The time is finally here and the community is gearing up for another season of great music right here in Middlesboro.

“This Thursday we kick off our 10 weeks of free concerts on the lawn,” said Emily Ayers, director of Middlesboro Main Street. “Food vendors will be serving food starting at 6 (p.m.) and new this year, we will feature local artist each week with their work on display. Bring your lawn chairs and enjoy good times with the community.”

Kicking off the series is Parker Millsap, a 2016 Americana Music Association nominee for “Album of the Year” and one of Sir Elton John’s favorite rising stars. Millsap, 26, has a soulful sound and captivating stage presence not to be missed.

“I was learning to trust my instincts and to not second-guess myself, and let the process take me there,” Millsap says in his biography on his website. “I had to remind myself that I’m allowed to have a good time, and not to be so serious all the time. My fiddle player, Dan, always says, ‘It’s not about the destination, it’s the journey,’ and it’s true. I’ve done this enough times that I can make this work, I can make it good. Trust the process and your instincts and learn to trust the universe.”

Millsap rounds out the group’s sound with vocals, guitar, harmonica and banjo to create blends of Americana, country, blues and rock that have drawn comparisons to early Elvis Presley tracks.

Levitt AMP Middlesboro audiences are preparing for a riveting performance from this charismatic artist.

This season, the Levitt AMP Middlesboro Music Series includes an impressive lineup of artists who will perform each Thursday at 6:30 p.m. from July 18 to Sept. 19.

The series will feature a diverse lineup of high-caliber talent spanning genres like bluegrass, country, soul, jazz, R&B, rock n’ roll, blues and more.

Also scheduled to perform are:

• Dwayne Dopsie and The Zydeco Hellraisers on July 25; (Dwayne Dopsie – GRAMMY nominee)

• Ruby Velle & the Soulphonics on Aug. 1;

• Brent Cobb on Aug. 8 (GRAMMY nominee);

• Heather Newman on Aug. 15;

• Sammy Miller and The Congregation on Aug. 22; (Sammy Miller – GRAMMY nominee)

• Larkin Poe on Aug. 29;

• Southern Avenue on Sept. 5;

• Sister Sadie on Sept. 12; (GRAMMY nominee)

• Mike Farris & the Fortunate Few on Sept. 19; (Mike Farris – GRAMMY winner).

The public is invited to bring their blankets and lawn chairs to the concerts, which will have an open lawn setting.

The Levitt AMP concert series is located at 2005 West Cumberland Avenue, Middlesboro, KY 40965 next to Fountain Square. Admission is free.

Visit concerts.levittamp.org/middlesboro for a full schedule of concerts, directions and information on parking and wheelchair accessibility.

Last November, Middlesboro was named one of three small to mid-sized towns and cities across America to be awarded multi-year funding to present the Levitt AMP Music Series in their towns for the next three years with $25K in matching funds.

Middlesboro Main Street, with additional support from Bell County Tourism, is the local sponsoring agency for the Levitt AMP program.