Country musician Buddy Jewell will perform a free concert on May 19 during the High on the Hog Festival at the Winchester City Park, 1561 Phillip Fulmer Pkwy., Winchester. 

Artist Michael Corin will get the entertainment started at 6:30 p.m. with Jewell taking the stage at 7:30 p.m. Bring your chairs and come out and join a fun night of music, barbecue, a carnival and much more.

 Jewell burst onto the country-music scene 20 years ago after winning the inaugural season of the USA Network’s hit television series “Nashville Star.”

After Buddy’s win, Columbia Records released his self-titled album which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Album charts as well as No. 13 on the Top 100 Pop Album Charts. 

The album was certified Gold later that same year, selling over half a million copies. Buddy’s first two singles, “Sweet Southern Comfort” and “Help Pour out the Rain (Lacey’s Song),” both landed in the top five on the singles chart.

Jewell has since followed up with five more albums, “Times Like These,” “Country Enough,” “I Surrender All,” “Wanted: Live,” and his newest release, “My Father’s Country.”

This year is the 20^th anniversary for the release of “Sweet Southern Comfort.” To pay tribute, Jewell reached out and invited his friends, Clint Black, Marty Raybon and the Bellamy Brothers, to join him in recording a special edition now available on all digital outlets. 

Buddy has been recognized by the Grammy’s, ACM, CMA, ABC Radio Networks, ICMA, ICGMA and CMT with multiple awards and nominations. 

In 2015, he was inducted into the Arkansas Entertainer’s Hall of Fame.  He will be honored on May 26 in his home state of Arkansas and receive a plaque on The Arkansas Walk of Fame.

Buddy Jewell gives back to his community and beyond on many levels, serving as a past spokesperson for The Minnie Pearl Cancer Foundation and Compassion International. He supports many worthy causes including St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. 

He has served his nation throughout his career, supporting and entertaining troops at home and abroad. For more information, go to buddyjewell.com

The High on the Hog Festival, now in its 36th year, is hosted by the Kiwanis Club of Franklin County.  It is the club’s biggest fundraiser of the year, and money raised from this event goes toward many charitable projects within the community that Kiwanis supports. For more information, go to highonthehogfestival.com.