The Leaf Chronicle (Jan. 15th 2005)

Country joins hunt to feed the hungry

Four major country music singers are pooling their tremendous talent for a benefit concert to help feed the hungry.

Blake Shelton, Craig Morgan, Rhett Akins and John Conlee will pull out their guitars for Craig Morgan's Celebrity Event at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Renaissance Center in Dickson.

Concert proceeds are designated for the Hunters for the Hungry, a cooperative program of the Tennessee Wildlife Federation and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, which has provided 150,000 pounds of properly prepared venison to food banks and soup kitchens across the state since 1998.

"This concert is something that I can do, along with Craig, John and Rhett, to raise awareness for the work that Hunters For The Hungry is doing for the community," says Blake Shelton.

Shelton, whose latest hit "Some Beach" has reached No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles list, is an avid outdoorsman and says he enjoys "hunting as much as I love performing."

"If this show makes more area hunters aware of the organization's efforts to help feed our neighbors and possibly gets them to participate then we're one step closer to keeping those neighbors from going hungry," Shelton adds.

Concert-goers will also get a chance to raise the rafters when Akins and Conlee take over the microphone.

Country music fans may recall Conlee for hit songs like "Rose Colored Glasses" and "The Back Side of Thirty" or his critically acclaimed gospel album "Turn Your Eyes to Jesus."

Akins is a relatively new kid on the block, but quickly building name recognition and a fan base. His single of "That Ain't My Truck" went No. 1 on the charts.

He will kick the party up a notch with songs from his latest album, "Friday Night in Dixie."

Morgan lives in Dickson County, and is a committed parent who recently donated $10,000 to his son's school, Vanleer Elementary, for new musical instruments.

As a performer and songwriter he is on a wave of popularity. His song, "Almost Home," won Song of the Year at the Music Row Awards. And his latest single, "That's What I Love About Sunday" has found a niche with country music radio disc jockeys and fans.