By Staff
CUTTIN' A RUG Jo Ann Copeland and Ben Molpus, of Philadelphia, enjoy a dance as Britt Gully and the Water Moccasins perform at the Temple Ballroom during Saturday night's Jimmie Rodgers' festivities. Photo by Paula Merritt/The Meridian Star
By Ida Brown/The Meridian Star
May 6, 2001
At Saturday's final concert of the 2001 Jimmie Rodgers Memorial Festival, organizers were feeling pleased and even discussing plans for next year's event.
And while the evening's entertainment was going on, organizers were brainstorming.
Attendance was steady and increased each night.
An estimated 300-plus were in attendance for the finale, which featured the overall youth and adult winners of the Jimmie Rodgers Talent Contest. The audience, mostly older country music enthusiasts, danced, clapped their hands, patted their feet and swayed to the evening's musical performance.
A major contributor to the success of this year's festival has been a "Jimmie's Back" promotional campaign that included country music singer Britt Gully embarking on an Amtrak tour from Birmingham to New Orleans in the persona of Jimmie Rodgers.
Ida Brown is Lifestyles editor of The Meridian Star. E-mail her at ibrown@themeridianstar.com or call her at 693-1551, ext. 3224.