Outlaw Square is happy to present the Summer Kickoff in the Square Concert Weekend, featuring free concerts from country music star Ned LeDoux

This third annual event is free of charge to all guests and will officially kick off the summer season at the picturesque Outlaw Square in the heart of downtown Deadwood.

Friday night’s headliner Ned LeDoux, the singer-songwriter and son of country legend Chris LeDoux, has built a career honoring his forebears while still forging his own path. LeDoux, who has been releasing solo music since 2017 but has been a touring musician since his teenage years, has infused all of his records with realistic stories of life as a cowboy, his relationship with music royalty, and the pain and joy that infuses his work.

His first record, Sagebrush, features rock-tinged country jams, built around LeDoux’s approachable delivery and inimitable ability to turn a memorable phrase. Next in Line, released in 2019, proved its title prophetic, introducing LeDoux to a wider audience than ever before. With 2022’s sterling Buckskin, he introduced the renegade spirit of 70s outlaw country into his sound, cooking up simmering jams indebted to his experiences as a ranch hand. On his latest album, touchingly titled Safe Haven (out April 4, 2025) after the tragic loss of his daughter, he uses the memories of those he has lost to help him carry on with joy, celebration, and a faith that they are guiding his work. There’s a tribute to his late father in the form of “One Hand in the Riggin’, which magically features Ned singing along with a vocal performance his dad tracked 20 years ago. Safe Haven is far and away the artistic statements LeDoux has always wanted to make. “My songwriting maturity is more confident than it’s ever been before,” he explains before adding that his fans will still recognize some of his signature style. “There’s also some stuff on here that relates very well with what I’ve done already, because it’s familiar and comfortable.” Safe Haven is an intoxicating blend of risk-taking, bold songwriting, and songs that find LeDoux in his familiar, comfortable territory. Both sides of the coin are equally worthy pursuits, one a reminder of where he’s been, and one an assurance that the path forward is still worth exploring.

Location: Sue Lundberg Memorial Stage