by Kelsey Durnin | Apr 4, 2011 | News Slider
The second annual Operation Yellow Ribbon was a huge success! The event featured General Tommy Franks as keynote speaker and performances by Charlie Daniels, Wynonna Judd, The Grascals and Montgomery Gentry. Charlie Daniels was honored by being appointed a colonel. The whole event was hosted by GAC’s Storme Warren. Prior to the show, veteran students and other VIP guests had the opportunity to meet with Gen. Franks and Daniels as well as the performers: Montgomery Gentry, The Grascals and Wynonna Judd. The Grascals’ banjo player Kristin Benson and guitarist Terry Eldredge were excited for the opportunity to show support for troops and veterans. “This is a worthwhile event we’re proud to be a part of,” says Benson. The Grascals played two songs including their cover of The Monkees’ “Last Train to Clarksville.” “It’s great, anyway you can honor them,” Eldredge said, a bit choked up. “They dodge bullets for us. Anybody who does that deserves to be honored.” Daniels has always been a notoriously patriotic supporter of the military and its veterans, and has performed at both Operation Yellow Ribbon events at Lipscomb. This year he played a new song asking everyone to pray for the troops. He also played the Charlie Daniels Band classic, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” with accompaniment from The Grascals. “There is a Santa Claus and his name isn’t St. Nick, its St. Charlie Daniels,” said Eldredge. To add to the night’s excitement, David Hughes announced Lipscomb’s new partnership with Sentinels of Freedom, a program which awards scholarships to qualifying veterans who were severely injured in the line of duty. The first student...
by Clay Smith | Apr 1, 2010 | News Slider
Cries of “God bless America” and “God bless our troops” rang out loud and clear in Allen Arena during Operation Yellow Ribbon recently. Lipscomb presented recording artists and some special military guests for a fundraising event for the Yellow Ribbon Program on March 23. The G.I. Bill was passed after Sept. 11, 2001, to ensure that people leaving the military could pursue a college education at any state university at no cost. Lipscomb’s Yellow Ribbon Program pays the difference between Lipscomb tuition and what a state university education costs in Tennessee, about $7,000. The evening was not short on entertainment. Among the artists who performed were Larry Gatlin, Gretchen Wilson, Amy Grant, Kix Brooks (of Brooks & Dunn), Charlie Daniels and Lipscomb’s A Cappella choir. Each artist made a point to mention his/her great appreciation for members of the military. “It just feels good to love on people who have served you,” Grant said. Brooks spoke on how emotional it was to play a concert the day after Sept. 11, 2001, near Shanksville, Pa., where United Airlines Flight 93 went down. He also spoke of his own personal visits to the Middle East. “I wish every American had the opportunity to see the good work that’s been done,” Brooks said. Daniels also commented on Americans’ attitudes today versus in years past. “Back during the ‘hippie days’ we had a lot of disrespect for the flag, the country, and all things American,” Daniels said. “But, the spirit of patriotism has always been there.” Thirty Lipscomb students are enrolled through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Each of them made contact first with...
