New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Country music legend and Grand Ole Opry icon, Jeannie Seely, who was recently honored with the 2017 "Entertainer of the Year" Award by the Reunion of Professional Entertainers (R.O.P.E.), will host The Dottie West Birthday Jam Wednesday, October 18 at 3rd & Lindsley. Tickets to the show are via cash donation at the door, and all proceeds will benefit the Nashville Musicians Emergency Relief Fund.
Friends and family of West will pay tribute through songs and stories of West on what would have been her 85th birthday. Grammy-Award winner, Jeannie Seely, a close friend of West, will host the evening with performances by The Gatlin Brothers, Jimmy Capps,
David Frizzell, Shelly West, Kerry West, Tess Frizzell & Tony Toliver with Dottie West's "Wild West Band." In addition, there will be stories by T.G. Sheppard, Jan Howard, Rex Allen Jr. and a special video from Steve Wariner.
West and Seely became friends in 1964 after they met at Los Angeles' legendary Palomino Club. A short year later, West recorded one of Seely's songs titled "It Just Takes Practice" which appeared on West's second RCA album, Dottie West Sings. That same year, West inspired Seely to move to Nashville when she told her, "Jeannie, Nashville is where you learn." Last month, Seely celebrated her 50th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry where West was a fellow Opry member from 1964 until the time of her death in 1991. In addition to their prestigious Opry memberships, West was the first female to receive a Grammy Award in country music (for "Here Comes My Baby") while Seely was the third (for "Don't Touch Me"). Those who knew West remember her selfless and charitable demeanor - so it's only fitting that her birthday celebration will assist and benefit others.
For more information on the Nashville Musicians Emergency Relief Fund, visit nashvillemusicians.org.
For more information, visit JeannieSeely.com or follow her onFacebook.
ABOUT JEANNIE SEELY:
"Miss Country Soul" Jeannie Seely is a GRAMMY® award-winning artist who has been recording and performing for more than six decades. A Pennsylvania native, Seely moved to LA where she met many songwriters including Dottie West who ultimately encouraged her to move to Nashville. Within a month, Porter Wagoner hired her as the female singer for his road and television series. On
September 16, 1967, Seely's biggest dream came true when she became the first Pennsylvania native to become a member of the world famous Grand Ole Opry. Seely subsequently became the first female to regularly host segments of the weekly Opry shows. She's also credited for changing the image of female country performers by being the first to wear a mini-skirt on the Opry stage. On March 2, 1967, the
National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences honored Jeannie with the 1966 GRAMMY® Award for the "Best Country Vocal Performance by a Female." A BMI-awarded songwriter, Seely's songs have been recorded by Country
Music Hall of Fame members Faron Young, Merle Haggard, Connie Smith, Ray Price, Willie Nelson, Ernest Tubb and
Little Jimmy Dickens, as well as by many other artists including Doyle Lawson, Lorrie
Morgan and Irma Thomas. Along with placing records on the Billboard country singles chart for 13 consecutive years, Seely also served as a radio disc jockey on her own Armed Forces Network Show. For more information, visit jeannieseely.com.
