The next Country Music Showcase at Johnston Community College will pay tribute to the 1950s. Performances of “Let’s Go to the Hop” are scheduled for 7 p.m. Oct. 3 and 2 and 7 p.m. Oct. 4 in the Paul A. Johnston Auditorium on the Smithfield campus, 245 College Road, Smithfield. The following will perform: Greg Tart, Jessica Carter, Hayley Hall, Amy Roberts, Joshua Sullivan and Mel Thompson. Advance tickets are $8 for the matinee and $10 for the evening shows. At the door, admission is $10 for the matinee and $12 for the evening shows. For tickets, call the auditorium box office at 209-2099. The box office is open from 1:30 till 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

A salute to The Beatles

Johnston Community College will present 1964 the Tribute, a Beatles tribute band, at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10, in the Paul A. Johnston Auditorium on the Smithfield campus, 245 College Road. Rolling Stone magazine called 1964 “the best Beatles tribute ever.” Tickets are $25 in advance and $27.50 at the door. For tickets, call the auditorium box office at 209-2099. The box office is open from 1:30 till 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Shawn Colvin in Clayton

Grammy Award winner Shawn Colvin will perform at 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, at The Clayton Center, 111 E. 2nd St., Clayton. To purchase tickets, which are $30, call 553-1737 or go online at www.theclaytoncenter.com. In 1996, Colvin released the platinum-selling “A Few Small Repairs,” which won Grammy’s Record of the Year and Song of the Year for the No. 1 radio single “Sunny Came Home.”

Christian rock

Christian rock group Downhere, with special guest The Michael Gungor Band, will perform at 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, at the Neuse River Amphitheater on the Smithfield Town Commons. Admission is free. Downhere, a Canadian group, will release its new album, “Ending Is Beginning,” on Sept. 23. The follow-up to “Wide Eyed & Mystified” features 12 new songs, plus the bonus track “How Many Kings,” the group’s 2007 hit. Downhere won a Dove Award in 2003, two Juno Awards in 2001 and 2007, a Vibe Award in 2002, two Covenant Awards in 2002 and two Prairie Music Awards in 2001.

Country music in Selma

The next “Country Tonight” music show is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19, at the Ice House Theatre, 112 N. Webb St., Selma. The show will feature Bobby Lynn & The Country Tonight Band, Charlie Flowers, Ginger Thompson and comedian Tater Road. Admission is $10. For reserved seating, call (252) 237-6199.

Reading list

The Johnston County Heritage Center has two new items for sale in its book shop: a booklet on African-American education in Johnston County from 1869 to 1969 and Margaret Maron’s latest mystery novel, “Death’s Half Acre.”

Both books may be purchased in the Heritage Center’s first-floor exhibit hall during normal operating hours: 9 a.m. till 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Also, both may be purchased online through the Heritage Center’s Web site at www.johnstonnc.com/heritage.

The Johnston County Heritage Center is located in the former First Citizens Bank building at the corner of Market and Third streets in downtown Smithfield. For more information, call 934-2836 or e-mail heritagecenter@johnstonnc.com.

International Festival

The 2008 International Food and Music Festival is scheduled from 11 a.m. till 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, at J. Ashley Wall Town Square at Third and Cypress streets in downtown Wendell. The festival will feature food from around the world, games for kids, cultural dancing and music from Shine, Polka Plus and international recording artist Jaime Cortez. Admission is free.

American Music Jubilee

Here are the remaining September dates for the American Music Jubilee variety show at the Rudy Theatre, 300 N. Raiford St., Selma: Sept. 18, 20 and 27. Matinees are at 1:40 p.m. Evening shows are at 7:40. For ticket prices and availability, call 1-877-843-7839.