Steve Wildsmith

Last month, we talked to Aaron Snukals, marketing and special events director for Smoky Mountain Harley-Davidson — 1820 W. Lamar Alexander Parkway in Maryville — and he revealed some of the names on tap for this year’s “Shed Concert Season,” which kicks off the first weekend in April. He revealed a few names — The Kentucky Headhunters, Blackberry Smoke, Mustang Sally, Todd Snider, Billy Joe Shaver, Ray Wylie Hubbard, James McMurtry, The Flatlanders, Marty Stuart, Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ and Leon Russell among them — and now the first two months of dates have been announced.

Tickets to the following shows go on sale March 1:

• April 6: The Jompson Brothers with the Cathouse Prophets
• April 13: Elizabeth Cook
• April 20: The Flatlanders
• April 27: Big Gun
• May 3: Drivin’ N’ Cryin’
• May 4: Midnight Special
• May 11: Cutthroat Shamrock
• May 17: Blackberry Smoke with the Cathouse Prophets
• May 18: Paul Thorn
• May 24: Leon Russell
• May 25: Shooter Jennings
• May 31: Marty Stuart with the Barstool Romeos
• June 1: Mustang Sally

Obviously, it’s gonna be a busy, crazy spring at “The Shed,” and for the SMH-D folks in general: the Tennessee State H.O.G. Rally takes place in Maryville May 28-June 1, and SMH-D is the rally’s official headquarters and venue. Look for more details on a downtown Maryville street party that will coincide with the rally in the coming weeks. Call “The Shed” at 977-1669 for more information on ticket prices; shows all start at 8 p.m. If you have the scratch, your best bargain is a season pass — $195 for every show at “The Shed” this season (barring extra special events, of course), which runs through October.

Some big names are coming to Blount County when the 2011 concert sesaon kicks off in April at “The Shed” at Smoky Mountain Harley-Davidson (1820 W. Lamar Alexander Parkway in Maryville), and that doesn’t even count “The Shed Sessions” winter series (James McMurtry, Fred Eaglesmith, Ray Wylie Hubbard) that we told you about a few weeks ago.

Over on the website for “The Shed,” venue organizers have shared some of the confirmed dates for the forthcoming concert season. They include:

• April 3: Unknown Hinson
• April 9: Big Gun (AC/DC tribute)
• April 23: John Anderson (of “Swingin’” fame)
• April 30: Todd Snider
• May 27: Mustang Sally
• April 28: Marty Stuart
• June 11: Goose Creek Symphony
• July 1: Ray Wylie Hubbard
• July 2: The Outlaws
• July 30: Blackberry Smoke
• Aug. 20: Bo Bice
• Sept. 3: Kentucky Headhunters

Individual ticket sales are still a ways off, obviously, but here’s a bargain for ya — you can go ahead and purchase a “‘Shed’ Series” pass for $175 that will get one person into all shows this season. Only 200 are available, and they’re on sale now — so be thinking about Christmas for the live music fan in your family. Given that the bigger names are usually $15, that pass is a bargain.

But even if you don’t want to go that route, here’s the beautiful thing about “The Shed” — when it comes to ticket prices, what you see is what you get. If it says $15, that’s the exact charge — no fees, no service charges, nada. You pay the amount the concert lists for. Ain’t that a refreshing thing?

Call the dealership at (865) 977-1669 for more information, or visit the website.