08/04/06 - LeAnn Rimes headlines StarNight 2006

Date: August 4, 2006

LeAnn Rimes headlines StarNight 2006

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- Country music phenomenon LeAnn Rimes will headline StarNight 2006, to take place Saturday, August 26 at the Chattanooga Convention Center. StarNight is the annual black-tie gala held to benefit Siskin Children’s Institute.

Few in popular music can rival LeAnn Rimes in terms of critical acclaim or commercial success. At only 23 years old, she has sold more than 37 million records, won two Grammys, received numerous industry awards, and established herself as a household name. Clearly, LeAnn Rimes has made the rare transition from child prodigy to seasoned artist.

“We are thrilled that a performer of this caliber will be coming to Chattanooga for StarNight,” says Zan Guerry, co-chair of StarNight 2006. “As the word gets out, we are getting a tremendous response from the community. We believe that 2006 will be an incredibly successful year for StarNight, and we urge people to reserve their seats early.”

Born in Jackson, Mississippi, LeAnn Rimes showed signs of talent as a singer when she was just 2 years old. Her momentum built over the next several years, as she performed the role of Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol in Dallas at age 7 and won national attention as winner for two consecutive weeks on Star Search at age 8.

LeAnn’s recording career began when she was 7 years old. That first LP was sold only at her performances in the Dallas area but by age 11 she had recorded her second disc, All That, at Norman Petty’s studio in Clovis, New Mexico, where Buddy Holly and other rock pioneers had laid down classic tracks.

At age 13, Rimes became a star with Blue, racking up a record-setting 123,000 sales in its first week on its way to more than 8 million purchases, and earning her two Grammy Awards, including the first Best New Artist distinction ever won by a country artist. Her follow-up, You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs, made history by releasing at number one in three Billboard categories – country, pop, and contemporary Christian.

Rimes’ next three albums topped the country listings too, while her singles made equally deep impressions. Her range as a singer would soon stretch past the borders of traditional country, from the edgy, attitudinal rock of her contributions to the Coyote Ugly soundtrack (2000) to the more mature insights she achieves on her latest release, the gold-selling This Woman (2004), which has produced two Top 5 singles. She has also
expanded her activities beyond music: With her husband songwriter Dean Sheremet, she has written two children’s books, Jag and Jag’s Best Friend.

As Rimes’ horizons continue to widen, Rolling Stone’s prediction rings ever more true: “Don’t be surprised if her defining moment has nothing to do with country music at all. Just expect to have your socks knocked off.”

StarNight benefits Siskin Children’s Institute, a leader in serving children with special needs, their families and the professional who touch their lives. The Institute achieves its mission through Siskin School, a unique educational environment for young children of all abilities, and the Siskin Training and Resource Center, which offers a variety of outreach programs for the community.

The chairs of StarNight 2006 are Zan and Julie Guerry, and the co-chairs are Alexis and Barry Bogo. Ward Petty is serving as the solicitation chair. StarNight 2006 is presented by Chattem.

The StarNight evening begins with a cocktail reception at 6 p.m., followed by an elegant gourmet dinner at 7:30 p.m. LeAnn Rimes will take the stage at 9 p.m., and dancing to the music of Band X will round out the evening.

Guests can attend the entire gala evening, including the reception, dinner, LeAnn Rimes performance, open bar and dancing for $225 per person. Tables of eight range from $1,800 to $4,000 for the entire gala evening. The Star Attraction option, offered at $100 per person, allows guests to arrive at 8:30 p.m. to enjoy the LeAnn Rimes performance, coffee, dessert and dancing.

The reservation deadline is Monday, August 21. To reserve seats, call (423) 648-1707 or
visit www.siskin.org.

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