Local artists making a splash

1/16/2013

How about Pete Schlegel, the former LifeFlight helicopter pilot from

Defiance?

MTV called him this week to tell him that his video, "It Takes A

Whole Lotta Liquor to Like her," has been approved, and they will be adding it to their VH1 country program.

Pete is also GAC's hot pick artist for December, and he had an ad in

the recent Country Weekly, promoting a search for a national "Liquor to Like Her" girl. He also returned recently from playing at the National Fair Convention in Las Vegas.

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Don't forget the Sunday Ramble, this Sunday from 6-8 p.m. on 97.3

FM. It will feature Christmas selections done entirely by local artists. There will be cuts from The Uptown Country Band, The Ottawa County Bluegrass Band, A.J. Fuller, Tom Silveous, Missy Proppengier, The Rock Bottom Boys, Danny Miller, Phil Leach,

Rodney Parker, Howard Murphy, Bob Galbraith, John Justus, Ten Mile Creek, and Brenda Lou Holdridge & Larry (Butch) Feeback.

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Congratulations to Terri Clark , who recently wrapped her last

opening performance on Toby Keith's successful "Big Throwdown" tour, for reaching gold certification for her current record.

Clark's "Greatest Hits 1994-2004" is her first gold certification in six years, the last being "How I Feel" in 1998.

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Gretchen Wilson joined Travis Tritt on stage last weekend for a

concert in Jacksonville, Fla. She was on stage during his set for a performance of the song "Too Far To Turn Around" from Tritt's "My Honky Tonk History" record. The recording of the song, which Wilson actually co-wrote, features Wilson on backup vocals.

When Tritt chose the song for his album, he had no idea Wilson was

one of the writers. "After we decided to cut it somebody sent along a demo with Gretchen singing, and it had all those high, wailing parts," he explains.

"This wasn't too long after she got signed, and we called her to come

in and sing. She just nailed it. I love her performance, I love the haunting melody and I love the lyric."

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If you're interested in good wrapups on the last year in country

music, you've got a couple of options. The December 20 issue of Country Weekly has a nice wrapup and Country Music Television looks back at 2004 in their special "20 Biggest Headlines,"

which premieres Saturday Dec. 18 at 9 p.m.

Shania Twain, Tim McGraw, George Strait, Reba, Toby Keith, Gretchen Wilson, Kenny Chesney, Big & Rich, Jimmy Buffett, and Keith Urban among others are featured.

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Here's another example of the special people that many country

artists are. The Darryl Worley Outpatient Chemotherapy Clinic opened Dec. 2 at the Hardin County General Hospital in Savannah, Tennessee. Worley was honored with the dedication for his

generous contribution to their facility through the Darryl Worley

Foundation, recognizing his compassion and commitment to his fellow Hardin County residents who battle cancer.

After Worley lost both of his grandfathers to cancer, he realized the

importance of establishing a cancer treatment center in his hometown area. The Darryl Worley Foundation raised funds from the Tennessee River Run, an annual event that began in 2001, to purchase the "hood" that enables the hospital to make the chemotherapy drugs on site and allows the hospital to treat cancer patients on an on-going basis.

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And finally, continue to keep an eye on the lineup that's developing

for Country Concert 2005 in Fort Loramie, Ohio. Tickets went on sale Dec. 1, and the list of committed artists continues to grow.

As of now, that list includes Josh Gracin, Blue County, Sara Evans,

Brad Paisley, Gary Allan, Brooks & Dunn, Phil Vassar, and Montgomery Gentry. For more information, go to www.countryconcert.