The Hanger - Rocket Talk

Country Music Star Will Appear Saturday, April 21

SUN ’N FUN CAMPUS, LAKELAND, Fla. – (March 28, 2007) – Country music star Aaron Tippin, who is also a pilot and longtime aviation enthusiast, will feel right at home when he performs in concert at this year’s Sun ’n Fun Fly-In. Tippin will perform on Saturday, April 21 at 7 p.m. – right in the middle of the Fly-In, which will take place April 17 – 23 at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport.

The concert is included in Sun ‘n Fun’s daily admission price, which is half-price for Florida residents and military personnel with a current ID card on Saturday, April 21, and Sunday, April 22.

“Sun ‘n Fun is really excited about having Aaron Tippin here at Sun ‘n Fun,” said Sun ‘n Fun President and Fly-In Chairman John Burton. “The concert is a first for Sun ‘n Fun and, combined with the reduced admission for Florida residents on the weekend, should provide a great reason for those folks who may not have participated in the Fly-In yet to join us for a great concert that is part of a great event.”

Aaron Tippin is a strong supporter of American military forces around the world and was the first singer to entertain troops in the Middle East during the first Gulf War in the early 1990s. In 2002, he wrote “Where the Stars and Stripes and the Eagle Fly” and went to Afghanistan to perform for American troops there. Since 2003, Tippin has been making annual trips to entertain American forces in Iraq and has become the spokesman for the Paralyzed Veterans of America. In 2005, he was the first country artist to donate funds to the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

“When I’d sing ‘Where the Stars and Stripes and the Eagle Fly,’ I started sending five-gallon buckets out into the crowd that said, ‘Katrina’ on them,” Tippin said of his personal hurricane relief program. “People just poured out of the stands. I get all choked up watching that. I recorded the song right after 9-11, but it’s not about 9-11. It’s about Katrina. And the next time it will be about whatever catastrophe we Americans have to deal with. I wrote it to represent a feeling that we can always come back to: Be proud to be an American. That’s what’s most important when the chips are down.”

Tippin will perform at Sun ‘n Fun on Saturday, April 21, in the heart of the Fly-In’s outdoor aircraft display area. The concert begins at 7 p.m. and is included in the price of Saturday’s daily admission fee. The Main Admission gates will remain open until 8 p.m. that day only. In order to receive the half-price discount, Florida residents and military personnel must present valid photo identification. The discount is limited to immediate family members and is non-transferable.

“The fans are truly amazing,” Tippin concluded. “They’re the reason I still have a job. I’m a very lucky man. I’ve been fortunate enough to have written some songs that have had an impact on some people. After all the years of doing this, what means most of all to me is to have written a song and hearing people say, ‘Hey man, that’s neat.’”

Sun ‘n Fun, a 501(c)(3) not–for–profit organization based in Lakeland, Florida, is best known for its annual Fly–In held each April. The event draws more than 160,000 people and 4,000 aircraft to Lakeland Linder Regional Airport, creating an economic impact exceeding $27 million in Lakeland and Polk County. The Fly–In is the primary source of funding for Sun ‘n Fun’s expanding year–round aviation education programs. These include operation of the Florida Air Museum, the state’s “Official Aviation Museum and Education Center,” which is also supported through grants from the Division of Historical Resources and Division of Cultural Affairs, Florida Department of State.

In addition, Sun ‘n Fun has initiated education programs for aviation enthusiasts of all ages – especially young people – featuring valuable “hands on” learning experiences. A growing scholarship program provides financial support to ensure Sun ‘n Fun’s education programs are accessible to all.

For more information, access Sun ‘n Fun’s website (www.sun-n-fun.org) or call the Sun ‘n Fun offices (863–644–2431).

EDITOR’S NOTE: A complete biography and music timeline for Aaron Tippin follows.

Source: Sun 'n Fun News Archive Page - March 2007

Don't miss it... this is an incredible event for the whole family.

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Rocket Johnson reporting
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