Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards will campaign in Roanoke on July 18, with bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley making an appearance.

Edwards will speak and Stanley will perform at 7 p.m. in the Shaftman Performance Hall at Jefferson Center. Former Georgia congressman and television actor Ben "Cooter" Jones will serve as the master of ceremonies.

The campaign event originally had been scheduled for April 19, but was postponed after the shootings at Virginia Tech. Edwards, a former U.S. senator and 2004 vice presidential candidate, had planned to make the Roanoke stop part of a campaign swing devoted to rural issues.

The free event is open to the public, but seating is limited. Those who want to attend, and those who had reserved seats for the April event, should contact Joel Coon at coon@johnedwards.com or (540) 353-8404 to reserve seats for the rescheduled rally.

Edwards will be the first top-tier presidential candidate to stump in Southwest Virginia, though rivals in both parties have made appearances in other parts of the state.