Morgan to headline Country in the Rockies X finale
Country in the Rockies X, the signature fund-raising event for the Frances Williams Preston Laboratories at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, is shaping up to be the “Ultimate Backstage Pass” from start to finish, with award-winning singer Lorrie Morgan slated to headline the all-star finale concert on Saturday, Jan. 31.
In addition, the event has added an online component to the live and silent auctions that raise more than $250,000 annually for cancer research. Bidding is open at www.citr.org.
The celebrity ski-and-music event kicks off in Crested Butte, Colo., on Jan. 27 and includes a long list of artists and songwriters sharing their time and talent to help raise funds to support the T.J. Martell Foundation for Leukemia, Cancer and AIDS Research and the foundation’s Frances Williams Preston Laboratories at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center.
Morgan is just the latest in a star-powered celebrity lineup to be confirmed for Country in the Rockies X. Through her stellar career, Morgan has placed more than a dozen songs in the top 10, including No. 1 hits “Five Minutes,” “What Part of No” and “I Didn’t Know My Own Strength.” Her latest project is Show Me How, her 12th album.
Scheduled artists also include Trick Pony, Mel Tillis, Charlie Daniels, Jo Dee Messina, BlackHawk, Mandy Barnett, Andy Griggs, Anthony Smith, Sherrie Austin, Will Rambeaux, Jessi Alexander, Jon Randall, Paul Overstreet, Kathy Mattea, Lari White, Suzy Bogguss, Deborah Allen, Billy Dean, Gary Morris, Gary Chapman, Robert Earl Keen, Jon Vezner, Chuck Cannon, Doug Crider, Aaron Barker, Dean Dillon, Bob DiPiero, Jeffrey Steele (BMI Country Songwriter of the Year) and Leslie Satcher. Country in the Rockies favorite Tom Gross will return to provide expert commentary during the celebrity ski races and emcee the event. And Soul Incision, a rock-n-roll cover band made up of doctors, nurses, information technology experts, executives and others who work at Vanderbilt University and Medical Center, will be back for a second appearance.
Country in the Rockies X is being billed as a “10-10-10” celebration. It marks 10 years of the Preston Laboratories and Vanderbilt-Ingram, 10 years of Country in the Rockies, and Vanderbilt-Ingram’s ranking among the top 10 places for cancer care in a national survey.
The event has skiing and music at its core, but offers something for everyone. Outdoor activities include snowskiing; celebrity ski races; snowboarding; snowshoeing; dog-sledding; and horseback riding. Indoors, participants can take in all-star concerts on the Club Med stage, informal fireside “guitar pulls” till the wee hours; and a celebrity Happy Hour in downtown Crested Butte.
Silent and live auctions will feature entertainment, travel and dining packages, artwork, sports memorabilia, musical instruments and other items.
Visit www.citr.org to register and to keep up with the growing list of participating artists, auction items and other developments.