Flawlessly smooth vocals are the trademark of Country and Contemporary Christian music legend Collin Raye, who will headline entertainment at the 2012 edition of the Shasta District Fair, set for June 13-17, in Anderson, fair officials announced Thursday, Feb. 2.

“We are excited. I like Collin Raye and I think he’ll be a good choice for the fair,” said Chris Workman, chief executive officer for the 27th Agricultural District that sponsors the Anderson-based fair and grounds.

Currently touring in Ireland, Collin Raye is scheduled to perform at 8 p.m. Friday, June 15, in the Grandstand Arena, Workman said.

“The Entertainment Group, managed by Allan Folino, is promoting the concert and keeping it as cheap as possible for the fair and for fairgoers,” Workman said.

Bleacher seating is free with admission to the fair while Dress Circle seating nearest the stage is an additional $18 with fair entry, she added.

Dress Circle tickets won’t be available until May 1, Workman said. When sales start, tickets can be purchased online at www.shastadistrictfair.com/Events.cfm or at the fair’s box office on Briggs Street in Anderson, off of Highway 273.

Collin Raye’s first brush with fame came in 1991 with his sentimental hit “Love, Me.” Since then, he has released 16 albums and had four songs hit No. 1 on Billboard magazine’s Country charts.

In April 2010, however, following the death of his 10-year-old granddaughter Haley, Raye turned to Christian music and rededicated his gift for song writing and performing to the glory of his Lord.

Among the old favorites that Raye still performs in concert are such pearls as his 1992 No. 1 hit “In This Life” or other tunes including “Little Rock,” “That’s My Story (And I’m Stickin’ to It),” “I Think About You” and “Little Red Rodeo.”

Nominated five times as Country music’s Male Vocalist of the Year, Collin Raye’s fiery delivery during performances is indelibly passionate, especially when blazing through such powerful rockers as the 1994 hit single “My Kind of Girl,” “I Want You Bad” and the 1998 chart-topping tune “I Can Still Feel You.”

Countless listeners are so touched by Raye’s heartfelt lyrics that his songs are often played at funerals and memorial services. His song “Not That Different” pleads for increased tolerance of others’ differences while his ballad “In This Life” is a wedding ceremony favourite.

His video for “I Think About You” won an award for child advocacy and Raye can often be found supporting such organizations as Al-Anon, Boys Town, First Steps, Special Olympics, Country Cares About AIDS, Catholic Relief Services, Parade of Pennies, Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, Childhelp USA, Silent Witness National Initiative, Easter Seals and Make a Difference Day, among others.

Raye is well known for dealing with social issues in his material. “Little Rock”, for example, tells of a recovering alcoholic; its music video included the number for Al-Anon, as a means of public service announcement

“What If Jesus Comes Back Like That”, from his I Think About You album, is a power ballad that poses questions about the return of Jesus Christ in the modern world.

In “The Eleventh Commandment,” a track from The Walls Came Down, Raye addresses child abuse, suggesting “honor thy children” as an 11th commandment to accompany the Ten Commandments. In the song’s music video, a telephone number for the child abuse hotline ChildHelp USA was included.

In 2001, Clint Black presented Collin Raye with Country Radio Seminar’s award for Humanitarian of the Year in recognition of Raye’s issues-oriented music and his tireless work on behalf of so many worthwhile charity groups.

“I believe in Providence,” Collin Raye was quoted for his website biography. “I believe there’s a reason things happen the way they do. I also believe that if you’ve treated people right and you continue to work hard at your craft, things will happen. I want to keep going. I want hit records. I want to make music.”

A native of De Queen, Ark., Floyd Collin Wray was born on Aug. 22 in either 1959 or 1960. Raye changed the spelling of his last name and dropped his first name when he signed his first recording contract.Raye has earned a trophy case filled with Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music Awards from his 24 consecutive Top 10 Country tunes and his four albums that were certified as platinum with more than a million copies sold.

Raye’s long string of hit songs expose a personal side more than most other artists while still allowing him to explore a compelling variety of musical genres and threads.

His latest recording “Never Going Back” was released April 28, 2009, on Saguaro Road label through a marketing agreement with Time Life Entertainment. It presents an artist who is creating with utmost clarity and connecting with audiences like never before. It is also providing inspiration to anyone going through a difficult period in life.

At the 41st GMA Dove Awards, Never Going Back was nominated for a Dove Award for Country Album of the Year, according to an article published Feb. 18, 2010, by The Tennessean newspaper.

“I’ve always loved being a chameleon and I hate it when labels try to market artists in one format,” Raye said of his latest album. “That’s why there’s a lot of variety on this, from some straight ahead country to some fun rocking songs and a lot of different tones and textures.”

“I remember Time Life ever since I was a kid and they used to sell World War II videos on TV,” recalled Raye with a chuckle. “At first I thought they were going to invite me to re-record my Top 20 hits, but they wound up being open to a brand new album and asked what kind I wanted to make, which basically allowed me to reinvent my mold.”

Amongst the album’s mixture of beautiful love songs (“Take Care of You” and “Without You,” performed with Grammy-nominated Susan Ashton), Eagles-inspired road trip tunes (the title track) and even the comical country barn-burner “Mid-Life Chrysler,” one track stands out as possibly Raye’s most poignant reflection to date.

The album’s lead single and video “She’s With Me” is a spine chilling ballad about his granddaughter Haley, who lived with an undiagnosed neurological disorder of an incredibly severe nature until she died at age 10 in 2010.

“She was fed by a tube and totally bed-ridden to the point where she couldn’t scratch an itch or communicate. She also had congestion that was constantly trying to choke her, so to say it was difficult would be an immense understatement,” Raye said, nearly choking with emotion.

However, keeping with classic Raye tradition, he’s taken that unbelievable hardship and – putting pen to paper – turned out a song that has become a beacon of strength for his family as well as impacting millions of other families around the globe in similar circumstances. The tune eventually was adopted as a theme song for Operation Kids and is helping to further fuel Raye’s superstar status among philanthropic organizations.

“It actually took me a couple years to come up with it, but once I did, I wrote it down in literally 20 minutes,” Raye said. “God not only has given this (song) to comfort my family, but we’ve been pounded daily with stories and emails about people experiencing the same situation. In an autograph line, I’d say 75 out of 100 people want to talk about that song and share their story. It’s turned into something so much bigger than I could ever imagine.”

While “She’s With Me” is currently racing up the charts, Raye’s current lifestyle isn’t ruled by industry accolades, but instead a commitment to family.

“I’ve always tried to name my albums with a double meaning and sometimes they’re a title for a song,” relates Raye. “In this case, it’s the title cut, but it also signifies a right of passage in my career. This isn’t me saying I’m not going to look back since there isn’t a single negative memory associated with my past. Rather I wrote this record to signify a new chapter in my life, where the motivation behind what I do has changed drastically and my overall purpose has become much clearer than it’s ever been before.”

Among his many musical influences, Raye points to The Beach Boys, Elton John, Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings.

For more information, call (530) 378-6789.

UPDATED to correct spelling of promoter's first name.