Chris Daughtry, who rose to prominence on the fifth season of “American Idol,” will be at the Elkhart County 4-H Fair Saturday, July 21. Tickets will be available online at noon Monday, Feb. 26. (Photo provided)

ELKHART COUNTY — Chris Daughtry, one of the most visible and consistent rock and roll torchbearers of the 21st century, will be at the Elkhart County 4-H Fair Saturday, July 22.

Since rising to prominence on the fifth season of “American Idol,” Daughtry, the front man for the band bearing his name, has released four albums, all of which reached the Billboard Top 10 and have combined sales of more than eight million copies in the U.S.

Daughtry will take the stage at 8 p.m. Grandstand seating is free with paid fair gate admission. Online reserved track seats will go on sale at noon Monday, Feb. 26, by visiting www.4hfair.org.

Thus far the concert line-up for the 2018 Elkhart County Fair includes: Daughtry, Saturday, July 21; NewSong, Sunday, July 22; and Casting Crowns, Monday, July 23. Entertainers for Tuesday, July 25, and Wednesday, July 26, are expected to be announced at the March meeting of the Elkhart County Fair Board.

Online tickets are on sale now for NewSong and Casting Crowns.

Daughtry’s self-titled debut was the best-selling album of 2007, which contained four top 20 hit singles including the Grammy-nominated smash “It’s Not Over.” “Leave This Town” also reached number one in 2009, while 2011’s “Break the Spell” was certified gold. His group’s most recent record, 2013’s “Baptized,” featured the platinum-selling “Waiting for Superman,” which the singer points to as a turning point in his song writing.

Daughtry and his band have been performing together for more than a decade. “Like anything with a ten year relationship, you know more about each other than you do most of your family,” said Chris Daughtry. “It’s a love-hate thing — you get sick of being around them, but after two weeks at home you’re ready to get back out on the road and do it again. The fan base really keeps us alive. That’s the key ingredient to keeping a band together — that’s the gasoline, and without it you can’t run.”

One thing that has kept the fire burning for Daughtry has been the need to constantly challenge himself creatively. He has collaborated with artists from Timbaland to Vince Gill to Carlos Santana and took on the role of Judas Iscariot in the 2016 live television performance of “The Passion,” and even fulfilled a lifelong dream by drawing the cover of a Batman comic rated one of the top 25 covers of the year by BatmanNews.com.

The 2018 Elkhart County 4-H Fair, “Faith, Family, 4-H & Friends – Forming A Better World” runs July 20-28. Discount gate admission tickets and more information about the fair is available at www.4hfair.org.