Jamboree in the Hills

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Jamboree In The Hills, also known as the "Super Bowl of Country Music," is a four-day-long festival of country music held annually in the rolling hills of Morristown, Ohio (about 1 1/2 hours west of Pittsburgh) in Belmont County. The popular concert, owned by parent company Live Nation, showcases a wide variety of new, veteran, and legendary musicians, and runs Thursday through Sunday every summer during the third week of July.

The program is a spinoff of the WWVA Jamboree.

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[edit] History and Tradition

Jamboree in the Hills (often abbreviated as JITH) began as a two-day outdoor music festival back in 1977. It was the concept of Glen Reeves that brought it to fruition along with Mel Lawrence and Jerry Brightman. It has since grown to a four-day, annual festival, bringing in more than 100,000 country music fans each year. Fans from all over the United States, and from many areas of the world, pitch tents and park campers on the hill above the amphitheater and all through the immediate region, filling camp grounds, front yards, and backyards alike, dragging wagons loaded with lawn chairs beer and plenty of ice.

The current outdoor amphitheater (the second site for the concert since 1977) is currently enhanced by several speaker towers and jumbotron TV screens, so even the fans at the top of the rolling hill can easily enjoy the show. Jamboree in the Hills is one of the largest and most celebrated annual country music events. The concert range is so large that it is home to its very own post office and on-site emergency ward staffed by East Ohio Regional Hospital that has, in the past, delivered babies.

The site is even host to a number of weddings each year. There is a photo aisle in front of the stage where fans can walk through and take snapshots of their favorite country music artists. In 2006, the barn-like stage used to showcase performers underwent a massive face lift. It was completely torn down and replaced with a bigger stage to better suit the hillside amphitheater. There is also an area on site where fireworks are shot off on a given night during the concert (traditionally Saturday).

Usually country music stars are the main focus of the concert, but entertainers from other genres have also shared the stage over the years, including Weird Al Yankovic and The Beach Boys. The entire concert is covered live on local news station WTOV9[1], aside from a few performers who decline to go on air (usually only one or two each year). Recent examples include Carrie Underwood (due to American Idol contracts) and Keith Urban.

Past performers include Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, Garth Brooks, Rascal Flatts, Travis Tritt, Alabama, Kenny Chesney, The Charlie Daniels Band, Martina McBride, Toby Keith, Keith Urban, Hank Williams, Jr., Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill and Merle Haggard.

[edit] Jamboree in the Hills Theme Song

Penned in 1978 by Mayf Nutter, the Jamboree in the Hills theme song is proudly played annually at the festival. The lyrics to the song describe the first Jamboree and the excitement that surrounded the event. To the dismay of his fan base, Nutter has not yet been invited back to the festival by Clear Channel. A new song was recently released by Mt.Pleasant native and Jamboree 2007 performer Joe Zelek.

[edit] The Running of the Rednecks

There are only a few seating arrangements or assigned places at the Jamboree site, referred to as lawn seats, which are green lawn chairs. Each morning during the event, hundreds of country music fans stampede through the gate with their blankets, tarps, and lawn chairs, and try to get a space as close to the stage as possible. This is often a muddy and chaotic event and has been dubbed over the years as "the running of the rednecks."

[edit] The Antics of Neal McCoy

Neal McCoy, who has been a regular since 1998, has started a tradition of antics and stage stunts that has made him a crowd favorite. He often runs off the stage, through the crowd, and climbs high atop the roof of the sound tower. He has also partaken of Jello Shots given to him by fans in the crowd (which are contraband at the Jamboree site) while performing, and has even enjoyed a few beers while on stage.

[edit] 2008 Line-up

Thursday (7-17)

Friday (7-18)

Saturday (7-19)

Sunday (7-20)

[edit] See also

[edit] External links