Collegedale's patriotic concert features Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder

Fireworks will cap off the East Tennessee Symphony Orchestra's patriotic performance with Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder at Veterans Memorial Park in Collegedale on Sunday, July 3.

There's red, white and bluegrass in store Sunday night, July 3, when the East Tennessee Symphony Orchestra hosts Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder at its annual Independence Day concert at Veterans Memorial Park in Collegedale.

"We've had a long-term goal for a number of years to elevate our patriotic performance and include an artist from Nashville," says conductor Richard Hickam, who is returning from Orlando, Fla., to direct this performance. "Friends of the Festival, particularly Karen Shostak, has been very generous with their time to us. I asked her about which Nashville artists did sets with orchestras, and Ricky Skaggs was one of them. He has performed with the Boston Pops. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Ricky, and he seemed a great match for the East Tennessee Symphony Orchestra."

Hickam says McKee Foods Corp. is sponsoring the headliner's appearance. Hickam says ETSO waited a decade before approaching the maker of Little Debbies about sponsoring a headliner in order to "show our track record of service to the community."

Skaggs - known for hits such as "Country Boy," "Highway 40 Blues," "Uncle Pen" and "Honey (Open That Door)" - primarily plays mandolin, but also fiddle, guitar and banjo. The 14-time Grammy Award winner is credited with helping to regenerate interest in country music after the "Urban Cowboy" period by creating his own sound blending bluegrass and traditional country. His band, Kentucky Thunder, has won the International Bluegrass Music Association's Instrumental Group of the Year eight times.

The audience for this outdoor concert spreads across the broad greenway area of Veterans Memorial Park. Folks arrive early to get a good spot and picnic while they wait. To help entertain early birds, three acts have been scheduled before the ETSO takes the stage at 8 p.m. The Orange Grove Choir will sing at 4:30 p.m. and Teaspoon Sun at 5:15 p.m. Lou Wamp and his band, the VonWamps, will open for ETSO and Skaggs at 6:30 p.m.

The concert's theme is "American Folk Songs." Hickam says the ETSO will open the concert with some patriotic favorites and recognition will be given the Armed Forces. Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder will play a set by themselves before joining the ETSO for about 10 numbers to conclude the show.

"We are premiering a new piece for orchestra and Ricky with Kentucky Thunder written by local composer Joe Lance," says Hickam. "Joe is so gifted as a composer and grew up in Virginia within the bluegrass culture. Some of the other songs we are doing with Ricky are 'Cat's in the Cradle,' 'Highway 40 Blues' 'Uncle Pen' and 'Soldier of the Cross.'"

And as is tradition, the concert will conclude with fireworks.

"It wouldn't be a patriotic celebration otherwise," says Hickam.

Contact Susan Pierce at spierce@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6284.