Grand Ole Opry member Mandy Barnett will return to her alma mater July 18 to headline a “Coming Home” benefit concert supporting the Cumberland County High School football program.
Assistant Football Coach Elbert Farley said the event originated from a desire to move away from traditional fundraisers. Farley said Barnett was a natural choice for the benefit because of her local roots and her status as a major star in the music industry.
“I was driving down the road one day, decided that I didn’t want to sell strawberries or peaches or smart cards anymore and was trying to think of a way to, you know, try to get our community involved,” Farley said. “And Mandy graduated from Cumberland County High School in 1993, so we thought we could get a hold of her and ask her if she would be willing to do a benefit concert for us, and that’s how it began.”
Farley said the football program is currently in need of significant updates to its equipment and overall infrastructure. Farley said the proceeds from the concert will be used to purchase essential safety gear and apparel, including new helmets, shoulder pads, and uniforms.
“Football’s a very, very expensive sport, and you know, we have to try to put our kids in the best equipment we can and that’s where the proceeds are going,” Farley said. “Yeah, so we are getting most of the proceeds off of this, so they’re going to go to fund so much needed equipment that’s just been kind of not updated in a long, long time.”
The performance is scheduled for 6:30 PM at the Cumberland County High School Auditorium, a 1,200-seat facility that opened approximately one year ago. Farley said the evening will feature a 90-minute show from Barnett along with appearances by local high school talent and musicians Chet Hayes and Joe Wyatt.
“The name of the concert is ‘Coming Home’ and that means a lot of different things,” Farley said. “That means Mandy’s coming home. That means a lot of old, old football players from the past and teachers from the past are going to come home to be at this show. So it means a whole lot to the community.”
Farley said former players from the 1980s are dedicated to improving the program’s current standing. Farley said the coaching staff is calling on former students and community members to support the team’s transition into the future.
“The program has not been very good for awhile and we’re just trying to hope we can bring it back out of where it’s been and take it in the future and get it better,” Farley said. “And you know, we’re needing the support of the community plus any former Jet out there, you know, to come and help us out.”
Tickets for the event are available at three price levels ranging from $25 to $45 and can be purchased through Barnett’s website, Eventbrite, or at the Board of Education in Crossville.
