Up-and-coming country artist added to Friday Cheers show

From staff reports
Published: August 27, 2008

This just in: Lynchburg has secured a last-minute booking for up-and-coming country artist Emily West to open at Friday Cheers for the main act, Hotel California.

“(Hotel California) is actually the No. 1 Eagles tribute band in the United States,” says Chris McCune, events manager for Lynch’s Landing, which puts on the city’s Friday Cheers.

Hotel California is scheduled to take the stage at 7 p.m. Aug. 29 at Riverfront Festival Park. The show — the season’s last — was originally set to take place at the Lynchburg Community Market, but the site was switched to Riverfront Park in anticipation of a larger-than-usual crowd, says Angela Hamilton, Lynch’s Landing executive director.

West, meanwhile, will go on at 6 p.m. and sign autographs afterward.

McCune notes that her single “Rocks in Your Shoes” has been chosen for the recently released compilation album, “Now That’s What I Call Country.” Her debut CD, which has the same name as the single, is set to be released this fall.

She will fly in for the show from Nashville, while Hotel California will fly in from, well, California.

McCune says the idea was to bring in bigger names for the last show of the season as “a preview of what we want to do next year.”

Most bands that have played at Friday Cheers have been local or regional acts. The plan is to add into the mix some acts that are more widely known or are on the way up, he says.

Still, Hamilton says, “Since it’s a local event and it highlights downtown, we want to stick with some local acts” — especially given that some, such as The Worx and The House Band, have proven to be big draws.

The goal, she says, is to offer the best music possible downtown “at a very affordable price.”

if you’re going
WHAT: Friday Cheers
WHEN: Friday. Gates open at 5:30 p.m.; music at 6 p.m.
WHERE: Riverfront Festival Park
ADMISSION: $5. Must be 21 or older, or accompanied by a parent; bring ID. Also bring your own lawn chairs.
INFO: Call (434) 528-3950 or visit http://www.FridayCheers.org