Jana Kramer Concert Cancelled In Ocean City

Jana Kramer Concert Cancelled In Ocean City
1 Jana official 2

OCEAN CITY — Due to scheduling conflicts with a network television show, rising country music artist Jana Kramer will not be performing next weekend in Ocean City as planned.

Kramer was slated to take the stage for one show at the Ocean City Performing Arts Center on Saturday, Oct. 8 as part of the 19th Annual Endless Summer Cruisin Car Show, which begins next Thursday, Oct. 6.

Kramer was to be joined on stage by accomplished singer-songwriter Hunter Phelps, who has worked with Florida George Line previously, as well as rising artist Baylor Wilson, who previously appeared on the show Survivor.

Kramer was recently announced as one of the 13 new stars named to the 23rd season of Dancing With The Stars, which airs on ABC. The show began on Monday, Sept. 12. According to promoter Bob Rothermel, a conflict with the television show arose on Monday that ultimately led to the concert having to be cancelled officially on Tuesday.

“Late Monday afternoon I got the call that Dancing With The Stars was requiring a schedule change. Late yesterday the agency decided to pull the plug due to unpredicted scheduling conflicts … in the end, it’s unfortunate but I have learned through all these years that television always wins out,” said Rothermel.

Rothermel was disappointed at the turn of events because Kramer’s booking represented a new approach to live music for his Cruisin event. He also hoped it would broaden the Ocean City Performing Arts Center’s profile as well on a booking front.

“We have had interest in Jana Kramer for about eight months because she’s a rising young country artist. We have been looking for someone to open up a new pathway to another genre of music for our event and the Performing Arts Center,” said Rothermel. “She was a television celebrity and she has some acting chops. She has some charted songs. In July, we started making offers to have her coincide with the car show. In the past, we have gone with the oldies genre. We thought ‘new country’ would be a nice addition to the show as well as the venue. It took a long time for whatever reason to officially book her. Once I learned she was going to be on Dancing With The Stars, I realized that was why it took so long.”

Rothermel added, “Once TV is introduced, you just never know what’s going to happen. Once TV is in the picture, they are the guy driving the bus. It’s all about TV money, sponsors, whatever the director wants…”

Early interest in the Kramer concert was “encouraging,” Rothermel reported, although he did not expect the concert to sell out the 1,200-seat venue.

“We were seeing great ticket sales. We weren’t going to sell it out, but it was very respectable. We were seeing great increases over the last seven to 10 days,” Rothermel said. “Sometimes you swing for the fence, but sometimes you just have to pick up your bat and go home.”

As far as refunds go to those who purchased tickets already, they are available from the original point of sale, whether it be the Roland E. Powell Convention Center Box Office or Ticketmaster.

About The Author: Steven Green

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The writer has been with The Dispatch in various capacities since 1995, including serving as editor and publisher since 2004. His previous titles were managing editor, staff writer, sports editor, sales account manager and copy editor. Growing up in Salisbury before moving to Berlin, Green graduated from Worcester Preparatory School in 1993 and graduated from Loyola University Baltimore in 1997 with degrees in Communications (journalism concentration) and Political Science.