This year’s Franklin County Watermelon Festival-goers will be treated to the sounds of the “hardest working man in country music” – Aaron Tippin, who will headline Saturday on the mainstage.

“His songs – people relate to the words,” said Chamber of Commerce Director Cassie Medley, in detail the chamber’s choice of Tippin as headliner. “I’ve heard he’s high energy, fabulous on and off the stage, and that’s what you want.”

Tippin is in his 27^th year in country music. His career includes chart toppers like “You’ve Got To Stand For Something,” “That’s As Close As I’ll Get To Loving You” and “Where The Stars And Stripes And Eagle Fly.”

Headlining Friday night of the Aug. 18-19 festival will be 7 Bridges, the Nashville, Tenn., Eagles tribute band. “They were meant to play last year’s festival, and it rained them out,” Medley said. “They warmed up, they sounded awesome, and they didn’t get to play. So we made the decision right then, to have them come back.”

Also taking the mainstage during the weekend festival ­– although the precise schedule has not yet been set – will be Purpose, First Born Sons, the Cadillacs, Southern Heat and the Joseph Baldwin Band.

“This year some people are playing who have never gotten to play (on the mainstage) before,” Medley said. First Born Sons has played during the watermelon contests but not on the mainstage. “They have a great sound,” Medley said. The Cadillacs, also, will be new to the mainstage.

“Some people might not have heard them before, so that gives them a new audience, new followers, new opportunities to get their name out there,” Medley explained. “It also will bring a whole different group of people to the festival to hear their friends, their co-workers, their family. They might not have ever been to the festival before.”