Artist Updates (7-5-13)

Alison Krauss celebrated her 20th anniversary as a Grand Ole Opry member during a recent Wednesday Night Opry with performances by Krauss and Union Station, bluegrass performer Larry Sparks, Jamey Johnson and more. Krauss was inducted as an Opry member on July 3, 1993. Opry Vice President and General Manager Pete Fisher honored the singer with a commemorative print and spoke about her career.

“Alison truly is the artist’s artist,” Fisher said. “She is looked up to by some of the finest performers in the music industry as truly the best. … For those of us who are destined to go to heaven, you give us a sneak peek of what an angel sounds like.”

Pictured: Alison Krauss and Union Station with Grand Ole Opry Vice President and General Manager Pete Fisher. Photo: Chris Hollo

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Craig Morgan

The 19th Jack Daniel’s/USO “Toast to the Troops” Care Package Stuffing Party will hit Jacksonville, Fla., on July 11 for a fun-filled day at The Jacksonville Landing where dedicated volunteers and the general public will fill 7,500 care packages for servicemen and women serving overseas. Following the event, Craig Morgan will lead an open-to-the-public concert at The Landing’s Courtyard at 7 p.m. Since the first Toast To the Troops event in 2005, 18 stuffing events have created more than 165,000 Operation USO Care packages for troops serving overseas.

“I’ve said it before, but being part of every Toast event over the past eight years has been a really rewarding experience for me,” said Morgan. “Our nation’s service members and their families sacrifice so much for us on a daily basis and I hope everyone will come out and join us for what promises to be a great day to honor and support these heroes.”

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Ross Coppley

Ross Coppley recently kicked off the “Alive After 5” Summer Concert Series in Lexington, N.C., in an appearance that set an all-time event attendance record. The Lexington, N.C. Chamber of Commerce reports that the event reached an unprecedented growth this year and attribute it to the popularity of this rising country star.

“We were extremely pleased with Ross and his band,” stated Burr Sullivan, President of the Lexington, NC Chamber of Commerce. “Ross put his heart and soul into every song and the crowd loved him! We had the largest attendance we have ever had in the sixteen year history of this event and his fans certainly came out to support him!”

“I had a blast,” exclaimed Coppley. “Kicking off the “Alive After 5″ concert series was the perfect way to start my summer! The thing I love most is performing in front of a crowd – and this crowd was on fire! Special thanks to Mr. Burr Sullivan and the Lexington, N.C. Chamber of Commerce for inviting me to play.”