Bill Anderson
Oct 3, 2011
Country Music Hall of Famer Whisperin' Bill Anderson, who is currently celebrating his 50th Opry Anniversary, had a facility erected in his honor on September 17th. Anderson played the inaugural concert at the official dedication of the Bill Anderson Performing Arts Center in Commerce, GA that day.
Plans for the center originally began back in 1997 as a celebration to honor
the 40th Anniversary of WJJC Radio, where Anderson once worked as a DJ. The
singer showed up to do a show for his alma mater and before it was over he offered to make it an annual affair, "If the city can come up with something to benefit area families."
As a result, the "City Lights Festival" was born in recognition of the hit song Anderson had written as a teenager, while living in Commerce. The event evolved into a decade of annual concerts and the goal of giving the community a performing arts center within the Commerce High School.
During the dedication Anderson said, "Every brick in that building ought to have somebody's name inscribed on it because somebody helped put it there."
Check out more about the new venue and Bill Anderson at www.billanderson.com.
By Karen Goodner
