Summer Tour Diary #6 2011

What are we gonna do with a little time off? Some of us have a wife

who has already made plans for what I/we should do during this little

vacation. Ain't that just like a woman. Alas, they have the power, don't

they?

  I write this from the good old easy chair. It's a damn good chair in a

damn good little room where lots of BBS songs have been written. It's my

haven. I'm off the hook for the time being, and figured on letting our

good friends and neighbors how we've been bustin' that ass here lately.

We set up shop at a great studio in Asheville, North Carolina for about

5 days, and recorded some of the best music that's ever come out of this

band and that is no exaggeration, my friends. It will be finished and available

before you know it, and we couldn't be prouder.

  As soon as we finished tracking the last tune, we packed up and headed for

Athens, Georgia to play a show as part of the grand reopening of the historic

Georgia Theater. Holy shit, what a night! I'll say it again…Holy shit, what

a night! Thank you so much to all our great friends who travelled so far to

be a part of this celebration! Zac Brown, Clay Cook and Jimmy Hall were on

hand to pick and sing and put a little icing on the cake. As you may know (I'm

sure you could see all the camera equipment) we were filmed all night for a

live DVD. We've been watching footage being edited, and so many of you look

beautiful out there boogie'n' and singin'. Bless Ya!

We played several outdoor shows up in the Northeast here lately, and had

pretty good luck running from hurricanes and flooding. Good grief, what is

goin' on with Mother Nature? We were lucky, but some were not. We pray for

those people who were hit hard.

We got in some shows with our buddies, the Outlaws. Always a great time to

get silly with those guys. New dirty jokes and whatnot. Plus, good music, and

the tiniest Shetland pony in the entire world.

If you've never been to Stowe, Vermont, it is a beautiful place. the venue

we played is nestled right in the mountains that will be covered in snow

before they know it, I'm sure. I've never snow ski'd and looking at how steep

those mountains are, I ain't sure I want to. Kiddie slope, maybe.

We spent a couple days off in NYC and some of us went to ground zero to pay

our respects. Everyone was so reverent and moved just by the sight of the area.

So powerful. A few days later on the anniversary of 9/11, we got the opportunity

to make a special dedication to all the heroes. Thank you, always.

End of the tour. Nashville, Tennessee. George Jones' 80th birthday. The Grand

Ole Opry. We played it. Who would've ever guessed that after a decade of playing

music together, we would walk onstage at the (sold out) Grand Ole Opry and play

a George Jones medley and a brand new BBS song! I don't know what made me more

nervous…4400 people including Mr. Jones watching us in front, or my Pops watching

us from the back…the first time he'd EVER seen us play. We did good.

Charlie

Photos: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150320610644798.361780.95711459797&type=1

John Jarrard, a Gainesville native, was a well-known Nashville songwriter who penned hits for a number of top country music stars. In his memory, a group of friends, including another well respected Nashville songwriter and Gainesville native, Bruce Burch, organized a special fun-filled benefit concert beginning in 2002.

As this is the Foundation’s 10th annual event, we’re presenting something a little different this year.  For 2011, we will be holding our concert on two nights on Brenau University’s front lawn located at 500 Washington Street, Gainesville, GA.

On Friday night, the show will be held on the front lawn with no tabled sponsorships. This is a standing room / sitting room only show featuring some great artists.

Performers include Blackberry Smoke, and Balsam Range, and one of Gainesville’s own, John Driskell Hopkins (bassist for the Zac Brown Band).

For information on our traditional tabled songwriters show, visit the Saturday event page.

We’ll open the gates at 5:00 PM, concert will begin at 7:00 PM.

Proceeds will go to a permanent endowment fund in John’s name established at the North Georgia Community Foundation, with the proceeds of this annual concert to benefit local charities, including the Good News Clinics, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Hall County, Georgia Mountain Food Bank Fund, and one of John’s favorite causes, Good News at Noon.

TICKETS

Ticket Prices for this event are $20.

Tickets are available at BB&T on Jesse Jewell Parkway and Green’s Grocery.  Tickets are also available from this website by visiting our store. You can also call 770-710-9191 for tickets or more info.

FOOD & DRINK

Food and Drinks will be available for purchase.

SEATING

Lawn seating is available. Bring your low back lawn chair and/or blanket. Come early to pick out your spot! This is an outdoor event, however in case of rain, we do have a rain contingency plan to move the show to Pearce Auditorium located at the same address.

NOT ALLOWED

High back chairs, beach balls or inflatable objects, signs or posters, fireworks/firecrackers/laser pointers, grills or bbq’s, no pets except for service animals for the disabled. NO AUDIO OR VIDEO taping allowed.

Outdoor restrooms provided
- Sinks & Flushable Toilets -

MERCHANDISE

Artists will have CDs available for purchase.  In addition, John Jarrard Foundation merchandise will be available for purchase as well.