, and a double ACM award winner, and he’s taken six radio singles to Number One: “A Woman Like You,” “Hard To Love,” “I Drive Your Truck,” “I Don’t Dance,” “Drinking Class,” and “Rumor.” Garth Brooks, Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, and others have recorded his songs, and he’s performed on numerous TV shows, including NBC’s Today, ABC’s The Bachelor, NBC’s The Voice and FOX’s Miss USA 2018. Lee’s “Rumor” is the current single from his fourth studio album, Lee Brice, released November 3, 2017, on Curb Records. The RIAA Certified Platinum single is Lee’s sixth number-one hit, appearing in the top spot on the Billboard, Mediabase Country Radio, and SiriusXM’s “The Highway” Top 30 charts. It has also surpassed 280 million on-demand audio & video streams in the US, with over 300 million worldwide. For more information, go to LeeBrice.com.
RANDY HOUSER
With an inimitable voice, The New York Times describes as “wholly different, thicker and more throbbing, a caldron bubbling over,” Randy Houser racked up three consecutive No. 1 hits and more than four million in singles sales to date with his Stoney Creek Records album How Country Feels. He topped the charts with the title track, “Runnin’ Outta Moonlight” and “Goodnight Kiss” (also his first No. 1 as a songwriter) and earned critical acclaim for his powerful delivery of the Top 5 smash and CMA Song of the Year-nominated “Like A Cowboy.” Houser added a fourth No. 1 to his catalog with “We Went” from his 2016 album, Fired Up. Houser’s sixth studio album, Note To Self, is available now via Magnolia Music Group and
features ten tracks, all co-written by the Mississippi native. Currently in the top 30 and climbing at Country radio, lead single and title track “Note To Self” marked his “powerful return” following 2019’s critically-acclaimed album Magnolia, with MusicRow boasting the Mississippi-native, remains one of country music’s very finest vocalists.” With multiple sold-out shows in 2022, including an at-capacity stop at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, Houser wrapped his coheadlining tour with longtime friend Jamey Johnson and is currently on the road with Cody Johnson. Along with preparing new music and a relentless touring schedule, Houser landed onscreen roles in Martin Scorsese’s upcoming film Killers of the Flower Moon starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, and more, as well as the inspiring The Hill starring Dennis Quaid. For more information, go to RandyHouser.com.
