If you go
› What: James Rogers in concert.› When: 7 p.m. today, Nov. 17; doors open at 5:30 p.m.› Where: Alhambra Shriners auditorium, 100 Alhambra Drive.› Admission: $20.› Phone: 423-892-0223.› Website: alhambra shrine.com.
In 2002, James Rogers wanted to perform for friends and family in the North Georgia area where he grew up, and "Home for Christmas" was born.
That December homecoming concert at the Colonnade in Ringgold became a popular annual event for Rogers, who spent almost 30 years performing in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., at places like Dollywood, Music Mansion and Silver Dollar City, before retiring in 2011 and moving back to the Chattanooga area.
This year, though, he has decided to move his holiday show and change its focus. Tonight, Nov. 17, fans will find him at the Alhambra Shrine auditorium doing a benefit for the Shriners Hospitals for Children.
The show will feature many of the numbers Rogers used to do in Pigeon Forge. Songs like "Fly Eagle Fly," a patriotic number that was adopted as a theme song by the Fraternal Order of Eagles, and "I Guard America," which was adopted by the National Guard as its official song.
He'll also do some holiday numbers. "I wanted to shift my focus to do something for the Shriners Hospital," Rogers says. "The Christmas show was wonderful and people enjoyed it, but this was something I wanted to do."
There are 22 Shriners Hospitals for Children in North America. They specialize in orthopaedics, burn care, spinal cord injury and cleft lip and palate issues in young people.
Rogers was born in Chattanooga and grew up in Fort Oglethorpe. During his early career, he was a regular performer locally at the Light Fantastic and later the Station House at the Chattanooga Choo Choo.
Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.