Black Dirt Days nabs Standing Hampton as headlining act

A popular Central Iowa-based classic rock cover band has been booked as the headliner for this year’s Black Dirt Days festivities in downtown Conrad on June 7 and 8, and according to members of the event committee, it’s one of their biggest gets yet.
           
Standing Hampton has made a name for itself with a high energy mix of 70s and 80s classics from the height of the radio era: namely, artists like Heart, Boston, Journey, Bad Company, Pat Benatar, Bon Jovi, AC/DC, Joan Jett, Steve Miller Band, Queen, Yes and the Eagles. The band has been active for nearly 20 years and consists of Nancy Benson, Tony Benson, Doug Dixon, Tommy Walker, Nathan Maughn and Gabe Brown.
           
Maughn, the bassist, is a 21-year-old Drake University student, while Brown, one of two vocalists, is a Marion native who competed on “American Idol.” The older members like Dixon were on the road with bands before the younger guys were even born.
           
“We started out playing this stuff... It’s the music that we grew up playing and just really enjoyed,” Dixon said. “It’s crazy because “Guitar Hero” came along and “Rock Band” and all the shows on TV, “American Idol” and “The Voice,” and the songs keep getting recycled.”
 
For the full story, see this week's Grundy Register. Subscribe by calling (319) 824-6958 or clicking here.