(SunTrust) - In what could only be called a
Legends Session, country music icon
George Jones and NASCAR icon Richard Petty will come together for a special live Q & A event Saturday, January 14, 2006, 10:00 am (CT) at the Country
Music Hall of Fame® and Museum in Nashville as part of the Sprint Nextel Sound &
Speed - Presented By SunTrust - A
Music & Motorsports Celebration.
Jones celebrated his 50th anniversary as a recording artist in 2004 and has charted more singles - 166 in all - than any other artist in any genre of music. Nicknamed "The Possum," he is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, a two-time GRAMMY winner and recipient of a Medal of Arts Honor from the White House. At 74, Jones has just released Hits I Missed and tours nearly 100 days a year.
In the racing world, Petty is aptly known as "The King." He is the winner of more NASCAR races than any other driver, claiming 200 wins between 1958 and his retirement in 1992. Petty's father, Lee, was an integral part of the development of the sport and Richard's son, Kyle, remains a fan favorite today. Still very involved in the sport of NASCAR, Petty owns and operates Petty Enterprises represented by car No 43, the Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge driven by Jeff Green and car No 45, the Georgia-Pacific Dodge driven by Kyle Petty.
The Possum and The King will also appear together in an autograph session following their joint Q & A. Two additional Legends Sessions – pairing country music's and racing's elite – will be announced shortly.
In commenting on his appearance at Sound & Speed, Jones said, "I'm excited to be participating in this event and to be partnered with Richard Petty. I'm a huge fan of his and I think what he has accomplished in his life is just amazing. He is truly a legend and I'm looking forward to having some fun with Richard and the fans."
The Legends Sessions are one of the many activities at the inaugural Sound & Speed festival. Interactive fan attractions, a display of the 2006 NEXTEL Cup Series and Grand-Am show cars, artifacts from racing and country music legends, performances by country music up-and-comers and an auction of music and racing memorabilia are some of the many other fan-oriented activities. A finale concert event featuring Montgomery Gentry, LeAnn Rimes and Keith Anderson will wrap up the festival.
All proceeds from Sound & Speed will benefit the Victory Junction Gang Camp for children with chronic or life-threatening illnesses and the Country music Hall of Fame and Museum charities.
Tickets are $20 for the Sound & Speed festival and $30 for the concert finale and are available through TicketMaster (www.ticketmaster.com) or on the Sound & Speed web site, www.soundandspeed2006.com. Tickets to each event include a 12-month complimentary subscription to Country Weekly magazine and a Hatch Show Print commemorative poster.
