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The STATLERS: (L-R) Jimmy, Phil, Harlod and Don.
The Statler Bros. to
appear here in advance of
their Showtime release
The Statler Brothers will be
performingat the William Bell
Auditorium on Sunday, March
25, at 3 p.m.
Longconsidered to be one of
country music’s most popular
and legendary groups, The
Statler Brothers are set to re
lease their firstalbumrecorded
fortheir newrecordlabel, Music
Box Records. Showtimeisthe
name of the new project that
will be distributed by Pamplin
Distribution and released to
music stores nationwide on
April 10, 2001.
Showtime brings fresh lus
ter to the classic Statler sound
featuringbrothers Harold and
Don Reid, Phil Balsey, and
Jimmy Fortuneand their time
less harmonies on 12 new
songs; seven of which were
written or co-written by the
group members themselves.
TheStatler Brothersgottheir
start in Staunton, Virginia,
where they reside to this day.
Harold and Don Reid, baritone
Phil Balsley and tenor Lew
DeWitt were previously known
int eh early ‘6os as the
Kingsmen before choosing a
Paine College presents
The Voices of Franklin
performing “The Quest”
The Paine College Lyceum
Program will proudly present
Alvin Franklin and The Voices
of Franklin performing “The
Quest.”
The Voices of Franklin is
headed by one of Paine College’s
own, Alvin Franklin, and his
wife Barbara. Alvin’sreal work
began when he entered Paine
College. Under thedirection of
Dr. Phyllis Anderson, Dr. Isaac
Holmes, Mr. Ellis Johnson and
Dr. Sandra Cannon Scott,
Alvin learned that his voice is
truly an instrument.
The Etheridge Arts Ensemble
performs Livin’ Fat
The Paine College Lyceum
Program will present The
Etheridge Arts Ensemble in
“Livin’ Fat” in the Paine Col
lege Odeum on Druid Park
Avenue on Tuesday and
Wednesday, March 27 and 28,
at 7 p.m. nightly. The play,
written by Judi Ann Mason
and directed by Paine College
graduates Jonavon Harris
and Evelyn Etheridge, re
volvesaround adisadvantaged
BThe Statler Bros.
will appear in
concert on Sunday,
March 25, 2001 at
3:00 p.m.
newnamefromabox oftissues
in a hotel room. They applied
tight gospel harmonies to
country lyrics and found a
sound that resonated with a
wideaudience. Amutualfriend
introduced them to Johnny
Cash in 1964, and they began
opening his shows and also
provided background vocals
with him onstageand onrecord
for the better partef a decade.
TheStatler Brothersarenow
entering the 21* century hav
ing sold more than 15 million
records and have become the
most awarded act in country
music history. They havewon
three Grammys, nine CMA
Awards, 48 Music City news
Awards, 32 songwriting
awards and 20 gold, platinum,
double platinum, and triple
platinumalbums,amongtheir
more than 500 honors.
“The Quest” is a powerful,
soul stirring infusion of mu
sic, drama and dance. This
collaboration tells the story of
a Bambara warrior from sla
very to freedom.
This program will take place
in the Paine College Gilbert-
Lambuth Memorial Chapel at
7 p.m. on Thursday, March
22,2001. Itisfreeand opento
the publicand promises topro
vide arich and memorable ex
perience not only for Paine
College, but for all of the com
munity.
black family whose son David
Lee witnesses a bank rob
bery. The hilarious cast of
charactersinclude Steen, the
Bible-quoting revivalist
mother; Candy, the teenaged
daughter who loves rock mu
sic; and 800, the fun-loving
friend of David Lee.
Admission is free and open
to the public. For group seat
ing and other information,
call 706.821.8324 or 821.8205.
Where shopping isa pleasure
g.
SUPER MARKETS
Media MOVERS
Charles MeNeil:
Augusta’s “Wac Daddy” of Spords
By Timothy Cox
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
AUGUSTA
On the radio, he’s known as the “Mac
Daddy” of Augusta sports. Charles McNeil
isthe proverbial MACK of all trades, when
it comes to knowing his games.
Don’t believe it? Just listen to “Sports
Wrap with the Mac Daddy” on 1340-AM
(WBBQ), Monday through Friday from 4
p.m.to 7p.m. Considered one of Augusta’s
premier sports authorities, McNeil
smartly intertwines conservatism with
flair. Forinstance, he may interject Kurtis
Blow’s “Basketball” rap melody to set-up
NCAA hoop tournament talk, twist the
topic to perhaps, girls high school soccer
and provide updates on everythingelsein
the world of sportsdom.
When it comesto his success as a sports
personality, McNeil remains humble.
Therefore, many of his listeners fail to
realize that “Mac Daddy” is nationally
connected. He’scurrently contracted with
ESPN to produce update segments on
high school and black college sports. Be
fore that, he worked with the Mizlou
Sports News Network (forerunner to
ESPN) and worked for BET for twoyears.
He was also requested by retired
Georgetown basketball coach John
Thompson to serve as the Hoyas’ play-by
play announcer. Amongthe many person
alities he has interviewed, McNeil calls
Michael Jordan a “first-rate guy” and said
talkingwiththelate NASCAR driver Dale
Earnhardt was “memorable.”
