Montgomery Gentry photo courtesy of Sony Nashville.

Country Throwdown 2010, a multi-act outdoor tour produced by the same company that created rock’s annual Vans Warped Tour, has enlisted Montgomery Gentry, Jamey Johnson, Little Big Town and Jack Ingram among the initial acts for a five-week, GAC-sponsored series of concerts next spring. Specific markets and the entire lineup have yet to be revealed, though the Throwdown will feature 21 total acts on an itinerary from May 13-June 20.

“When Eddie [Montgomery] and I were approached about doing the Country Throwdown Tour we immediately said yes,” Montgomery Gentry’s Troy Gentry said. “We loved the idea of it being like a big festival, a big party. I mean, that’s what Montgomery Gentry is all about. We’re keeping the ticket prices low because we know it’s hard out there. Fans are going to get a lot of entertainment for their money. This tour is going to be a great experience for us, the other artists and especially the fans.”

The concerts will boast a trio of stages plus a Bluebird Café Tent that highlights nine singer-songwriters. The experience will be enhanced with lifestyle-appropriate attractions and merchandise. Among the other performers who’ve already signed up are the Eli Young Band, Ryan Bingham, Eric Church, the Lost Trailers, Jonathan Singleton & The Grove and Emily West. Other acts will be disclosed in the future.

“Being part of this tour is a very exciting prospect for us,” Eli Young Band vocalist Mike Eli notes. “It brings together a group of similar-minded artists. And the organizers have done some impressive things with other tours in the past, and from what we’ve seen…we’re excited about what they’re going to do with country music.”

The Vans Warped Tour has been a regular rock attraction for more than a dozen years. Among the previous Warped acts are the All-American Rejects, Paramore, Kid Rock, Katy Perry, AFI, Fall Out Boy and Blink-182.