On Wednesday, June 6 the Wildhorse Saloon in downtown Nashville hosted the Third Annual Andy Griggs/Tracy Byrd Fan Club Party. The line was formed ealry with eager partygoers and by the time the doors opened, the line stretched past the end of the block in both directions. As we entered the venue party favors were handed out by Sharon Eaves, Fan Club President for both artists. Everyone found their seats and then enjoyed a delicious bar-b-que meal and had a chance to renew existing friendships as well as form some new ones. The Fan Clubs were divided into two groups for a meet and greet with Andy and Tracy with the first group going to meet the artists immediately upon entering.
The show was broadcast on XM Radio and fans all over the world were able to listen in on the evening.
The show began and the fun started. Andy and Tracy gathered a group of songwriter friends who took turns playing the songs they wrote that became hits for other artists... as well as explaining how the idea for the song came to them. I personally was very impressed with all the writers voices, the were really great. There was a lot of good natured bantering between songs and the show part was over all too soon. Andy and Tracy sang some of their hits as well as some of each others hits and Andy introduced us to his new single which has a release date of June 18..The song is an upbeat fun song titled "Tattoo Rose" and was very well received by those attending. The songwriters who added so much to the evening and helped Andy and Tracy have such a great fan club party were Casey Beatherd, Wynn Varble, Marty Brown and Neil Thrasher.
Blake Shelton made a surprise appearance during the show and added a great deal of humor before singing his current single.
After the show, Andy and Tracy held an auction of personal items they brought with them. The money raised at the auction was to go to Andy's charity, St Jude's Children's Research Hospital, and Tracy's charity, The Children's Miracle Network. Some of the items were shower "puffs" from both artists as well as Tracy's slippers and a shower robe from his bus, Andy brought some sheets and pillow cases from his bus and an acoutic guitar from his personal collection and he auctioned the shirt he wore during the show and auction.
During the meet and greet after the show and auction, Andy and Tracy were informed that members of their fan clubs had a fundraiser for St Jude's Children's Reasearch Hospital and had raised $3,000.00 which would be donated in their names.
Andy and Tracy sure know how to have a party. Special thanks to Sharon and her staff for working so hard with Tracy and Andy to make sure their party was awesome.
