DEADWOOD, SD – Southern rock icons 38 Special are set to return to the Black Hills when they take the stage at the Deadwood Mountain Grand on April 19 at 8 p.m., bringing with them a career-spanning show packed with fan-favorite hits, new music, and the high-energy live performance that has defined the band for five decades.

Formed in 1974, 38 Special has sold more than 20 million albums and built a catalog of guitar-driven classics including “Hold On Loosely,” “Caught Up In You,” “If I’d Been The One,” “Back Where You Belong,” and “Second Chance.”

Now entering its sixth decade, the band continues to tour more than 100 cities each year—something frontman Don Barnes says still surprises people who assume the group has slowed down.

“We still hit 100 cities every year and we bring a high-energy party to the people every time we’re onstage,” Barnes said. “We don’t phone it in. We don’t slack up—we stack up.”

Their upcoming Deadwood performance promises a full retrospective of the band’s career, blending classic MTV-era singles with soundtrack favorites and new material from their latest album, Milestone.

“We unfold that history,” Barnes said. “It’s everything through the history of the band— all the MTV songs, all the movie songs. We did everything. People are high-fiving, singing along… that’s what it’s all about. We bring that party.”

Barnes added that songs like “If I’d Been The One” still spark especially strong reactions from audiences decades after their release.

“People go, ‘Oh, I remember that one,’” he said, recalling the band’s iconic music video featuring fire and stampeding horses filmed in Alberta, Canada.

The Deadwood Mountain Grand show also carries personal meaning for the band. Barnes noted that 38 Special has longstanding ties to the venue and the town itself.

“We love that town,” he said. “When they first opened [the Grand], we did a free show for it. It’s always a good time with the old friends and the fans out there.”

That connection has helped make each Black Hills appearance feel more like a reunion than a stop on a tour schedule.

Beyond the nostalgia, 38 Special is still looking forward. Their latest release, Milestone, marks the band’s first studio album in more than 20 years and celebrates their 50th anniversary with a modern take on their signature sound.

“After all this time, we wanted to create a more modern 38 Special album,” Barnes said. “When you’re reintroducing yourself to the world, ‘good enough’ doesn’t work anymore.”

The album features new collaborations and updated production while staying rooted in the melodic, arena-ready rock that first made the band a staple of FM radio. Songs like “All I Haven’t Said” have already drawn strong streaming numbers worldwide.

Even with new material in the setlist, fans can expect the band’s trademark pacing—something Barnes says has been carefully refined over decades of touring.

“We put little mini medleys together—three songs and bang them right up against each other,” he explained. “Hit after hit. By the end of an hour and a half, you’ve taken them to the mountaintop.”

That approach has helped 38 Special maintain a reputation as one of classic rock’s most consistent live acts, capable of turning longtime listeners into first-time believers night after night.

The band’s April 19 performance at Deadwood Mountain Grand is expected to draw strong attendance once again.

“We packed that place every time,” Barnes said. “There’s a lot of hungry rock and roll fans out there.”

Tickets for the show are available now through the Deadwood Mountain Grand box office and online ticket outlets. Fans can expect an evening of familiar anthems, new songs, and a reminder that after 50 years on the road, 38 Special still isn’t slowing down anytime soon.