Meet the Corey Stevenson Band - Your July 5 Chinquapin Summer Concert Series Entertainment 6.16.2026
- Rusty Hampton
- 22 hours ago
- 3 min read
If you’ve been to a concert anytime in the last 30 years, you’ve probably heard someone shout the classic heckle: “Play Free Bird!” Most bands dodge it - the Lynyrd Skynyrd anthem is long, technically demanding, and requires a guitarist brave enough to take on 10 minutes of blistering solos.
Corey Stevenson is not intimidated.
“I love that song,” Corey says. “We will definitely play Freebird.”
So, when the Corey Stevenson Band hits the Chinquapin stage at 6 PM on July 5 for our second Summer Concert Series show, don’t be shy. If the moment feels right, go ahead and call it out: "Play Free Bird!" Corey and his band are more than ready to “cut loose and shine a little bit.”
A Band Built for Any Crowd
If Freebird isn’t your thing, you’re still in luck. Corey’s band brings one of the most diverse setlists you’ll ever hear.
“We play all different styles of music,” Corey explains. “If we start off with Guns N’ Roses and don’t get a reaction, we can flip over and play everything from George Jones to AC/DC to Prince - even dance music. We cover a lot of ground. We play over 400 songs.”
Four hundred isn’t an exaggeration. It’s the product of years of practice, tight musicianship, and a three‑piece band that plays with near‑telepathic chemistry. “The good thing about a three‑piece band is we’re like brothers,” Corey says. “If I start playing something, I don’t even have to tell them what song it is. They just feel it.”
Meet the Musicians
Corey Stevenson (35): Lead vocals and guitar. Started playing at age 10 and still practices eight hours a day.
Jake Keller: Bass. Twenty years of professional experience and a degree in Musical Performance from Western Carolina University.
Lance Sweatt: Drums. A veteran performer who has toured with multiple bands.
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“This is definitely the best band I’ve ever been in,” Corey says.
The group recently released a single, Snake Oil, and their debut album, Loaded 44, drops in October. You’ll hear a couple of originals during the show, but Corey knows the way to keep a summer crowd energized is with familiar hits - along with guitar tricks.
“I’ll do a few of those,” he says. “I try to get everyone involved.”
What to Expect on July 5
If you caught their rain‑shortened set at “Groovin’ on The Green” in Cashiers over Memorial Day Weekend, you already know Corey doesn’t hold back. He played behind his back, behind his head, with his teeth, and even with a beer bottle. At one point he walked off the stage, into the rain, and joined the dancers while continuing to play.
That moment says a lot about the band’s range: they lean into ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd, but Corey’s love for Prince brings a soulful, technical edge that broadens their sound and offerings.
So, get ready - for Freebird, Purple Rain, When Doves Cry, Guns N’ Roses, George Jones, AC/DC, dance hits, and surprises in between. The Corey Stevenson Band is coming to Chinquapin to close out the July 4 weekend with energy, heart, and a loaded playlist.
