Union County West End Fair

Celebrities at the Fair

The Union County West End Fair has been host to many celebrities, some unknown at the time of their appearing. Reminisce with us as we remember being entertained and supported by these "famous" folk:

	BILL ANDERSON Country Music Hall of Famer Bill Anderson is one of the most popular, most enduring entertainers of our time. Known as “Whispering Bill,” a nickname hung on him years ago as a result of his breathy voice and his warm, soft approach to singing a country song. His credentials, however, shout his prominence: One of the most awarded songwriters in the history of country music, a million selling recording artist many times over, television game show host, network soap opera star, spokesman for a nationwide restaurant chain, and a consummate onstage performer. His back-up group, The Po’ Folks Band, has long been considered one of the finest instrumental and vocal groups in the business.
	JESSICA ANDREWS Jessica Andrews was born on December 29, 1983, in Huntingdon, Tenn. She credits a fourth grade talent show with pointing the way to her current career path. From then on Andrews sang every chance she could -- at fairs and carnivals around her hometown, and even the smallest, most casual family gatherings. It wasn't long before word of her talent spread. Soon, friends of producer Byron Gallimore insisted he make the two-hour drive from Nashville to Huntingdon to see if Andrews was as accomplished as everyone said. His first impression? "I was overwhelmed by Jessica's vocals -- the tone, the control, the range," he remembers. "I knew I had to be a part of her music." The two immediately began considering songs and getting acquainted in the studio. Once they had a lead on the kind of material Andrews was looking for, Gallimore invited DreamWorks Records Nashville head James Stroud to a showcase in Paris, Tenn. Stroud offered Andrews a deal on the spot.
	CHAD BROCK Contemporary country singer/songwriter Chad Brock was born and raised in Ocala, FL; despite performing in the church choir throughout his youth, his initial love was athletics, and he was a highly touted high-school football player. After joining the school chorus, however, Brock also emerged as a star soloist, and became so enamored of music that he turned down a collegiate athletic scholarship to pursue a career as a performer. Relocating to Nashville to work as a songwriter, he initially struggled to get his foot in the music industry's door, and as a result spent three years touring as a member of the World Championship Wrestling organization. In 1998, Brock signed with Warner Bros. and issued his self-titled debut later that year. Brock's 2000's hit, "Yes!," -- a story song about meeting and romancing his wife -- became his first country chart-topper, nearly making the pop Top 20.
	CHRIS CAGLE Chris Cagle was born on Nov. 10, 1968, in DeRidder, La. The son of an Exxon supervisor, Cagle began guitar lessons at age 6 but gave up after a year because it was too difficult for his tiny hands to master the large classical guitar. He took piano lessons throughout high school and began playing guitar again after receiving an Ovation acoustic guitar for Christmas during his senior year. Cagle enrolled in the University of Texas-Arlington but soon found himself skipping his finance courses to audit music classes. His nights were spent performing in Texas clubs. At 19, he realized he was wasting his time at school and left Texas to pursue music full time. He moved to Nashville in 1994, spending the next five years performing odd jobs while polishing his songwriting skills. A few years later, Cagle met Donna Duarte at a restaurant where he was working. He invited her to come to the studio to hear him record some demos. Duarte took it to her boss, Scott Hendricks, president of Virgin Records Nashville, leading to a record deal.
	JEANNIE C. RILEY Best known for her international crossover hit "Harper Valley P.T.A.," Jeannie C. Riley was born Jeanne Carolyn Stephenson in Anson, TX, where she developed a love of country music as a girl. When she was a teenager, she made her first public performance, appearing on her uncle's jamboree show. Soon after high school graduation, she married Mickey Riley; she wanted to become a professional musician, so she and her new husband moved to Nashville, where she performed secretarial work at Passkey Music. In 1967, her manager Paul Perry hooked Riley up with producer Shelby Singleton, with whom she recorded "Harper Valley P.T.A." The song became an instant hit, reaching number one on both the pop and country charts.Around 1974, Riley became a born-again Christian and formed a new band, Red River Symphony, which had a minor hit in 1976, "The Best I've Ever Had." Following its release, Riley founded and began recording on the God's Country label.
	MARK WILLS Mark Wills found both personal and professional success in Georgia's capital city. He met his wife Kelly there. They married in 1996, the same year "Jacob's Ladder" jump-started his country career on Mercury Records. That single was followed by a string of Top 10 smash hits. With its heartfelt message of tolerance and charity, "Don't Laugh at Me" garnered nominations from the Country Music Association for single, song and video of the year in 1998. Again, career success dovetailed with personal happiness. His daughter Mally was born, bringing a deeper joy and depth to the words of the songs he sings as an artist.
	TOM WOPAT Born on a small dairy farm in Wisconsin, Tom Wopat first started singing and dancing in high school musicals, and studied music at the University of Wisconsin before making his television debut in 1978. He starred in and directed several episodes of the popular "Dukes of Hazzard", playing Luke Duke in the show, which ran from 1979-1985. After the series ended, Wopat made his triumphant return to Broadway ("Annie Get Your Gun"), and continued to appear on television ("Cybill", "Home Improvement", and hosting his own show on TNN/The Nashville Network). Wopat's recording career started in 1983 with his self-titled country album. Since then, he released six other country albums before the 2000 album, THE STILL OF THE NIGHT, which introduced fans to his love of standards.