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Outdoor concert scheduled for May at Carden Jarrell Field

Live music brings people together, and that is exactly what local concert promoter Ron Johnson is hoping to do with his First Annual Manchester Country Explosion outdoor concert scheduled for May 11 at Carden Jarrell Field.

Artists currently slated to perform during the On Fire Concerts half-day event include Dallas Wayne, Deborah Allen, Clayton Q, Jaycee Lynn, Taff Simmons, Sara Simmons and Manchester’s own Macy Tabor. Additional artists are expected to be announced at a later date.

“We are looking forward to this and I think if I can get the community support behind it then I think we can make it a great thing and it will just evolve more and more every year,” Johnson said. “We are not trying to compete with any other event like Bonnaroo or anything like that. This is country music and people love it.”

Johnson said he is currently seeking sponsoring partners for the event and has reached out to some local businesses to try and drum up community support.

While Johnson and On Fire Concerts have booked shows all around the region, including Manchester, Bell Buckle and McMinnville, he said this will be the first outdoor concert he has put on in several years.

“There is a lot more work to an outdoor show than an indoor,” he said.

While hosting the concert at Carden Jarrell field allows some 2,500 people the opportunity to enjoy several musicians throughout the day, it also adds some expense and logistical issues that are not normally present during an indoor concert. These include rain insurance as well as additional sound and lighting equipment as well as a stage.

Johnson said that while he normally does not seek sponsors for his shows, the scale of County Explosion is large enough that he is now doing that.

“This will take a lot more than just me to do it and so unlike normal where I don’t go seek sponsors we are on this and we are hoping the local businesses will get involved,” he said.

Johnson spoke to members of the Coffee County Schools Board of Education during its regular November meeting to discuss the possibility of renting Carden Jarrell Field to use as the site of the concert.

Director of Schools Dr. Charles Lawson said during the meeting that the use request is a little different than the kind the district typically receives.

“The vast majority of requests we have are for benefits for the community, a community organization, something like that, that has not been unusual,” Lawson said. “This is the first time we have had a request quite like this one where it is more of a commercial venture.”

Board members approved Johnson’s request to use the football field in a 6-0 vote.

Johnson said he likes the idea of having the event at the school football field, which allows school organizations to handle and profit from all concession sales during the event.

While there will be about 50 reserved seats available at a cost of $50, the vast majority of tickets will be general admission and will cost about $35.

“The goal to keep it as low as possible to give everybody and opportunity to come,” Johnson said.

When it came to picking the artists for Manchester Country Explosion, Johnson said he reached out to artists he has known and worked with over the years.

“We have got the acts I think that people will enjoy, a little bit of something for everybody,” he said.

Johnson said his ultimate goal is to create an annual family friendly event for Manchester.

“I have tried for 20 years to keep it family friendly and I don’t think you would find many people that would say anything bad about any of our shows,” he said. “That is why we keep doing what we do and the way we do it.”

Businesses interested in being a part of the First Annual Manchester Country Explosion can contact Ron Johnson at 615-663-6560 or email ron@onfireconcerts.com.