Jamboree in the Hills

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.

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 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, even delivered babies on the grounds.

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 [http://www.wtov9.com/] , 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, Brooks & Dunn and Merle Haggard.

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. A new song was recently released by Mt. Pleasant native and Jamboree 2007 performer Joe Zelek.

The Redneck Run

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 Redneck Run." The greatest runner of all time is often cited as Fast Eddie "Spag" Weidenheft.

2009 Line-Up

July 16-19

"TBD"

External links

* [http://www.jamboreeinthehills.com/ The official "Jamboree in the Hills" website]
* [http://www.livenation.com/ Live Nation ]
* [http://www.WTOV9.com/ WTOV9: Home of the best coverage each year]
* [http://www.jamboparty.com/ Jamboparty: The Unofficial Fansite of Jamboree in the Hills]