| June 20, 2010 - 6:16:37 PM |
| Jimmy Buffett Announces Gulf Shores Concert July 1st 2010 to Promote Alabama Tourism |
 |
Update: Jimmy Buffett announces Gulf Shores concert to promote tourism Published: Sunday, June 20, 2010, 4:44 PM Updated: Sunday, June 20, 2010, 4:46 PM  (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)In this May 6, 2006 file photo, Jimmy Buffett performs at the 2006 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in New Orleans. Buffett is planning a concert in Gulf Shores July 1 to promote tourism.
By Sunday, chart-topping beach bard Jimmy Buffett had let the cat out of the bag: He'll be playing the beach July 1, a Thursday, and he'll be bringing some friends.
An announcement posted at www.margaritaville.com said that the CMT cable channel will broadcast "Jimmy Buffett & Friends Live from the Gulf Coast" from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. that day. According to the announcement, Buffett and his Coral Reefer Band will be joined by guitarist Sonny Landreth, the Zac Brown Band, Kenny Chesney, songwriter Jesse Winchester and New Orleans musician Allen Toussaint.
Other details were sketchy Sunday. Buffett's site described the show as "a free musical celebration," while a similar notice at www.cmt.com suggested that ticketing information would be announced soon. Gulf Shores Mayor Robert Craft had said last week that the beach shows might carry a modest admission fee, which would go to wildlife-related charities.
Craft said last week that the city planned to install a stage at the west end of the public beach, similar to one used at the recent Hangout Beach, Music and Arts Festival.
Organizers hope to present five shows this summer, all of them falling in the middle of the week, he said. The bands would donate their time, Craft said, with other costs paid out of money BP PLC gave the state to promote tourism.
According to an Associated Press report, Alabama Gov. Bob Riley applauded the idea and agreed to allow the state tourism department help with production costs.
"This will begin the turnaround to bring tourists back to the beach despite occasional tarballs and help save the summer season," Riley said in a statement. "Millions of Jimmy's fans will see how clean and beautiful Gulf beaches are and many will decide to visit. This being the beginning of the important July the Fourth weekend, it could not come at a better time."
Craft said Friday that the Gulf Shores City Council would discuss the plan this evening, Monday and an official announcement would be made Tuesday.
Buffett's last show in Mobile came in December 1998. That concert at the Mobile Civic Center was a fundraiser for hurricane relief efforts and raised about $450,000 for the cause, according to organizers.
(Press-Register Staff Reporters Lawrence Specker and Ryan Dezember contributed to this report.) |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
