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The Ultimate "01" Fan!
Blog
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Tue, 06 Jun 2006
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Dukesfest 2006 in Retrospect
"The Dukes of Hazzard" has descended upon Music
City in the form of a DukesFest, which brings cast
members from the show into close contact with fans.
Actual ticket sales weren't available, but crowd
estimates surpassed 75,000, with police on site
calling it the largest crowd ever at the Tennessee
fairgrounds — larger than Fan Fair and larger than
NASCAR events held there.
Unofficially the count is said to be over 100,000
over the two day event that wasn't the only record
broke at the Festival Cory Eubanks Stunt Driver
for the Show and now the Dukesfest Hazzard County
Stunt Team jumped the General a Whopping 202 Feet
Asphalt to Asphalt another Record for the books.
Our media company Creation Multimedia had the
pleasure of organizing a Contest The Ultimate "01"
Fan! Prize Pack Give-A-Way. Along with WOWF WOW FM
102.5. And these Sponsors: Cooter's Place,
Nashville/Gatlinburg, Celebrity Limousines
Nashville, Homewood Suites by Hilton Nashville
Airport, The Nashville Nightlife Dinner Theater,
KVAT FOOD STORES/ Food City Crossville, Boss Hogg
Jerky Silver Lake, IN, A & W Root Beer/Cadbury
Schweppes Americas Beverages Plano TX, ABC
Bottling Nashville, Tennessee Outdoors Crossville,
TN
We had a month long contest in May and the big
Shin Dig to give the Grand Prize away was held at
the Crossville Food City Parking Lot on May 27th
Memorial Day Weekend one week before Dukesfest.
The Parking lot was adorned with a host of Fans
dressed in their Dukes shirts and hats whole
families wearing Orange with the visible "01" in
view, this was a great crowd with a great turn
out. I hand picked Food City as they have been a
big part of previous Dukesfest at the Bristol TN
Event. "This was a way of getting back in on the
Dukesfest from a Local Store Level" comments Lisa
Croy who worked these events in the past. You see
Food City's Stores are in KY VA And TN with
Crossville being the farthest west, and our the
home office in Abingdon VA which neighbors
Bristol, We really miss Dukesfest being at Bristol
but just being a part, any part is great says Lisa
we just loved working with Ben and Alma their
Great. I also hand picked A&W Root Beer to get the
Boar's Nest feel without the kick A&W is a
renowned Root Beer it just fit I felt. Once I
contacted the Bottler and spoke with Cathy O'neill
Nashville rep for Crossville and Middle Tennessee
she agreed that it fit the contest, I explained to
Cathy that Ben (Cooter) carried A&W at both
Cooter's Place Museum's Nashville and Gatlinburg.
Then once I heard about Boss Hogg Jerky Products
from CooterPlace.com I immediately contacted Steve
Sands to offer him the Sponsorship he was
delighted and jumped onboard. Steve and Boss Hogg
like Food City have been a part of the Dukesfest
in Bristol TN. I contacted Celebrity Limousines
they were eager to help and even made the call for
the accommodations to Homewood Suites by Hilton
and that just left us with Dinner and a Show I
knew Ben and Alma would be working with the
Nashville Palace so I approached The Nashville
Nightlife Dinner Theater just behind Cooters on
Music Valley Drive. They were elated and signed on
now we need a place for our staff to stay at the
Fairgrounds RV Park and thats were Brian Spieles
of Tennessee Outdoors came in Brian a big fan of
the show booked himself a site for his Extra Large
Coach.
