Northwest-Shoals Community College’s (NW-SCC) Foundation will feature entertainer and renowned musician, Billy Joe Royal, at their 22^nd Annual Pathfinder’s Dinner Monday, Oct. 20, at the Shoals Marriott Conference Center in Florence.

For over 40 years into an impressively resilient singing career, Billy Joe Royal’s voice has not changed. Royal became a local star at Savannah, Georgia’s Bamboo Ranch in the 1950s and 1960s. He is best known for the 1965 U.S. Top 10 pop hit “Down in the Boondocks,” which, along with the singles “I Knew You When” (Top 20, 1965) and “Hush” (1967), were written and produced by Joe South. His 1969 single, “Cherry Hill Park,” peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Royal became one of the first pop performers to successfully revive his commercial fortunes by turning to straight country music. He racked up approximately 15 singles that hit the country charts over the course of the 1980s.

The semi-formal evening will consist of a “meet and greet” reception at 6 p.m., dinner beginning at 7 p.m. and entertainment at 8 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased online via PayPal at www.nwscc.edu/foundation/foundation.shtml.

Tickets are $75, $600 per table (seats eight) and include reserved seating. Tickets are now available at all branches of First Metro Bank.

For more information or tickets, please contact Teresa Harrison 256-331-5215, teresah@nwscc.edu or Adriana Wuotto 256-331-5240, awuotto@nwscc.edu.