For nine years, the John Jarrard Foundation has celebrated its namesake's memory with a benefit concert. Tonight, it will not only remember his life but celebrate his inclusion to the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.

Local and Nashville songwriters will perform at the Bruce Burch and Friends Concert Honoring John Jarrard on the lawn at Brenau University to raise money for local charities and honor Gainesville songwriter John Jarrard.

The concert is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Performers include Deanna Bryant, Brice Long, Cody McCarver, Billy Dean, Richard Leigh and Monty Holmes.

"Our main headline act is Billy Dean, who is a great
singer/songwriter," said Jody Jackson, executive director of the John Jarrard Foundation. "He ... had a bunch of hits out and won some (Country Music) Awards. He is just a great guy, and he knew John Jarrard."

Leigh, who is in the Songwriters Hall of Fame, wrote a number of hits for stars such as Reba McEntyre and the Dixie Chicks.

"He's just an amazing songwriter and Richard also knew John Jarrard," Jackson said. "We've got several others and it's just going to be a great show."

Jarrard was a Gainesville native who went on to have a successful career as a songwriter in Nashville.

He penned 11 No. 1 songs for performers who included Alabama, George Strait, Diamond Rio, John Anderson, Reba McEntire and Tracy Lawrence.

He died at age 47 from complications of diabetes. Earlier this month, he was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.

"It's neat when you have guys come down (to perform at the concert) who have had a lot of success song writing all over the world and live in Nashville. But it's really neat when they knew John so that during the show they can talk about John and who he was and what he stood for," Jackson said.

The concert will be mostly acoustic and will showcase the art of song writing.

Jackson said it's unique to hear the familiar songs performed by the people who wrote them.

"You hear these songwriters that sing these songs they've written, hit songs and songs we grew up knowing, and they explain how they wrote the song," Jackson said. "To me that is so much more entertaining than having an artist you see or hear on the radio singing a song that's not really their own experience."

There will also be an auction to raise money for the charities the John Jarrard Foundation supports, including Good News at Noon Clinics, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Hall County, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Georgia Chapter and the Georgia Mountain Food Bank.

Tickets are $30 each and can be purchased online or at the door of the concert.

"We'll have great music and fellowship," Jackson said.