By By Lisa Tindell
It's been 27 years in coming. The Oak Ridge Boys will be making an appearance in Brewton on March 8, 2008 at The Brewton Music Festival.
"We have just received our signed contract from the Oak Ridge Boys," Brewton Quality of Life event coordinator Molly Ruzic said Monday. "They will be our headliner group for the year. We're very excited about their being a part of the festival."
The local group of coordinators aren't the only ones excited about the festival. Members of the Oak Ridge Boys are also excited to be making the return to Brewton.
"Playing in Brewton, Alabama is special to me because William Lee Golden was born there and grew up there," Joe Bonsall said Tuesday. "It will feel like a homecoming to all of us because we are all family and share in that love and blessing of being a family. I say it will be a supercharged show in Brewton."
Although last year's event was called The Brewton Songwriter's Festival, the name is being changed to reflect a new attitude, Ruzic said.
"The name is being changed to The Brewton Music Festival," Ruzic said. "The event is something we want to continue, but I believe the name change will give us a better presence for Brewton."
Last year, the Quality of Life committee held a talent competition with winners participating in the event in February. The lineup of entertainment will be different for the newly named event.
Also featured as a co-headliner this year will be Robert Earl Keen, Ruzic said. The singer-songwriter is popular with traditional country music fans, folk music fans, the college radio crowd and alt-country fans.
"We have lined up a performer who is popular among the college-age group," Ruzic said. "He is very talented and will be taking our stage during the festival."
Grayson Capps, a performer from the February event, will be returning for the festival.
"Grayson performed at our last event," Ruzic said. "We are happy about him joining us again. He will kick off the festival at 4 p.m."
The event is set for March 8 and will be held from 4 to 9:30 p.m. at the Burnt Corn Creek Park, Ruzic said.
"We are planning on a large group of people to gather for this event," Ruzic said. "We have already received calls from as far away as Tupelo, Miss., and Shreveport, La. Those who follow these groups are big followers and say they are planning a road trip to Brewton. It sounds as if this is going to be a big event for us in March."
The festival is part of a fund-raising effort by the Quality of Life committee to revamp the Burnt Corn Creek Park near downtown Brewton.
"Last year's event helped us raise enough funds to install a skate park," Ruzic said. "We hope to have the skate park finished in time for this event."
The group is planning other improvements to the public park. In plans revealed last year, the group said an outdoor stage and theater as well as a splash fountain, pergola, concession stand and the skateboard park would all become a part of the park when the renovations and improvements are complete.
Tickets for the March event will go on sale in mid-December, Ruzic said.
"The tickets will be available through TicketMaster in a couple of weeks," Ruzic said. "Anyone can go on line and purchase their tickets through them.
The cost for the tickets will be $25. It's a really great deal for such a big show and the tickets would make great Christmas gifts."