The State Theatre's crowd will enjoy Southern rock and get down to its "American roots" tonight.

The Marshall Tucker Band, along with special guest Richard Sleigh, will play at 8 p.m. in the State Theatre, 130 W. College Ave..

The group released its first LP in 1973, and its latest release, Love Songs, came out this year.

A unique mix between country, rock 'n' roll and blues, the band still plays its classics but also caters to an audience that it says is probably the children of their fans from the '70s.

Kristy Cyone, marketing director for the State Theatre, picked the band for Arts Fest because of their popularity, saying that they are "a fun band, but lighter on the cost," she said regarding ticket prices.

"We try to get a show during the Arts Festival every year that's a little more popular because there's more people in town willing to go out and have something to do that evening," she said. "There's a lot of music and art going in town already, and we like to enhance the experience with a national act."

Cyone said that the band's sound cannot really be defined, saying that what used to be considered country or classic rock is now completely different.

She said that the band's sound is a fusions of the two genres, with a bit of Southern flair.

Their latest release, Love Songs, is a combination of previously released songs and some that were unreleased up until this point, said the band's publicist, Liza Sheketoff. Regarding their shows, she said they do a mix of "old and new."

Lead singer Doug Gray's wife passed away unexpectedly in June, and the band canceled all of their scheduled shows through July 1.

Sheketoff said that the band played a few shows during the weekend of July 4th, so State College will be one of the first venues after the tragedy.

The current lineup of the Marshall Tucker Band has Gray on vocals and tambourine; B.B. Borden on drums; Pat Elwood on vocals and bass guitar; Marcus James Henderson on keyboards and flute; Stuart Swanlund on guitar, pedal steel guitar and vocals; and Rick Willis on guitar, said Cyone.

"Everyone brings something to the table. They seem to have the same basic principle of how they look at their music and come up with the songs," Cyone said.

Cyone is expecting a diverse crowds for the Marshall Tucker Band's show.

She said that classic rock is not just sound for an older crowd.

"I think [the crowd] is really going to be mixed. It's really not just an older crowd. We've had kids in line that were 12 or 13," she said. "And especially during Arts Fest, with families, it's a lot of fun."

Opening act Richard Sleigh plays harmonica, guitar and sings.

He describes his genre as "American roots music," and calls America a melting pot that has come up with its own styles of music. Sleigh also fine-tunes and sells high-end harmonicas.

"The reason I chose American roots music is because I play so many different types, it gives me a lot of leeway," Sleigh said.

"I'm playing music that was written and recorded in the '50s and '60s. I'm an interpreter; I play very little of what I write myself."

Sleigh is excited to open for the Marshall Tucker Band and cites the band as one of his favorites of the '70s, commending both the band's incorporation of the flute and its distinctive sound.

"When I started listening to them again, I was like, wow, I know these songs and they've done some great music," he said.

"It's part of the soundtrack of people's lives, and it's really good stuff."

Sleigh also noted that the State Theatre is a great place to play for any artist, with its great acoustics designed to "amplify the human voice."

He will play for about 40 minutes -- some harmonica and guitar performances and some solo harmonica.

Cyone cited Sleigh's performing experience, saying that he has opened for a

couple of shows at The

State Theatre and has toured with some major performers including Bo Diddley and Taj Mahal.

"He has done studio work, soundtracks, and music for TV, film and radio," she said.

Ticket sales have been consistent, Cyone said.

The State Theatre usually experiences a stall until people start flooding town for Arts Fest, she said.

"On Thursday, I think

we will see a lot of people coming to the ticket window," she said.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.statetickets.org

by phone at (814) 272-0606,

and at the ticket office at

the State Theatre from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.