On Aug. 13, 1970, country music legend Johnny Cash performed at the old LaFayette, Georgia, high school football stadium in front of a massive crowd of more than 12,000.
At the height of his popularity then, The Man in Black drew a crowd that dwarfed the local population at that time. The concert raised $75,000 to pay off the debt on LaFayette High School's Patton Stadium.
A new generation can relive that historic moment when LaFayette: A Triving Community presents a Johnny Cash tribute show in LaFayette's Ross Abney Complex on Saturday, Aug. 10, from 6-9:30 p.m. It's the same venue where Cash rocked the audience nearly 50 years ago.
The concert headliner is Johnny Cash Now, an authentic tribute to Johnny Cash and The Tennessee Three. Starting with Cash's iconic introduction, "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash," performer Gray Sartin and his band will make the audience believe they're experiencing the real thing.
Local favorites Dennis Brown and Friends, featuring Kenny Smith, will also entertain. They'll play a selection of Merle Haggard hits.
Along with honoring Cash, the concert on Aug. 10 is intended to gauge community feedback on what the Ross Abney Complex could become. Should it be an amphitheater for concert series, art festivals, performance art or farmers markets? Something else?
Tickets for the concert are $6.94 at www.eventbrite.com. Or get a discounted $5 ticket at LaFayette businesses Medi-Thrift Pharmacy, Real Deals Home Store or The Bank of LaFayette.