Howdy,
I'm excited and can't wait for my gold Season Pass to arrive. Here's hoping
some folks will be able to join me at Dollywood for a good looking concert
schedule. I'm already clearing my schedule for some of these...
January 29, 1999
Nine Newcomers among 22 acts set for Dollywood
by Terry Morrow, News-Sentinel entertainment writer
Knoxville News-Sentinel
Country stars TRACE ADKINS, JoDEE MESSINA and the KINLEYS have been booked
for Dollywood's Showcase of Stars summer concert series, which begins
Sunday, May 2.
Twenty-two acts are signed to the series, with shows at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Tickets for all concerts go on sale Monday, April 5.
*Nine of the 22 acts have never played Dollywood. Among the theme park
freshmen: RICOCHET, the WILKINSONS, MARK WILLS, DAVID KERSCH, and JUNIOR
BROWN with DEL MCCOURY.
SAWYER BROWN, one of Dollywood's strongest concert draws, is returning after
not playing there for several years. The group had stopped doing arenas that
required more than one show a day.
Dollywood is pulling its October concert schedule for the first time.
By ending its Showcase of Stars in September, the theme park is freeing up
theater space for its hugely successful SOUTHERN GOSPEL JUBILEE FESTIVAL,
says Dollywood publicist Ellen Liston.
The Jubilee showcases live performances by Southern gospel entertainers for
a month.
Meanwhile, Dollywood's concert series in Pigeon Forge has a rival with
Governor's Crossing's summer concert series in Sevierville, which boasts
acts including GEORGE JONES and BILLY RAY CYRUS this summer.
Opryland Productions helped put together the Governor's Crossing series.
"We were looking for a good mix of people when we put this lineup together,"
says Liston.
"Our visitors want the established artists like the STATLER BROTHERS and
GLEN CAMPBELL along with the up-and-comers.
"I think our visitors like to see some artists that they normally can't see
on the road anymore."
Dollywood has yet to announce the date of DOLLY PARTON's benefit shows, the
theme park's strongest concert event of the season.
Traditionally, it is scheduled for Dollywood's grand opening weekend, which
is April 17-18 this year.
Liston said Monday that theme park officials are "waiting to see what kind
of format" will develop for Parton's concerts, benefiting her nonprofit,
education organization called the Dollywood Foundation. It supports
education projects in Sevier County.
Parton was in Nashville this week filming a gospel music special, which will
air in April on TNN, Liston said.
The concert lineup:
May
Trace Adkins, May 2
Darryle Singletary, May 9
Aaron Tippin, May 16
Sawyer Brown, May 23
Sammy Kershaw, May 30
June
LeAnn Womack, June 6
JoDee Messina, June 13
The Kinleys, June 20
Ricky Skaggs, June 27
July
Marty Stuart, July 4
The Wilkinsons, July 11
Mark Wills, July 18
David Kersch, July 25
August
Joe Diffie, August 1
Tracy Byrd, August 8
Junior Brown w/Del McCoury, August 15
Steve Wariner, August 22
Neal McCoy, August 29
September
Ricochet, September 5
The Statler Brothers, September 12
Pam Tillis, September 19
Glen Campbell, September 26
Take care,
Shane Rhyne
Knoxville, TN
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
