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SOUTHERN VOICE SEPTEMBER 23/1993
Country music stars launch new AIDS campaign
Chesnutt, Carpenter chair effort that features thirty-five country stars
Nashville, TN—Music City, USA is finally taking on AIDS
awareness.
Country music stars Mark Chesnutt (“It Sure Is Monday”)
and Mary-Chapin Carpenter (“I Feel Lucky”) will serve as co
chairs of “Country Music AIDS Awareness,” an ambitious
AIDS/HIV public education campaign that will kick off in
January.
And also in 1994, “Red, Hot and Country,” an album to
raise money for the AIDS fight, will be released.
The Nashville awareness campaign has received the en
dorsements of the Country Music
Association and the American Ad
vertising Federation. The CMA’s
endorsement is a significant devel
opment, given the flap over wear
ing red ribbons at the last CMA
awards show. The campaign will
consist of public service announce
ments featuring 35 country stars on
radio, network TV, cable and in print
with a potential audience of 50 mil
lion.
Chesnutt, a native Texan and
cowboy who endorses a number of products, including Fritos
com chips, and Carpenter, a native of Princeton, NJ. and an
Ivy Leaguer who is a favored darling of the gay and lesbian
community, will join the ranks of other country stars who have
taken a stand on the AIDS crisis, such as Clint Black, who
appeared in August on ABC’s special “In a New Light ’93.”
Those performers participating include Garth Brooks, Willie
Nelson, Mark Collie, Radney Foster, Kathy Mattea, Dolly
Parton, Collin Raye, Marty Stuart, Kevin Welch and Wynonna.
According to Bill Johnson of Sony Music, who leads the
group of country music insiders which organized the cam
paign, the advertising federation is working to bring the mes
sage to its TV network affiliates, radio stations and print outlets
in more than 250 major markets across the country.
“I know lots of people outside urban areas who think that
AIDS is strictly a big city problem, but it’s affecting rural areas
all over the country and these are places that country music can
speak directly,” says Chesnutt, best known for his three albums
“Too Cold At Home,” “Longnecks & Short Stories” and “Al
most Goodbye.”
“We’re hoping the cam
paign will help make it more
acceptable for people to use
condoms, for parents to talk to
their children openly and for
learning about HIV through lo
cal AIDS agencies,” says Car
penter, best known for her al
bums “Hometown Girl,” “State
of the Heart” and “Come On,
Come On.”
“This is the first national
effort by the country music industry for AIDS education,” adds
Johnson, who is joined in his efforts by MCA’s Walt Wilson,
Warner Brothers’ Mark Hyde and Jack Lameier, also of Sony.
“[The campaign] is one of unprecedented frankness and direct
ness. We’re utilizing the strategy that the most effective way of
changing behavior is not fear but the support of leaders and
trendsetters who set the pace for behavior.”
Following in the steps of “Red, Hot and Blue” and “Red,
Hot and Dance,” the “Red, Hot and Country” album is de-
Mary-Chapin Carpentersays she hopes the country cam
paign will make condoms more acceptable.
signed to raise both funds and awareness in the HIV/AIDS
fight. This time, however, the message will be going out to a
new audience.
“People respond better if you speak to them in their own
language,” says John Carlin, executive producer of “Red, Hot
and Country.” The track will feature a single by Mattea, “Here
Come Those Tears Again.”
The first two “Red, Hot” releases have raised more than $7
million for AIDS research and services.
DAVID STORY
“I know lots of people outside urban
areas who think that AIDS is strictly
a big city problem, but it’s affecting
rural areas all over the country
and these are places that country
music can speak directly.”
says Mark Chesnutt.
Old? lnglish
festival
1993
Fe...Fi...Fo...Fum...Yall Come!
Fun, food and faldarol celebrating British culture:
■ Music, Drama, Art Gallery,
■ Food, Antiques
■ Fantastic Children's Fair
■ English Evensong celebrated each evening;
jugglers, acrobats, books, fleas, British imports,
medieval martial arts.
October 1,2 & 3
All proceeds go to charity
Friday 6-10PM, Saturday 12-10PM, Sunday 12-5 PM
at Saint Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church
PARK FREE at Georgia Mental Health Institute, 1256 Brlarcllff Road
Free Shuttle to Festival
Adults $4, Children 6-12 $2, Under 6 free
Gala Preview Party on September 30 - Tickets $25
404/634- 3336
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