Courtesy of Bramblett Group
A Tennessee Music Pathways marker indicating Chester County as the birthplace of music legend Eddy Arnold will be unveiled Friday, May 14, at 11 a.m. at Sue Shelton White Park in downtown Henderson. Not only will the marker be unveiled, but an eight-foot guitar sculpture constructed from repurposed steel pipe by Chester County High School welding students will also be revealed.
The celebration will feature live music by local musicians, remarks by Tennessee Commissioner of Tourism Development Mark Ezell; Shannon Pollard, Arnold’s grandson; Kirk Haston, Tennessee House of Representatives, District 72; county and city mayors, welding instructor Derick Gibbs and a student from the welding class. Emily Johnson, executive director of Henderson/Chester County Chamber of Commerce, will emcee the program.
Known early in his career as The Tennessee Plowboy, Arnold spent his youth on a Chester County farm. His long, distinguished musical career led him from the cotton fields to the Grand Ole Opry, the Country Music Hall of Fame, the White House and Carnegie Hall. He charted top hits over seven decades. Altogether, Arnold sold more than 85 million records, making him one of the most successful artists of the 20th century. RCA Records released his 100th album, “After All These Years,” in 2005.
Local musicians will present songs recorded by Arnold. These include: Hunt Pipkin, “Make the World Go Away;” Blake Hopper, “Tennessee Stud;” and Kimberlie Helton, “Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye.”