It’s off to the races, but instead of revving engines reaching the fans’ ears, the familiar notes of country artists will boom from speakers. B-93.7FM will transform US 131 Motor Speedway on June 8 and 9 into a two-day music festival featuring 12 musicians.

What is now called “Birthday Bash” was initiated by B-93.7FM 21 years ago, and since then, country musicians such as Tim McGraw, Trisha Yearwood, Alabama, Martina McBride and Rascal Flatts have headlined the stages.

Taking the stage this year are Hunter Hayes, Billy Currington, Gary Allen, Uncle Kracker, Randy Houser, Tyler Farr, Rachel Farley, Lee Brice, Kacey Musgraves, The Henningsens, Charlie Worshams and Florida Georgia Line.

The radio station set up tents all around southwest Michigan to give away free tickets to the fans, who were allowed up to four tickets every time they waited in line and, with a purchase of B-93.7FM merchandise, received more tickets.

Taking time off from the Dirt Road Diaries Tour with Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line will perform June 9. The country duo began in the fall 2009, said member Brian Kelley.

“We [Kelley and Tyler Hubbard] had mutual friend in Nashville and we kind of hit it off creatively,” Kelley said. “We had something special. We began to write stuff together and performed for the first time in the fall of 2009 and, you know, we kept writing and kept playing anywhere that would have us, and yeah that is kind of how we got our start.”

Florida Georgia Line released its newest album “Here’s to the Good Times” in December.

The duo’s single “Cruise” has sat in the top ten selling songs for the past 14 weeks. Recently Kelley and Hubbard went back to the studio to remix “Cruise” with hip-hop artist Nelly.

The album is for the fans, Kelley said. By taking experiences from their lives and experiences that a lot of their fans can relate to, they create their songs.

“People love to party,” Kelley said. “We just wanted to create something that was fun, something that you know is where our lives are at right now and we are having so many good times and working hard and you know work hard, play hard kind of mentality and reminiscing and good times with friends and family and cold beer, so we just wanted to put out an album that expressed our lives. Our fans are a lot like us so they like to party and crank that music.”

This festival provides the opportunity for Florida Georgia Line to perform alongside other musicians, and they look forward to it, Kelley said.

“We are friends with a lot of other artists and making friends with other ones, too,” he said. “We love when there are festivals and other artists hanging out. We always try to hang out with everybody and have a good time and you know hopefully collaborate one day and write a song or something.”

B-93.7FM will continue to sell tickets up until the event. For more information on the festival visit www.b93.com/pages/birthday-bash-21//.

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