From the Fairfield Glade Vista, July 17, 2009
Steel guitar legends to gather in Crossville to honor the late, great Don Helms
Steel Guitar Legend Don Helms will be remembered during the week of
July 17 & 18 with a golf tournament and three musical shows at the
Palace Theater in Crossville. Proceeds from golf tournament and three
shows at Palace to benefit Shriners Hospital
The Don Helms Memorial Golf Tournament will be held at the Lake
Tansi Golf Course on Friday, July 17 with a shotgun start at 1 p.m. The
tournament includes an Awards Dinner after the tournament provided by
Buddy’s Barbecue.
In addition to the tournament, the Don Helms Guitar Festival will be held at the Palace Theater with three shows:
Friday Night – The John Hughey Tribute Show
The first show is set for Friday night at 7 p.m. when the Palace
Theater will host a tribute show to the late John Hughey. Hughey played
on 54 number one records for Conway Twitty and also worked with Conway
until 1988, then became the steel guitar player for Vince Gill.
His steel guitar could be heard on all of Vince Gill’s recordings
except one. John Hughey passed away on November 11, 2007. Vince said of
his old friend, “There’s no wonder his heart gave out, he gave it all
to everyone else.”
The Friday Night Show will be headlined by singer/sonwriter David
Chamberlain, who has written songs for everyone from George Strait to
Conway Twitty. The band for this show will be lead by legendary steel
guitar player Russ Hicks and Wayne Hobbs, with an All-Star band.
Chamberlain will also have a few surprise guests for this show. Tickets
for this show are $20.
Saturday Matinee – Steel Guitar Jam Festival
At 12 noon on Saturday, July 18, the second show will be held at the
Palace in downtown Crossville. It will consist of an All-Star lineup of
celebrity steel guitar players. This event will be hosted by WSM
Radio’s own Ray Alan. Steel guitarists to sit in on this jam are; the
legendary Billy Robinson, Ron Elliott, Lynn Owsley,
Audie McQuerry, Wayne Hobbs and Russ Hicks. Tickets for the Jam are $10.
Saturday Night Show – Don Helms Tribute
The third show will get underway at 7 p.m. on Saturday night with
all the focus and attention on the man this weekend festival is named
for –Don Helms. The late Don Helms was the steel guitar player for the
late, great Hank Williams, Sr.’s Drifting Cowboy band. He is a music
icon. His steel guitar can be heard on hits by every country music
performer you ever heard of. From Patsy Cline’s “Walking After
Midnight” to Lefty Frizzel’s “Black Veil.” He was largely responsible
for the career of Loretta Lynn.
Don Helms made his last public appearance at Crossville’s Palace
Theater last summer before his untimely death. It is only fitting that
his family chose the same venue for this, the first Don Helms Steel
Guitar Festival and Golf Tournament.
Jett Williams (Hank Sr’s daughter) to headline Sat. Night Headlining
the muscial event is one of the most humble, sincere and powerful
entertainers as traditional country music has ever known, the daughter
of Hank Sr., Jett Williams. It was Jett, who was the last Williams that
Don Helms toured with. Jett will bring her band, The New Drifting
Cowboys, along with several special guests. Tickets for the Sat. night
show are $20.
Tickets are being sold online and in Nashville with advance
promotions being broadcast daily on WSM Radio. Peg Broadcasting in
Crossville is carrying the flag as the official Crossville radio family
of stations. In addition to Crossville Life, local weekly newspapers,
The Glade VISTA and Crossville Chronicle are also involved in the media
blitz.
The City of Crossville is hosting the 3-Show Tribute at their Palace
Theater as well as serving as host for the Friday afternoon golf
tournament. All proceeds raised as a result of tournament entry fees,
and ticket sales for the musical events, will go to benefit Shriners
Hospitals for Children. This event, which is being called the “first
annual” is sure to grow in the years to come.
A combo ticket for all three shows will cost just $40, which is a
savings of $10 off on tickets purchased seperately. If you love music
and want to be in the audience for what will be a historic event, don’t
delay. Call the Palace Theater at 931-484-6133 and buy your tickets.
The Palace only seats 300 people and I expect tickets to fly outta
here. You can also check websites; www.palacetheatre-crossville.com or
www.bigsouthforkopry.com.
Tournament entry info
The tournament is limited to the first 30 four-man teams. Entry fee
per team is $220. Only one team member may have a negative handicap (9
and under), according to the City of Crossville Handicap conversion
table. Total team handicap can be no less than (+2) using the
conversion system on the entry form. Proceeds from the tournament will
benefit Shriners Children Hospital.
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