Lee Brice, Justin Moore bringing a country party to Colonial Life Arena

Two country music heavy hitters, Lee Brice and Justin Moore, are co-headlining the “American Made” tour coming to Colonial Life Arena on Friday, Jan. 20. The bill also features newcomer William Michael Morgan.

Brice, a Sumter native, has had four No. 1 songs on the country charts, including “A Woman Like You,” “Hard to Love” and “I Drive Your Truck.” He usually wears a backwards cap.

Moore, usually in a cowboy hat, is touring in support of his 2016 release, “Kinda Don’t Care.”

The 2014 Academy of Country Music New Artist of the Year said he’s excited to be co-headlining after tours supporting artists like Brad Paisley and Brantley Gilbert.

“To be able to do it with my buddy Lee is even more exciting. I’ve been a fan of his for a long time,” Moore said. “Fortunately for both of us, we have a lot of hit records, so you’re going to hear a lot of music that you’re familiar with and can sing along to. It’s gonna definitely be a party every night.”

Moore has scaled back his touring in recent years to spend more time with his family.

“We were a little more selective on this tour to make sure we have time to recharge our batteries. We’re looking forward to getting back out there, especially with a headlining tour and in support of a brand new album,” he said.

Brice is also a family man and is expecting his third child with wife Sara this summer, according to People.

In a news release, Brice said he plans to give audiences a sneak peek into a few songs off his new record, a follow-up to “I Don’t Dance” (2014), during the tour.

He’s already teased one song to Taste of Country. “11 Roses,” he said, is a song about his wife and their engagement story. “It’s like, ‘you’re a bouquet of heaven and I’m just 11 roses.’ ”

“When we put this tour together, we thought about the fans first,” Brice said. “I love playing live, but what’s even more fun is interacting with the amazing people in the audience. That’s what it’s all about.”

Moore said he prefers arena shows over festivals.

“I’ve always enjoyed playing arenas more than festivals. There’s a different feeling that people get in a dark arena. It’s a little more intimate than at some of these festivals in big fields. Plus, we get to use all the gadgets and toys that you can’t use during the day.”

Erin Shaw, eshaw@thestate.com

This story was originally published January 18, 2017 at 3:30 PM with the headline "Lee Brice, Justin Moore bringing a country party to Colonial Life Arena."