Aformerathlete, Mac Daddy has walked
thewalk hetalks. He’s played Little League
and Babe Ruth League baseball; was se
lected to basketball, bowling and baseball
teams at The Bergen School, a private
highschoolin hishometown. “I've always
liked all sports,” said McNeil, who recalls
sitting behind announcer Marv Albert at
a Knicks game. “My cousin, Mel Bennett,
played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and got
us great seats. I was only 12, but I told
Marv and (color announcer) Cal Ramsay
that someday, I'd like to sit in their chair.
Marveven gave mesome pointers,” McNeil
reflected. At Rutgers, he was a deejay,
play-by-play broadcaster for the basket
ball and baseball teams and a three-year
Aiken Community Playhouse¢
presents Bang, Bang, You're Do
The Youth wing of the Aiken
CommunityPlayhouseandthe
Governor’s Council on Youth
havejoined togetherto present
the powerful one-act drama
Bang, Bang, You're Dead at
the Playhouse on March 23, 24
and 25, 2001.
The play, written by award
winning playwright William
Mastrosimone and directed by
Thurmond Whatley, is a grip
pingdramatization ofthe after
math of a school shooting. Us
ing flashbacks, a Greek-like
chorus of “rumors” and the
victims themselves, the author
reveals the devastating conse
quences of violence; conse
quences tragic for the shooter
as well as the victims.
This joint venture is a first
for the Youth Wing and the
Governor’s Council. “We be
lieve the message of this play is
Charles McNeil is the
“Mac Daddy” of
Augusta sports talk.
Photo by Timothy Cox
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A former Rutgers catcher, McNeil provides real-life aome o 0
’ 3
by Timothy Cox
catcher on thebaseball squad beforerealiz
ing he’d never play on the next level.
After college graduation, McNeil landed
agigwitha TV stationin Asheville,N.C. as
a weekend sports reporter/videographer.
In ‘93, he came to Augusta as WIBF-TV’s
weekend sports anchor. At WRDW radio,
he was sports director for the all-sports
formatted stdtion which featured “The
Fabulous Sports Babe” and “One on One
Sports.” He produced a show for The Babe
at the ‘96 Olympics in Atianta and started
his own company, CK Productions.
Along with wife Zina, are the couple’s
two children, 8-year-old Charles II aka
“C.K.”, and daughter, Zana, 3. “My wife is
from'N 2w Orleans, but we’ve pretty much
adopted Augustaas our second home,” said
McNeil, 39. In describing his daily show,
“Mac Daddy” says, “We try to provide a
comprehensive coverage of local and na-
On Stage, Under the Lightst
e P e
so important, and the experi
ence of it so powerfully deliv
ered that wewanted all thehelp
we could get in spreading the
word, says Nancy Hansen, co
chair of the Playhouse’s Youth
Wing. “Itisbeingperformed by
teenagers, for teenagers, and
now with the help of the Youth
Council, is being promoted by
teenagers.”
“The Governor’s Youth
Council is a growing group of
high school students from all
the Aiken County high schools,
banding together to work to
werd solutions for the prob
lems facing our young people.
Certainly, school violence is a
huge issue, and our Council
was eager to take on promoting
theplayasaproject,” said David
Nieves, Community Youth Af
fairs officer and sponsor of the
Youth Council.
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The performances will be free
and the two groups are hoping
that the community will come
together to encourage young
people to attend. “Both DHEC
and the Aiken Center have of
fered their support and we wel
comethehelpofanyotheragen-
cies. We'rehoping that coaches
will encourage their teams to
come, churches will bring their
youthgroups, teachers will sup
port student attendance, par
ents will not only bring their
own teenagers but their teen’s
friendsand all will go home and
talkabout theissuesraised. We
even havediscussion questions
to help open up the dialogue,”
says Officer Chico.
The play will be followed by a
brief presentation by students
involved in local Peer Media
tion groups.
“Peer Mediation provides a
MARCH 22, 2001
tional sports.” A CNN-radio affili
showoffersinterviews with moion eolivges
in the CSRA and gives play to high «ohonl
and even middle school teams 110 0l
targetsareaproteams{rom Atlants Uh
lotte; colleges in Georgia mid Sont! )
lina; the CSRA (foothall) Class I
city’s pra teamns; Augusta Pvny (haohoo
Angusta, §alliong orens oo
Augusta Greenjackets (hosehali bheahing
will allows listeners to cail in thic 0l
And, with the first weel of Apeid |
approaching, McNeil iz ngain ooy 10
cover the world’s most prectigicos o
event, TheMasters Fournamont, Foaoioy
ago, he did an international bhroadenst |
the Augusta-based everd and participsts
inanational feed for CBS. Acomanitiadi;
of the 1969 New York Jots Supey Hoowh]
team, McNeil says for 1 gt
place to be.
vitalmeansofteschin
resolution wittioh ron
violence. Thecnti o
of a schoo! can be altos
effective, trained cin
diators,” says Kathi
Peer Mediation =
South Aiken Hig
“W(t’(} !i“.'; to hoogi
presencein cvery hioh
“Theater is fir
tainment; it's on
powerfulexperionti:
we have,” savs I
“Our slogan for thi
hour that could o
life...or saveit.’ j |
true; I believe v
difference.”
For more infoin!
helping to sponsor th
inquire about bring
to your community, <
Chico Nieves at &
Nancy Hansen at 640
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