The Third Annual Cotton Pick-In Concert, hosted by the City of Arbyrd with, 7UP/RC Cola, 107.1 The Train and Senath State Bank will be, Saturday, Aug. 13, 2008. Staff photo by Amenda Alexanda [Click to enlarge]

Daily Dunklin Democrat

The Third Annual "Cotton Pickin' Concert", hosted by the City of Arbyrd, will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008, at the Arbyrd City Park.

According to Mayor Lonnie Gibson, the City of Arbyrd has planned a day full of activities beginning with the Bootheel Biker Poker Run at 7:30 a.m. There also will also be vendors, prizes and music all day.

"All proceeds will go to the Arbyrd Park and Recreation fund to improve the city's park. "We (the city) would like to add a modular playground for children, tennis, volleyball and basketball courts.

"Also, lighting, seating and a concession stand," Gibson explained.

This year's event will feature The Kentucky Headhunters, with special guest, The Ben Brand Band and Friends of Nashville, Tenn.

Doug Phelps, Greg Martin, Fred Young and Richard Young of The Kentucky Headhunters, are well known for their mixture of honky-tonk and Southern sound.

The Headhunters have sold over six million albums sold and have received The Top New Vocal Duet/Group award from the Academy of Country Music in 1989, and a Grammy award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group in 1990. The Headhunters also received Album of the Year for Pickin' on Nashville in 1990 and Vocal Group of the Year also in 1990 from the Country Music Association.

The group's album Pickin' on Nashville went two-time Multi-Platinum and the album Electric Barnyard went gold.

The Ben Brand Band is a group that has played in local clubs for several years and shared the stage with great artists such as The Kentucky Headhunters, The Bellamy Brothers, Billy Currington, Exile, T. Graham Brown and Merle Haggard, according to Brand's myspace page.

Other groups appearing during the day will be the county duo, Blacktop at 3 p.m., Fault Line at 4 p.m. and Bill Hurst and Don Osment at 5 p.m.

"The 7UP/RC Bottling Company, distributors of the Crunk Energy Drink will be introducing their new, citrus flavored, energy drink at the Arbyrd City Park. Seven-Up - RC company will have the Crunk tent set up along with Crunk mobile and the Crunk Girls will also be there," Mayor Gibson said.

According to Sales Manager David Kellums, of the 7UP/RC Cola Bottling Company of Paragould, Ark., the Crunk Energy Drink Company also donated money in support of a 2009 Yamaha V Star 650, that will be given away during the concert.

"You must to be present to win the motorcycle," Kellums said.

Mayor Gibson, on behalf of Arbyrd would like to recognize and thank the following sponsors for their support: 7UP and RC Cola, 107.1 The Train and the Senath State Bank, Agexplore, International, Adkerson Trucking, Kellums Construction, 4-Way Cotton Gin, Adams Fertilizer Company, CoMark Cotton, Dalton Cotton Company, Central Chevrolet, Allenburg Cotton, HOGAIR, Shelter Ins., Hometown Café, NEA Signs and Banners, Ameren UE, Liberty Bank of Arkansas, Kirk Equipment, Agri Packaging and Logistics, AP and L, Baker Implement Co., Kennett Irrigation, Baker Implement Company, Unico Bank, GT Ag, LLC., TSI Specialists Inc., Russell Construction, Glean Sain, Steadfast Trans-Continent, Mr. T'S Riverside, Black Gold, Reinhart Cotton Company, Agriliance, First National Bank, Senath State Bank, Burton's Quick Shop - Flowers and Gifts, Iron Horse Café, AJ's and Hogland Yamaha.