Legendary Western music stars Sons of the Pioneers will return to Blairsville in 2025 for the fourth year running, and while the experience promises to herald the same excitement as past concerts, there are a few key differences when it comes to the organization of the event.
Since the Sons first began performing locally, proceeds from the concert have gone toward supporting the Ferst Readers of Union County. Children enrolled in the program receive a free book each month until their fifth birthday, encouraging the development of childhood literacy.
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Due to the success of the concerts, the Ferst Readers have enjoyed plenty of fundraising over the years. But according to Sons of the Pioneers liaison and mega-fan John Cochran, Ferst Readers has decided to step back from hosting the group this year.
Cochran divulged that, initially, the musicians were actually “disappointed”; he found after the first few concerts that the Sons enjoy visiting the area, both for its geography and people. Fortunately, there is no need to worry about a lack of a visit.
As it turns out, another local group will be inviting the Sons of the Pioneers to town this year: the local chapter of Scouting America, Troop 101 of the Northeast Georgia Mountain District, led by Joe Rosa.
So, the concert will still form the basis of a fundraiser for a local cause in 2025, with 100% of ticket sales going to the troop to support its longevity with upkeep and equipment replacements.
There’s another, more exciting use for those funds, though.
“We have a bunch of kids that are wanting to go to Philmont again,” Rosa explained, adding that the Philmont Scout Ranch, located out West in New Mexico, is part of the Order of the Arrow, an honor society among scouts.
Rosa said the trip can cost more than $3,000 per child, and though an adult or other troop members may sometimes step in and help when they can, it is generally considered an individual scout’s responsibility to fundraise.
“It’s about giving the kids the experience – of life experience with the troop,” Rosa said, likening the Philmont trip to both an adventure and an important teaching opportunity. “This gives them an opportunity to put that funding in the account to take them to these places and do these things with them.”
Continuing in the spirit of learning independence, the scouts themselves will be present at the performance, attending in dress uniform and helping out by collecting tickets and ushering attendees to their seats.
“They’ll be there the whole time,” Rosa promised. “It shows the people coming to the concert who they’re supporting.”
With his background knowledge as a Western musician himself, Cochran sees a poetic duality. Western music has always celebrated the beauty of God’s creation, with the cowboys of yore conceptualizing ditties about tumbling tumbleweeds by blue shadows bathed in firelight.
Scouts inhabit a similar world, always close to the wilderness and learning to live in harmony with it. America’s youth often learn important survival skills with the same tools their ancestors used upon the range, and certainly they gaze up in wonder at the same sky.
“You go out to Philmont or anywhere out West and you’re doing one of those guided trips, you’re out camping under the stars. You know, you’ve got a tent and you’re out there in the wilderness. It all ties in very well,” agreed Rosa.
“The Scouts make good young people out of (the kids),” said Cochran, proud to help organize their support.
As it has in the past, the concert will take place at the Union County Schools Fine Arts Center, but the event will differ from previous iterations in that it’s going to be held a bit earlier in the year, on September 21, due to a scheduling conflict with the band.
Further opportunities to support the scouts will come in the form of a planned silent auction, the details of which are still being ironed out. That said, the hope is to offer up a guitar – tuned, played and signed by the Sons themselves – to the highest bidder.
Although not ready yet, a website is in the works so folks can purchase tickets online, and the address will be shared in an upcoming edition of the newspaper. In the meantime, tickets can be found at Melissa’s Custom Cakes in Blairsville and at the Young Harris Pharmacy.
