Country music will take a contemporary twist this weekend as Brad Paisley headlines CMT On Tour with openers Sara Evans and Sugarland at the Bryce Jordan Center Saturday.

"Paisley is probably the newest headline that's been making a significant dent in country music in 2005," said Ben Farrell, a producer at Varnell Enterprises who has helped to produce country artists such as Garth Brooks and Toby Keith. "He's one of the best guitar pickers in the business."

Though Paisley is the main act, Evans' album, Born to Fly, released in 2000, earned her an "Album of the Year" nomination from the Country Music Association, and her 2003 album, Restless, earned her a similar nomination from the Academy of Country Music. As for Sugarland, their 2004 debut album, Twice the Speed of Life, went platinum earlier this year, and last month they won the "Favorite New Breakthrough Artist" award from the American Music Awards.

"Sara Evans appeals to the contemporary-type fans, as well as the more traditional ones," Farrell said. "Sugarland was among the top five in an October 2005 national survey that asked the preference of 12 to 24-year-old country fans. It's a real big show -- a real good one."

Kristian Bush, guitarist and mandolin player for Sugarland, said country music is more open-minded than many other types of music and a lot of bands take their own twist on the genre.

"If anything, we are pop country, or rock country," Bush said. "So many types of music are considered country. I think that's why college kids dig it. Most people in the world like music, not just one type of music, and any genre that is affirming of that particular sort of feeling, that's where everyone wants to be."

Farrell said the show is very applicable to a college-aged audience.

"It's a very hip show, but it does not detract from your basic country fan base," he said.

Bernie Punt, director of public relations at the BJC, said people from all over Pennsylvania are planning on coming to this show.

On a tour with 30 concert dates, State College will most likely be one of the top five selling shows, said Mary Gellott, director of entertainment marketing at Moore Entertainment Group at AEG Live Nashville.

"This is the fourth year for the CMT tour and Brad was the first choice," Gellott said. "It was a mutual agreement between CMT, producers of the tour, and Brad's people. He's at a steady pace with his career. He continues to progress so that he's at superstar status. He's a great guitar slinger and writes a lot of his own songs."

Bush said when it comes to song writing, not all of Sugarland's influences are country.

"We're very singer/songwriter based," Bush said. "Country music is very new for me -- if you looked in my iPod you'd see as much Coldplay as Garth Brooks -- but what's drawing me to country music is its acceptance of the singer/songwriter tradition."

Evans said one of her main goals is going on stage and having a good time.

"It's just a fun group of people to be around," Evans said. "Brad and I get along great -- we have the same sense of humor. Sugarland and Brad both put on awesome shows. This tour is a lot of fun."

Bush agreed that the tour has a laid-back atmosphere.

"It's really loud and we have a blast," Bush said. "We don't like to take ourselves very seriously."