NASHVILLE, Tenn. - September 28, 2009 - Brenda Lee, Ray Walker of the Jordanaires, Manuel and the families of Loretta Lynn and Merle Kilgore are the latest additions to the ever-growing list of celebrities participating in the dedication of the Nashville Music Garden on Tuesday, September 29, 2009. The event will be emceed by long-standing country music television personality Ralph Emery. Recent Country Music Hall of Fame® inductee Barbara Mandrell and GRAMMY® award-winner Lynn Anderson will serve as celebrity hosts. The star-studded open-to-the-public ceremony begins at 10:30 a.m. in the Hall of Fame Park, located at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Demonbreun (across from the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum). In addition to the many sponsors and supporters of this project, the Hilton Nashville Downtown is a primary contributor to this event.
"The Nashville Music Garden will provide a unique experience for our guests to enjoy. We are extremely proud to have this beautiful garden with its great significance right in our backyard," said Ray Waters of Hilton Nashville Downtown.
Among the celebrities already confirmed to attend are Patti Page, Donna Fargo, Little Jimmy Dickens, Jeff Cook of Alabama, Irlene Mandrell, Marty Raybon, Janice Wendell, Mandy Barnett,songwriters Jeffrey Steele, Shane Minor, Bart Allmand, Randy Thomas, Mac Gayden and Buzz Cason, and the families of songwriter Ben Peters, The Big Bopper, Patsy Cline, Hank Williams, DeFord Bailey, Minnie Pearl and Jimi Hendrix. Officials from the State of Tennessee and Mayor Karl Dean will also be in attendance.
"I'm thrilled and so proud that my father Rick Nelson is being recognized with this honor in the Nashville Music Garden. I'm delighted pop is being celebrated with so many wonderful artists in my hometown of Nashville," says Gunnar Nelson, another celebrity guest confirmed to attend the event on September 29.
The Nashville Music Garden is a one-of-a-kind "Garden of the Stars" that pays tribute to the artists, songwriters, authors, television personalities, industry leaders, venues, organizations and icons who have made a positive impact on Nashville's entertainment community. The tribute garden is home to the
Nashville Music Garden Collection, an assortment of over six dozen flowering plants whose names include
Barbara Mandrell, Country Rock Pioneer Rick Nelson, Grand Ole Opry, Minnie Pearl, Pretty Woman, Purple Haze, Elvis, Ring of Fire, Tennessee Waltz, Alabama, Chantilly Lace, Dolly Parton, Kiss an Angel Good Morning, Hank Williams, Reba McEntire, Pam Tillis and Amy Grant, just to name a few.
The first 500 attendees will receive a long-stemmed rose courtesy of
Rio Roses and a hot biscuit from the
Loveless Cafe. The event is FREE and open to the public. For more information, visit
www.nashvillemusicgarden.com.
"The Nashville Music Garden will serve as an impressive collection of roses and daylilies as well as a mixture of music and beauty. Nashvillians, and all Tennesseans, will find this garden a place of which to be proud. Furthermore, it is important to applaud the vision of the LifeWorks Foundation and its supporters in creating this outstanding place of environmental beauty," explains
Derrick Smith of the
Tennessee Department of Tourist Development.
"Essentially, what we've created is a place where people can literally take time from their busy day to 'stop and smell the roses,' and enjoy the beauty of something which transcends today's headlines, poor economy, crazy work schedules, family obligations and other man-made forms of stress. By embracing nature and 'stopping to smell the roses,' we are reminded of our own humanity and we can also learn to celebrate music and Nashville's entertainment community in a whole new way," states
Pat Bullard of
LifeWorks Foundation.
The event is presented by
LifeWorks Foundation in partnership with
Metro Parks & Recreation and is sponsored by
Hilton Nashville Downtown, Nashville Predators Foundation, BSA, Inc. Event Services, AVI-SPL, Rio Roses, Ilex...for Flowers, WSIX, Food Security Partners of Middle Tennessee, Nashville Rose Society, Nashville Symphony, RFD-TV and
Loveless Cafe, with additional support from
MidSouth Roses, Christie's Daylilies, Daylily World, Grayson Couture, American Rose Society, The Cocoa Tree, Purity Dairies, Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum and At Your Service Chauffeuring.
