Sisters Starry Nights announces line-up

The line-up for the Sisters Starry Nights Concert Series has been confirmed.

The series kicks off on February 24 with the music of Lee Ann Womack, considered one of the brightest stars in country music today.

Womack has had a stellar year, with the album "I Hope You Dance" earning platinum status and the title cut winning both the Country Music Association Single of the Year and Song of the Year honors.

Among her other top-10 hits are "The Fool," "You've Got To Talk To Me," and "I'll Think Of A Reason Later," while her latest single, a remake of Rodney Crowell's "Ashes By Now," is rapidly climbing the charts. She has just been announced as one of the featured acts for next year's prestigious George Strait Country Music Festival tour, which begins in March.

Womack, like all the performers in the series, will donate her time to help support the Sisters Schools Foundation.

After a two year hiatus, Sisters Starry Nights favorite Kim Carnes will be back to host a Nashville-style singer-songwriter showcase on March 17.

Among her special guests in Sisters will be one of Nashville's hottest performers and writers, Jeffrey Steele. Steele, who received a 1999 Grammy nomination for writing "Unbelievable" for Diamond Rio, is the former lead singer of the band Boy Howdy. Other performers will be announced in the coming weeks.

The final show, April 14, will be headlined by Grammy and Academy Award-winning artist Christopher Cross and his band. Cross burst onto the music scene early in 1980 with one of the most celebrated debut albums of all time, collecting five Grammy Awards and yielding four singles including "Ride Like The Wind" and "Sailing."

His most recent album releases are 1998's critically acclaimed "Walking in Avalon" and this year's "Christopher Cross -- Greatest Hits Live."

As in past years, each show will feature a nationally-known comedian as the opening act. Comic performers will be confirmed by the end of December, according to event organizers.

Sponsorship proposals offering reserved seats and other benefits are currently being distributed, and event organizers suggest that those interested in participating confirm early.

"Because half of the room is reserved for general admission ticket sales, each year we must limit the number of sponsorship packages available," said Sisters Starry Nights Sponsorship Chair Novella Swisher.

General admission tickets, priced at $25 each, will go on sale in January. A discount special will be offered at Leavitt's Western Wear from January 20 to 31, with a package price of $125 for a pair of tickets to each show.

"We often sell out quickly, so we encourage people to get their general admission tickets early," said Swisher.

Funds raised go to the Sisters Schools Foundation and benefit co-curricular programs and activities for the schools.

In its first four years, the event has raised over $170,000 in net proceeds and helped fund a wide range of arts, music, sports, technology and other programs that were facing budget cuts.

For information on sponsorship, contact Novella Swisher at 549-8018.