Country star Preston Cooper to headline MV Music & Arts Festival

Hometown country music star Preston Cooper will be headlining this year’s Mount Vernon Music & Arts Festival, the organization announced this week.

Cooper, a Cardington-Lincoln High School graduate and former mailman in Fredericktown, will perform Saturday, Aug. 15, at 8:30 p.m. on the main stage.

The 22-year-old started playing guitar and singing with Steamtown Road while in high school. After graduation, he went to work for the U.S. Postal Service where he found fame as “The Singing Mailman” while walking his route at Fredericktown.

Cooper performed all around central Ohio and the Midwest where he was discovered by hit-making legends Brad and Brett Warren. His soulful and blues inspired vocal has drawn comparisons to Chris Stapleton and Bob Seger.

He recently moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where he released his debut album, “Toledo Talkin’" in August 2025. According to his bio, the album wields a mix of raw, organic Country and edge Alt Rock, as evidenced on his show-stopping debut track, “Weak,” emotive “One More Place I’ve Never Been,” shot of nostalgia “Numbers On A Mailbox,” highway rocker “One For The Road,” and personal reflection, “The Takedown.”

Cooper has been touring with Kameron Marlowe and Riley Green, and made his Grand Ole Opry debut on Oct. 24, 2025, getting introduced by legendary Vince Gill.

Cooper will be touring this summer, performing in several festivals, including the Tortuga Music Festival in Florida, Fresh Tracks Country Music Festival in South Carolina, and Country Concert in Fort Loramie, Ohio.

Friday’s headliner at the festival will be Forever Seger, The Silver Bullet Experience, at 8:30 p.m. on the main stage.

Forever Seger is a tribute to the music of Bob Seger. With driving guitars, soaring harmonies and an energy that will lift fans out of their seats, Forever Seger is a true concert that invites audiences to dance and sing along once again to the soundtrack of their lives.

Phil Dirt and the Dozers will open for Forever Seger on Friday night.

“Our Festival team is thrilled to welcome Fredericktown native Preston Cooper back to Knox County. We’re excited to see his career in country music take off. Preston brings a blend of country and alternative rock to his shows. His vocals have already been compared to Bob Seger, so the chance to bring Forever Seger Friday night is also exciting. They will feature a 9-piece band, once of the largest we’ve had on the stage downtown. Phil Dirt and the Dozers are a long-standing festival tradition and bringing them back Friday means a powerhouse night of classic hits and musical creativity.”

The Mount Vernon Music & Arts Festival will run Aug. 14-16 in downtown Mount Vernon.