About Metro Parks and Recreation: The Metro Parks and Recreation Department offers a wide variety of facilities and programs. With 115 parks covering almost 11,000 acres of land, Metro Parks offers something for everyone. Programs and services include golf, aquatics, art galleries, community gardens, dog parks, historical sites, greenways, nature programs, sports leagues, visual arts classes, programs for children and seniors and so much more! For more information, visit
www.nashville.gov/parks.
About Hilton Nashville Downtown: Located in the heart of downtown, the Hilton is Nashville's only luxury all-suite hotel with AAA Four Diamond Award status. The Hilton Nashville Downtown is adjacent to the Country Music Hall of Fame, Schermerhorn Symphony Center and Sommet Center while mere blocks to the Nashville Convention Center, LP Field and the entertainment district. An elegant atrium with residential charm and a grand mahogany staircase fills the lavish lobby. Indulge in award winning dining from the world-famous steakhouse The Palm, to the fun and relaxing atmosphere of THE sportsgrille, or a delicious pastry and coffee or specialty martinis with live jazz entertainment at the Parkview Café & Lounge. 15,000 square feet of flexible meeting space is available group meetings or social events. For more information, visit
www.nashvillehilton.com or call
(615) 620-1000. About Nashville Predators Foundation: Established in 1998, the Nashville Predators Foundation strives to meet the educational, social, health and cultural needs of our community by offering unique resources and financial support to local youth-oriented organizations. Through several fundraisers held throughout the year, the Predators Foundation has awarded more than $2 million to Nashville and Middle Tennessee-area charities and community service organizations since its creation. Last season the Predators Foundation gave out over $290,000 to the Middle Tennessee community to organizations including Against the Grain, Bethlehem Centers of Nashville, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee, Martha O'Bryan Center, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville and Safe Haven Family Shelter. For more information please visit
www.nashvillepredators.com and look under Community or call
(615) 770-2321.
About Loveless Cafe: Nationally acclaimed, frequented by celebrities, world travelers and local appetites alike, the Loveless Cafe remains unchanged in the quaint country charm and genuine Southern cooking that has made it an eating landmark of the South since opening its doors in 1951. Named "Top Down-Home Dining Spot" by USA Today, the cafe features an all-day breakfast menu as well as a full line-up of traditional supper selections like fried chicken, pork BBQ and Southern sides. The Loveless Cafe is sure to offer one of the best meals you've ever had. For more information call
(615) 646-9700 or visit
www.lovelesscafe.com.
About The Nashville Rose Society: The Nashville Rose Society, an affiliate of the American Rose Society, is a non-profit, educational organization whose purpose is to encourage interest in roses and to spread the love of roses through educational programs, annual rose shows, and a monthly newsletter
Nashville Rose Leaf with timely information about all aspects of growing America's favorite flower. The society supports public rose gardens in Nashville including The Nashville Music Garden. For more information, visit
www.nashvillerosesociety.com.
About Rio Roses: Rio Roses provides consumers with roses of outstanding quality, extra long vase life, and an amazing selection of over 170 varieties. Florists trust Rio Roses because Rio Roses grows each rose with the utmost care and ensures that every flower meets the highest quality standards in the industry. For more information, visit
www.RioRoses.com.
About Clear Channel Radio Nashville & WSIX: Clear Channel Radio Nashville comprises
WSIX-FM, WRVW-FM, WUBT-FM, WNRQ-FM & WLAC-AM. Clear Channel Radio Nashville is part of Clear Channel Radio, a leading radio company focused on serving local communities across the U.S. with more than 110 million listeners choosing Clear Channel Radio programming each week. The company's operations include radio broadcasting, syndication and independent media representation. Clear Channel Radio is a division of Clear Channel Communications, Inc. (NYSE:CCU), a leading global media and entertainment company. More information on the company can be found at
www.clearchannel.com.
About Brantley Sound Associates, Inc. (BSA Inc.): Founded in 1977, BSA, Inc. has longstanding and established relationships with local and national organizations such as the Nashville Symphony, Vanderbilt University, ASCAP, and events such as Bonnaroo and the dedication of the Nashville Music Garden. BSA, Inc. has the resources and personnel to provide solid staging/scenic solutions for any event whether it's inside or out, small or large...you name it, we can make it happen! BSA, Inc. is an accredited business of the Better Business Bureau. For more information, visit
www.brantleysound.com, or call
615-256-6260.
