Stagecoach 2016: Eric Church and Carrie Underwood among our top picks for the festival

The sold-out Stagecoach Country Music Festival is back for its 10th year, and we had such a hard time picking out our five most-anticipated acts that we expanded it to six.

This is just a guide, as there are no bad choices when it comes to festival with more than 60 acts, ruing from April 29-May 1 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio.

• Eric Church: The last time Church headlined the Stagecoach festival in 2014, he famously had to play while battling the wind. With or without wind, expect Church to play his biggest hits like “Springsteen,” as well as songs off his latest album “Mr. Misunderstood.” He performed at the first ever Stagecoach back in 2007 so he might have something special plaed. Church is set to perform at 10:15 p.m. Friday on the main stage.

• Carrie Underwood: Underwood first played the festival in 2008 and retued in 2011, so she has her own history with the event. Like Church, she also might have special plans. The 2005 “American Idol” wier released her album “Storyteller” in October (after “Greatest Hits: Decade #1” in 2014) so expect an entertaining, career-spaing set. Underwood is scheduled to play at 10:15 p.m. Saturday on the main stage.

• Sam Hunt:

A Wednesday press release promises Hunt’s Stagecoach set will feature surprise guests (in a similar vein as The Roots’ jam session at the South by Southwest Music, Film and Interactive Festival earlier this year). Hunt has written for acts like Key Chesney and Reba McEntire and loves music of all genres, so his performance could steal the festival. For his own material, Hunt’s biggest hits are 2014’s “Leave the Night On,” “Take Your Time” and 2015’s “House Party,” which are crowd movers themselves. Hunt is scheduled for 7:25 p.m. Friday on the main stage.

• John Fogerty: Famously the leader of the legendary rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival, he performed at Stagecoach in 2008. His legendary voice still sounds great and you can expect to hear songs from his own material (1985’s “Centerfield” or “The Old Man Down the Road” to Creedence hits like “Proud Mary” or “Lookin’ Out My Back Door.” Fogerty is set for 7:45 p.m. Saturday on the Palomino stage.

• Chris Stapleton: He has the distinction of being the only Stagecoach performer to play the two previous weekends of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival prior to this gig. He made a name for himself in the mainstream world with his performance of “Teessee Whiskey” and “Drink You Away,” featuring Justin Timberlake at the Country Music Awards last November. He’s also helped write songs for people as diverse as Adele and Key Chesney, so there could be a couple of guests. His 2015 album “Traveller” won a ton of awards from the Grammys to the Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music Awards. Stapleton is set for 6:05 p.m. Saturday on the main stage.

• Emmylou Harris: With 13 Grammy Awards, Harris is another artist who could steal the festival. She performed at the first Stagecoach in 2007, and she’s got fans both on stage and in the crowd. Harris’ hits include 1976’s “Together Again” and “Sweet Dreams” to 1977’s “Two More Bottles of Wine” and 1980’s “Beneath Still Waters.” With Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt, she hit No. 1 on the country charts with the 1987 song “To Know Him Is to Love Him.” The next year she hit No. 1 on the same chart with Earl Thomas Conley on the song “We Believe in Happy Endings.” Harris is set to perform at 7:45 p.m. Friday on the Palomino stage.

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For more information, head to www.stagecoachfestival.com