I can remember it like it was yesterday, our family was on an extended vacation through the Smokies. I was hardly big enough to keep up with where I was minute to minute but images stuck in my pre-school memory.

The snake that I almost stepped on at the campground, get-ting our photo with a Cherokee Indian dressed in full regalia, riding the lift up to Maggie Valley’s Ghost Town in the Sky and watching the western-themed stage production play out on the streets of the amusement park.

Like so many children who remember those cowboy adven-tures, children of all ages from around the world are still drawn to Ghost Town in the Sky after 48 years of entertaining audiences.

The park is taking on a new and exciting approach to bringing family, food and fun into its new experience of Americana that spans the not only the Old West but a new addition which will highlight the Appalachian Mountains, its people, music and crafts through a new cooperative effort with Country music star and Appalachia native Stella Par-ton.Stella grew up in the Appalachian Mountains and is the sixth child in a family of twelve and is a member of the well-known Parton clan.

Like her sister Dolly, Stella is a person of vision and ac-tion. Throughout her highly acclaimed music career, she has recorded and released 22 albums and currently is enjoying her 24th chart record success.

In early 2000, Stella embarked on an Appalachian musical journey producing and releasing “Appalachian Blues” and “Appalachian Gospel” CD’s to critical acclaim and is cur-rently working on “Appalachian Christmas” and “Appala-chian Lullaby.”

Stella will serve as entertainment consultant with the aim to bring world-class entertainment, attract headline acts to fill the seats of the newly renovated American Heritage Theatre at Ghost Town.

She will headline three main events during the season and plans to feature surprise guests throughout. In addition, Stella will direct and produce new musical elements to add to the current talent performing on the mountain and assist with promotional and festival opportunities for Maggie Valley and Western North Carolina tourism.

Steve Shiver, president and CEO of Ghost Town, said Stella Parton brings a wealth of expertise and relationships in the entertainment industry to Ghost Town.

“Stella has a personal knowledge of the rich cultural his-tory of Western North Carolina and the Appalachian lifestyle, that makes her a perfect fit for the future course of Ghost Town in the Sky,” he said.“Although we have had our chal-lenges as have many attractions because of our national eco-nomic conditions, we look forward to restoring the park and growing it as a showcase for all of Western North Carolina.

He said that Stella’s recognition of the important roll Ghost Town plays in North Carolina tourism is a testament to its 48 years of entertaining guests from around the world. “More importantly, her willingness to use entertainment and the visual arts to preserve and educate the public about the Appalachian way will leave a lasting impression on our guests for years to come,” he said.

Stella will direct Ghost Town’s conceptual theme for the newest attraction the Appalachian Cultural Center. “This is one of the most exciting things for me to be a part of in quite some time,” Stella said. “I feel the rich Appalachian culture should have exposure worldwide. There is a treasure trove of gifted musicians, craftsman and historians in North Carolina and they will all have the opportunity to be showcased at the Appalachian Cultural Center.

“I am proud Ghost Town has seen the vision and invited me to participate,” she said. “We look forward to having many dignitaries from around the state to participate in this ex-tremely important project and to have the opportunity to inform and entertain the many tourists that will visit Ghost Town and the Maggie Valley area. You never know who you might see at Ghost Town.”

For more information about Stella Parton, visit: StellaPar-ton.com or Ghost Town In The Sky, visit: ghosttowninthesky.com .

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Randall Franks is an award-winning musician, singer and actor. He is best known for his role as “Officer Randy Goode” on TV’s “In the Heat of the Night” now on WGN America. His latest CD release, “God’s Children,” is by www.etrecordshop.com. He is a member of the Atlanta Coun-try Music Hall of Fame. He is a syndicated columnist and can be reached at rfrankscatoosa@gmail.com. © 2009 Peach Picked Publishing.