About AVI-SPL's Hotel and Rental Services: As a division of leading AV integrator AVI-SPL, our in-house audiovisual services teams are expertly equipped to serve your event and production needs. Whether supplying a projector rental for a meeting, or providing sound and lighting production for a full-scale event, we stand ready to serve you!
As part of our unique service, we're a vital part of the catering and banquet teams of Nashville's premiere hotels; including the Hilton Nashville Downtown, Union Station Nashville and the Millennium Maxwell House Nashville. Our clients know that they can depend on us to assist them in impressing their audiences through our knowledge of each property, and providing the right equipment to deliver a distinctive impact. In our role, we strongly value working with the local community of Nashville, and are proud to sponsor the dedication of the Nashville Music Garden! For more information, visit
www.avispl.com or call
615-259-4975.
About the Nashville Symphony: Led by Music Director Giancarlo Guerrero and President and CEO Alan D. Valentine, the Nashville Symphony is today regarded as one of the nation's most creative and innovative orchestras. With more than 140 performances annually, the Nashville Symphony is Tennessee's preeminent cultural institution, offering a range of classical, pops, and jazz concerts; special events; children's concerts; and education and community engagement programs. One of the most active recording orchestras in America, the Nashville Symphony has released a plethora of highly regarded recordings since its relationship with Naxos began in 2000. A champion of American music, the orchestra regularly commissions, premieres and records work by many of this country's most important composers. The Symphony's recent Naxos recording of Joan Tower's Made in America received three GRAMMY® Awards, including Best Classical Album and Best Orchestral Performance. That recording was the orchestra's first at Schermerhorn Symphony Center, known worldwide for its world-class acoustics. For tickets or more information, visit
www.nashvillesymphony.org or call
615.687-6400.
About Food Security Partners of Middle Tennessee: The Food Security Partners of Middle Tennessee is more than 70 organizations and hundreds of individuals joining together to create long-term, sustainable change in our food system through public policy, increased public awareness, and better coordination among people working from farm to fork. Through two main initiatives, Re/Storing Nashville and Growing Healthy Kids, FSP seeks to ensure that all community residents have access to healthy, affordable food raised in a way that promotes the well-being of farmers, farm workers, and the environment. The Food Security Partners is funded by LifeWorks Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Baptist Healing Trust, and the generous support of the community. For more information, visit
www.foodsecuritypartners.org.
About Ilex...for Flowers: Ilex...for Flowers is a full-service floral design company offering distinctive and interesting flowers composed into stunning arrangements for any occasion. We are located at 4548 Harding Road, Nashville, Tenn. 37205 and are a proud sponsor of the Nashville Music Garden. For more information on our company, please call
(615) 385-2800.
About RFD-TV: RFD-TV, LLC - Launched in December 2000, RFD-TV is the nation's first 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week television network dedicated to serving the needs and interests of rural America. Programming includes a wide-variety of shows focused on agriculture, equine, rural lifestyle and traditional music offerings, which are uplinked via satellite from NorthStar Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. Currently, RFD-TV is distributed in over 40 million homes on DIRECTV, DISH Network, Mediacom, Charter, Suddenlink, Bresnan, Verizon FiOS TV, Comcast, Time Warner and Cox cable systems located in all 50 states.
RFD-TV The Magazine, the channel's companion publication currently has over 150,000 subscribers. RFD-TV The Theatre opened in March 2007 in Branson, MO. For more information, log onto
www.rfdtv.com.
About Purity Dairies:
For more than 80 years, Purity Dairies has maintained the highest standards possible to ensure freshness and great taste in its extensive line of dairy products. Purity Dairies was started in Nashville in 1926 by Miles Ezell, and since then has grown to service Tennessee, Alabama and Kentucky. Six hundred employees make up the Purity family, many of whom have been with the company for decades. In 1998, Purity Dairies was purchased by Dean Foods, the nation's leading dairy processor and distributor, and currently produces 150 premium milk products, including milk, cottage cheese and sour cream, and 200 ice cream and frozen products.
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