editor@ChiltonCountyNews.com

 Book Club Meets

   You are invited to join The Page Turners Book Club at the Chilton/Clanton Public Library to find more book lovers like you. This club meets on the second Thursday of the month from 10:00 until 11:00 a.m. in the conference room. The Club is open to anyone 18 years of age and older. They will discuss “Rules For Visiting” by Jessica Francis Kane with light refreshments at the January 8 meeting.

At The Library

    The Chilton/Clanton Public Library will close on Wednesday, December 24, and remain closed until Monday, January 5. This will give employees time to enjoy the Christmas holidays and will be a time for building maintenance. You can follow the Library’s activities on social media, call 205-755-1768, or visit the website www.chiltonclantonlibrary.org.

Clanton Native Performs 16th
Concert At Carnegie Hall

RANDALL ATCHESON 2025 CARNEGIE HALL CONCERT
Isaac Stern Auditorium / Ronald O. Perelman Stage
December 2 - New York City
By Wayne Atcheson
    Randy Atcheson, a Clanton native and a 1970 Chilton County High School graduate, performed his 16th Carnegie Hall concert in New York City on December 2. It was a Christmas concert with three classical selections by Rachmaninoff, Chopin and DeBussy.

    It is believed that only one other pianist has performed more solo piano concerts at the famed Carnegie Hall than Randy. There are three concert halls at Carnegie Hall but Randy has performed all 16 of his concerts in the big hall, Isaac Stern Auditorium where the greatest musicians in the world have performed since 1891.

    Randy’s first Carnegie Hall concert was in 1991 with his parents Rev. and Mrs. Hymon Atcheson, brothers Gerald and Wayne and their families seated in the Presidential Box 33 in the first tier. He had entered the Juilliard School of Music in New York at age 19 after studying piano and organ from his eighth grade through his freshman year at Samford University. Randy became the only student at Juilliard to gain two degrees in two instruments. He received his bachelor and master’s degrees in both during his ten years of study at the world acclaimed school.

    The well-known question of ‘How do you get to Carnegie Hall?’ has as its whimsical answer “Practice, Practice, Practice.” For this concert, Randy practiced the entire concert twice a day and many times three times a day since the summer. He even practiced on the Carnegie concert stage from 4:30 until 6 p.m. before the 8 p.m. concert time.

    Randy led off this concert with three of the most beautiful classical pieces. He came out with his white tie and tails attire with his signature red socks and began by having the audience stand and sing as he played the National Anthem. Then, he performed a Sergel Rachmaninoff selection called Polichinelle, from Morceaux de fantaisie, followed by the Ballade in G Minor, Op. 23 by Frederic Chopin and Pour le Piano, L. 95 by Claude Debussy.

    After the intermission, Randy dazzled the crowd with his gold lame jacket and gold studded shoes with gold socks. He performed 24 of his own arrangements of various Christmas Carols with ‘Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee and O Come, All Ye Faithful. It was followed with a combination of ‘It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, O Little Town of Bethlehem, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen and What Child is This?’

    Separately, he blessed the crowd with the classic, ‘O Holy Night’ followed by ‘Angels We Have Heard on High.’ After a brief break, he came out wearing a red sequined jacket with red sparkling shoes and red socks as the crowd laughed with delight. Then, he performed ‘Let It Snow and Winter Wonderland.’ This was followed by ‘Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire, White Christmas and Sleigh Ride.’

