VBC to host highest-grossing concert in 50-year history
HUNTSVILLE – The Von Braun Center (VBC) is celebrating its 50th anniversary and is on track to host the highest grossing concert in its history.
Country Music Hall of Fame member, Dean Dillon, will be the center of attention at the Von Braun Center Propst Arena in Huntsville, Alabama as many of country music’s biggest stars honor the legendary singer/ songwriter on Wednesday, October 9th during “Songs and Stories of Dean Dillon.”
Recently, the VBC was showcased multiple times on national television during coverage of the SEC Gymnastics Championships; Lee Greenwood’s “All-Star Salute” tribute concert; and “Still Playin’ Possum: Music and Memories of George Jones.” The “Songs and Stories of Dean Dillon” concert is produced by EMG Presents with over $1M being invested into the televised production.
“I like to ask people if they can imagine what Huntsville would look like without the Von Braun Center,” commented VBC Executive Director Steve Maples. “We know the VBC is a large factor for Huntsville’s quality-of-life and we take that role very seriously. With our city consistently landing in top spots on national rankings, including the No. 1 Best Place to Live by U.S. News & World Report, people and businesses are constantly relocating to the area. The VBC staff, our Board of Control, and city leaders are deeply committed to ensuring the Von Braun Center continues making an impact and remains a place where community members and visitors continue connecting.”
“Songs and Stories of Dean Dillon” comes after two other successful televised tribute concerts held at the VBC Propst Arena which honored Lee Greenwood and the late George Jones. Like those shows, artists will pay tribute to songs written or co-written by Dean Dillon and made famous by Toby Keith, Vern Gosdin, Waylon Jennings, and Keith Whitley, while others will perform songs that became hits for their own careers.
Artists already announced to perform include: Cody Johnson, Drew Baldridge, Dustin Lynch, Michael Ray, Billy Currington, Craig Morgan, Dean Dillon, Due West, ERNEST, George Strait, Gramps Morgan, Jamey Johnson, Justin Moore, Larry Fleet with special guest pro-golfer John Daly, LeeAnn Womack, Mark Chesnutt, Neal McCoy, Pam Tillis, Randy Houser, Riley Green, Ronnie Dunn, Sammy Kershaw, Tim Watson, Vince Gill, and Zach Top.
Dean Dillon is a three-time Grammy nominee with 26 No. 1 singles to his songwriting credit and was named the 1985 Billboard Country Artist of the Year. In 1986, Dillon was awarded the Nashville Songwriters award. The Country Music Association (CMA) honored Dillon with the CMA Triple Play Award in 1995, 1996, 1998 for penning three No. 1 songs in a 12-month period. In 2002, Dillon was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame along with Bob Dylan and Shel Silverstein. Additionally, he has composed or co-written 55 songs for George Strait, including 19 singles, 11 of which went to No. 1.
The Lee Greenwood tribute in 2021 was the third highest-grossing event held at the VBC at that time, selling out hotel rooms and creating an estimated economic impact of over $1 million for the City of Huntsville. Just two short years later, in April 2023, the George Jones tribute show became one of the top five highest-grossing events held in the VBC and had an estimated economic impact of over $1.2 million for the City of Huntsville. Both events were later televised nationally, with the George Jones event being picked up by PBS to air the Huntsville concert multiple times in 2024. The Dean Dillon tribute has already broken the record for the highest-grossing concert in the VBC’s 50-year history.
In addition to great music celebrated on stage, these tribute shows also have a philanthropic impact on the local community. During the taping of the 2021 television special, Greenwood in partnership with Helping A Hero awarded two adapted homes to two deserving veterans – SFC Scott Barkelow, USA (Ret) and SSG Michael Brown, USA. The homes were provided by Louis and Patti Breland of Breland Homes in Huntsville. Following the George Jones special, Nancy Jones in partnership with Concerts 4 A Cause, The Wounded Blue and the VBC presented a fundraising check of over $82,000 to benefit the family of Officer Garrett Crumby following his death and Officer Albert Morin who was critically injured in a shooting on Tuesday, March 28. The funds were raised through guitar sales where buyers were able to choose an artist from the tribute’s lineup to autograph. The upcoming Dean Dillon tribute has donated 100 free tickets to Vet Tix (a nonprofit organization that provides event tickets to currently serving and veteran members of the US military and their families) and is donating a portion of ticket sales to Concerts 4 A Cause for their ongoing efforts to utilize music and celebrity-driven events to raise awareness and funds for a variety of causes. With some of the funds, Concerts 4 A Cause is purchasing a minimum of 100 guitars at Dean’s request which he will donate to Madison County’s three public school systems to provide resources to potential future songwriters.
“Since 1975, the VBC has created a legacy that is unparalleled in the community,” continued Maples. “It is an icon, a pillar of Huntsville and North Alabama, and there is truly no other organization or business like the VBC in the region. We are proud to continue bringing iconic events to the state. This concert will provide a significant platform to reach a larger audience and bring even more recognition to the VBC and North Alabama.”
Offering accommodations for all types of events, the VBC serves diverse audiences through diverse events including major conferences, concerts, theatrical performances, sporting events, private events, and much more. The 50th anniversary campaign highlights what the variety of event offerings at the VBC have in common – they each bring people together for meaningful moments.
Both the Lee Greenwood and George Jones tribute concerts created historic music moments like a duet by Wynonna Judd and Jamey Johnson, and a rendition of “Soul Man” by Sam Moore and T. Graham Brown with Lee Brice, Michael Ray, Janie Fricke, Darryl Worley, and Little Texas frontman Tim Rushlow. The producers of the upcoming Dean Dillon tribute are crafting yet another historic showcase of renowned music talent that will feature those multiple show-stopping moments these events have quickly became known for.
“In the age of online media and virtual experiences, the VBC remains a physical landmark uniting people together – in person,” Maples continued. “We are in the business of cultivating experiences. Whether it’s giving local theatre groups and young dancers a stage to perform on, providing a space for graduates to share the moment of receiving their diploma with family and friends, bringing someone’s favorite touring band to their hometown, hosting thousands of industry professionals as they share information and secure deals, or creating family traditions of cheering for Huntsville Havoc ice hockey each season – nearly every type of moment, big and small, happens at the VBC.”The theme for the VBC’s 50th anniversary is Your Place Through Time. It calls for the community to remember how the VBC has been your place for those shared experiences and how it will continue being your place for many years to come.
When last year’s fiscal year ended, the VBC had hosted 544 events with an estimated economic impact of over $97 million between October 2022 and September 2023.
“We are thrilled to celebrate our 50th anniversary by bringing another blockbuster event to the State of Alabama,” said Maples. “And we look forward to creating another 50 years of memories together!”
For more information about the Von Braun Center and the 50th anniversary, visit vonbrauncenter.com.