Upon Ariving at Dukesfest in Nashville (Makeshift
Hazzard) I began to realize the magnitude as I
saw the line at Cooter' Place on McGavock Pike
across from Opryland Hotel. You see the line to
get into Cooter's was past the Nashville Palace
(Makeshift Boar's Nest) all the way back behind
into the parking lot. I approached the Exit Door
to ask if Ben (Cooter) Jones was signing and saw
Alma his wife coming over to me I ask her is Ben
or someone else signing autographs she walked out
with me overwhelmed and sighed then said no. No I
said what do you mean this line is just for
merchandise and tour the Museum she said Yes I
said your kidding she said no. We chatted a little
and then I left to get ready for the Once in a
life time event no not Dukesfest which in itself
is awesome, but the fact that the entire Cast was
a fixin to perform on the legendary stage of the
GRAND OLE OPRY! You see myself as a Tennessee
Native had never been to the OPRY, and as a Big
Dukes Of Hazzard Fan had never been to a Dukesfest
this was truly an honor. At the Opry it was a
great show lots of Country Music Stars Todays and
the Legends. Then the Dukes, First Tom (Luke Duke)
came out and blew me away I knew he could sing but
he has polished his craft he did a solo it was
awesome, then John (Bo Duke)came out and started a
solo of one of his old fav's and about midway thru
it was joined by Tom to finish as a duet that's
right BO and LUKE together on the Opry singing!
Then Ben (Cooter) came out to introduce everyone
to The Hazzard County Sheriffs's Department. First
Sheriff Rosco P Coltrane, (James Best) then Deputy
Enos Strate (Sonny Shroyer) and last but not least
Deputy Cletus Hogg (Rick Hurst) then Daisy
(Catherine Bach)and the Whole Cast Finished out
the Show with Andy Griggs Singing The Theme Song,
Good Ole Boys originally sung by the shows
balladeer Country Music Legend Waylon Jennings.
Saturday Morning I'm Up and 5:00am cruising the
grounds to see where every thing and everybody was
going to be.
By 8:00am with the gates open the lines were it
seemed for miles to get an autograph which didn't
start until 10:00am some stars were late to the
autograph sessions both days but it didn't move
the Crowds they didn't move out to another line
the just waited for the star in their line to show
up. I worked with Tom Wopat's Booth along with his
Long time friend and the person who helps keep Tom
Wopat Inc. and Wopat.com what it is Sheri Rettew
along with her friends Gloria, and Donna, who
came just to help at Tom's Booth. Tom was super I
was near tears a couple of times watching him with
the kids and especially the Special Needs Folks
Young and Old! He would take the hand of the Dads
look them directly in the eye and say "Thanks for
coming" or "I appreciate you coming". Although
their were times when caos insued as you would
expect with an event of this size, Between the
Fire Marshall's ushering the Fans through like
Cattle or rearranging our exits and the Sound
Stage Bellowing in Tom's ear in the Corner to just
sheer exhaustion and hunger. I saw Tom excuse
himself a couple three times each day! I saw him
just bend down to a plate brought to him and
literally quick grab a couple of bites to settle
his hunger and then back to the Fans. I saw first
hand as Sonny (ENOS) and Tom (LUKE) stayed until
the very last Fan came through. But it didn't stop
there. Then there was a slew of Staff waiting to
be a Fan for a couple of minutes to interact with
them and get autographs including myself. I would
like to say to anyone who didn't get to meet and
greet the stars or got upset in the crowds These
Stars were there for you and Endured a lot. Most
were there early or stayed late to try and get to
you all. It just wasn't physically possible but
they extend their Thanks and Love to each and
every one of you their Fans. I saw the spouses try
for Health and Welfare reasons to get their Famous
Partners in Life to take breaks or cut out earlier,
but they wouldn't do it. We had to help some get
out of their chairs of which they had been in for
hours on end. These are the best Cast Members Ever
Assembled and the Dukes of Hazzard will always
remain a intrical part of Americana, like Apple
Pie, Baseball, Nascar, they are what we relate to.
Saturday nite the sound of over a hundred General
Lee's a couple dozen Patrol Cars a number of
several type vehicles painted Orange with O1's two
Dixie Jeeps one Daisy's Yellow Plymouth
RoadRunner, one Boss Hogg's Convertible Cadilac,
and even one K.I.T.T. Knight Rider Pontiac Trans
Am Reved their engines as they took several laps
around the Track under the lights in a parade
followed by a Great Fireworks Display! As Sunday
was wrapping up the HAZZARD COUNTY STUNT TEAM gave
an outstanding Performance. Looking forward to the
next great event in Hazzard County I'm
James Hammond
Creation Multimedia/Ultimate "01" Fan!
Posted 13:13
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