    Randy ended the festive two-hour evening concert with what he calls his Wal-Mart Medley. He first told of an experience he had over a missed item at the Clanton Wal-Mart one summer while a country lady was doing her Christmas shopping. The audience roared and he went into the Medley with ‘The Christmas Waltz, Deck The Halls, The Holly and The Ivey, Up On The House Top, Jingle Bells, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town and We Need A Little Christmas.’
The crowd gave him an instantaneous standing ovation and Randy came out wearing his fire jacket covered in flames and performed Jerry Lee Lewis’ ‘Great Balls of Fire.’ The crowd clapped, laughed and smiled themselves out into the Manhattan night air and lighted Christmas streets. The rainy day had stopped prior to the concert but it didn’t damper one’s spirit but gave every concert goer a rousing start to the beautiful Christmas season as we began celebrating the virgin birth of our precious Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

    During the program, Randy expressed that “My talent is a gift from God and I give Him all the honor and glory for it.” The Playbill program stated, “With an extraordinary gift that he openly credits to his Creator, he raises well-crafted music to the level of greatness, and he takes masterpieces and makes them unforgettable.”

    Randy and his lovely wife Laurie reside in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Every Veteran’s Grave

At Chilton Memorial

Gardens Received A Wreath

By Becky Tucker, News Reporter
    Every veteran’s grave at Chilton Memorial Gardens received a wreath as part of the Student Government Association of Chilton County High School’s sponsorship of the nation’s Wreaths Across America program.

    A special ceremony was held at the cemetery with Ellison Funeral Home and the American Legion Post 6 supporting the school’s efforts. Each veteran’s grave was marked with an American flag and a wreath was placed by volunteers and SGA members following a program Saturday morning, December 13.
Harper Kelley, SGA Vice-President, was Master of Ceremonies and led the Pledge of Allegiance. The CCHS Choir sang the National Anthem and America The Beautiful. Caroline Watson, SGA Secretary and Social Chairperson, had opening remarks reminding those present of the freedoms we have in our daily lives. “The United States of America was founded on the ideas of freedom, justice and equality,” she said. “We thank those who gave their lives to keep us free and we shall not forget you.”

    Kaydee Champion, SGA Treasurer and Spirit Chairperson led the different branches of service wreath laying by introducing those who laid the wreaths: Sergeant Hank Walker, Army; Corporal Darby Moore, Marines; Personnelman 2nd Class Thurmond Cleckler, Navy; Technical Sergeant Debra Hernandez, Air Force; Chief Petty Officer Shane Bates, Coast Guard; Chief Petty Officer Matt Griffin, Merchant Marine; and the Morris Price family, POW, Missing In Action.
Sergeant Jerry Grooms, U.S. Air Force and Marine Veteran and Commander of American Legion Post 6, was the guest speaker. “As a veteran, it is an honor to be able to know that people still remember our veterans and what they have done,” Grooms said. “As we remember this, freedom is not, never has been, nor will it ever be free. Somewhere we are going to fight battles to keep our freedom; that’s what we do. These men lying in this cemetery, this is hallowed ground. They gave their lives so you and I can have the freedom we have today. Without them, we would not be here, especially the World War II veterans who were considered the greatest generation of all.”

    Emma Elmore, SGA member had closing remarks, saying, “We encourage every volunteer here today that places a wreath on a grave, to say the veteran’s name aloud and take a moment to thank them for their service to our country. It’s a small act that goes a long way toward keeping the memory of our veterans alive. We are here to remember their lives.” The wreaths are a gift of appreciation from a grateful America and symbolize honor to those who have served and who are currently serving in the armed forces.

    Aaron Ellison spoke saying, “On behalf of all our staff at Ellison Memorial, Chilton Memorial Gardens, as President-Elect of the Alabama Funeral Home Association, we want to say thank you to the men and women who have served our nation here and abroad. As we pause to remember the ones who have been laid to rest here, we remember their sacrifice, their lives, and we honor their legacy.” He thanked the SGA for sponsoring the event and making it happen.

    Elmore gave students and volunteers wreath laying protocol for the placement of wreaths on graves. Nathan Sanderson, CCHS Band Director, played Taps to close the program.

        This aerial photo, by local pilot Edwin Petty, shows the new Chilton County Courthouse under construction. The project has a completion date of late April of this year. The new building is located on Highway 145 in Clanton.