The Red Hills Arts Foundation of Louisville announces the 22nd edition of the “Home for Christmas” annual benefit concert hosted each year by singer, entertainer, and award-winning music producer and writer, Carl Jackson.
On Saturday, Dec. 14, 2019, Carl, who began his career with the legendary Glen Campbell in the 1960’s and 70’s, will present two shows (4pm and 7pm) at the First Methodist Church Family Life Center, while the Historic Strand Theater continues to undergo renovation.
At this year’s benefit, Carl will welcome “Home for Christmas” veterans and award-winning performers: Larry Cordle, Jerry Salley, Val Storey, Bradley Walker, Ashley Campbell, Johnny Rawls, and Isaac Moore.
Tickets will go on sale October 1st and may be obtained in person at the Winston County Chamber at 311 W. Park St, Louisville, MS 39339 or by calling the Chamber at 662-773-3921.
Carl Jackson & Glen Campbell:
Carl first met Glen Campbell at the Ohio State Fair. Keith Whitley and he went to see Carl play, and after the show they were walking to their car. He happened to see Glen’s banjo player, Larry McNeely, near the backstage entrance. Carl went over to say hello to him, and Larry recognized Carl because he knew Carl had been playing with Jim & Jesse.
He told Carl to come back the next afternoon, where he was introduced to Glen. Glen asked Carl to play several songs for him on banjo and guitar. After Carl finished, Glen asked, “How much money do you want to make?” Carl told him, “A million bucks!” Carl was then informed that Glen’s banjo player was leaving the band and Glen had been auditioning Carl for the job. Carl was hired on the spot, and the rest, as they say, is history. Today Carl is a world-class guitar player, writer, producer, and harmony singer appearing on hundreds of albums. But Glen always referred to Carl as “the greatest banjo player in the world”.
That evening at the Ohio State Fair changed Carl's life. He spent the next 12 years playing with Glen all over the world and maintained a close, personal friendship with Glen until his death in 2017. Kim Campbell, Glen's widow, said, "Carl is the reason that Glen and I got married and had three children. He’s Godfather to Ashley, so we’ve had a long relationship."
Documentary to be aired on Jackson
“Country Music,” a film by Ken Burns, explores the history and meaning of Country Music in eight episodes this fall on PBS, and streaming on the PBS video app, starting Sept. 15.
A Mississippi Public Broadcasting-produced companion piece — a “Grassroots” TV special with host Bill Ellison — will accompany the documentary this fall. It will feature interviews with Marty Stuart and others, and also preview an original MPB documentary about Carl Jackson — Louisville, Mississippi, native and legendary Nashville songwriter and musician — coming this winter.
Jackson will also be hosting his Home for Christmas this year in Louisville again.
“Country Music” starts its storytelling in 1923 in Atlanta with country music’s birth as a market, and explores its roots in Scots-Irish ballads, hymns, the banjo from Africa, blues, minstrel shows and more. The film continues through the 20th century to about 1996, with Garth Brooks elevating country music to stratospheric heights, the death of Bill Monroe and Johnny Cash’s final recordings.
