By By Lisa Tindell – news editor
It's been 27 years in the making, but the Oak Ridge Boys will be perform in Brewton on March 8, 2008 at The Brewton Music Festival.
The local group of coordinators aren't the only ones excited about the festival. Members of the Oak Ridge Boys are also excited to be making the return to Brewton.
The Oak Ridge Boys last performed in Brewton in 1981's Harvest Jam, which drew a crowd of about 25,000.
Although last year's event was called the Brewton Songwriters Festival, the name is being changed to reflect a new attitude, Ruzic said.
“The name is being changed to The Brewton Music Festival,” Ruzic said. “The event is something we want to continue, but I believe the name change will give us a better presence for Brewton.”
Last year, the Brewton Quality of Life committee held a talent competition with winners participating in the event in February. The lineup of entertainment will be different for the newly named event. Also featured as a co-headliner this year will be Robert Earl Keen, Ruzic said. The singer-songwriter is popular with traditional country music fans, folk music fans, the college radio crowd and alt-country fans.
Grayson Capps, a performer from the February event, will be returning for the festival. Capps has local ties, having spent some of his childhood years in Brewton.
The event is set for 4 to 9:30 p.m. March 8 at Burnt Corn Creek Park, Ruzic said.
The festival is part of a fund-raising effort by the Quality of Life committee to refurbish the Burnt Corn Creek Park near downtown Brewton.
The group is planning other improvements to the public park. In plans revealed last year, the group said an outdoor stage and theater as well as a splash fountain, pergola, concession stand and the skateboard park would all become a part of the park when the renovations and improvements are complete.
Tickets for the March event will go on sale in mid-December, Ruzic said. “The tickets will be available through TicketMaster in a couple of weeks,” Ruzic said. “Anyone can go online and purchase their tickets through them. The cost for the tickets will be $25. It's a really great deal for such a big show and the tickets would make great Christmas gifts.”