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Wednesday October 18th, 2000

Country stars, Gibson J-200 shine in children's book, to benefit St. Jude Children's Hospital

Twelve of the biggest stars of country music -- Vince Gill, George Jones, Brenda Lee, Patty Loveless, Loretta Lynn, Tim McGraw, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, LeAnn Rimes, Marty Stuart, Pam Tillis, and Trisha Yearwood -- shared childhood memories and dreams with Julie Clay, who delights us with their stories in her new book, The Stars That Shine (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, October 2000, $24.95 hardcover, 112 pages). The stories they tell are as emotionally rich as the songs they sing.

Gibson Guitar Corp. has donated a custom-built J-200 acoustic guitar, signed by the twelve music stars, for a featured charity auction in December on the auction site eBay, the largest auction site on the internet. All proceeds from the online charity auction will go directly to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, a world-renowned facility for the investigation and treatment of serious childhood diseases.

Julie Clay and Brenda Lee holding the custom built Gibson J-200.

Brenda Lee, whose story "A Gift From the Angels" appears in the book, is the official celebrity spokesperson for the project. "The Stars That Shine is a beautifully written and illustrated collection that not only holds great meaning for Julie, but for the artists involved," said Brenda Lee. "Best of all, it benefits a wonderful organization."

From the poignancy of Brenda Lee's relationship with her father to the comedy of Trisha Yearwood's early attempts at stardom, this is the book for families to read together, again and again. Each of the tales is followed by biographical information highlighting the artist's career and the background of the story. Dan Andreasen's richly painted illustrations, steeped in American tradition yet sparklingly new, perfectly complement the warmth and humor of these memorable stories. Featured on the cover is a Gibson J-200 acoustic which has been a mainstay in country music for two generations.

The The Stars That Shine was written from tales told to author Julie Clay, daughter of Brenda Lee, and illustrated by renowned painter Dan Andreasen. It was created to heighten awareness of the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and the work that it does in preventing and treating serious juvenile illnesses.

Julie Clay's first short story collection, The Stars That Shine, reflects her lifelong love of both words and music. An accomplished pianist who continues to find time for songwriting, Clay served as the executive director of the Nashville Chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences. She is currently completing work as coauthor on a celebrity autobiography and is developing additional children's projects. She lives with her husband and their daughter in Nashville, Tennessee, also world headquarters of Gibson Guitar Corp..

Dan Andreasen has illustrated more than fifty picture books and novels, including Rose Red and the Bear Prince by the Brothers Grimm and the new Little House books. He lives with his wife, Sharon, and their two children, Emily and Bret, in Medina, Ohio.

The stories and the twelve music stars are: "Booger Red" by Willie Nelson; "Up and Down" by Pam Tillis; "The Ghost of Bayou Bleu" by Tim McGraw; "The Ugly Puppet" by Patty Loveless; "Listen to the Mockingbird " by Vince Gill; "The Coat of Many Colors" by Dolly Parton; "Keep Out!" by Loretta Lynn; "Levy Lincoln, Pioneer Man" by Marty Stuart; "Dreams" by LeAnn Rimes; "The Magic Guitar" by George Jones; "Follow the Yellow Brick Road" by Trisha Yearwood; and "A Gift from the Angels" by Brenda Lee.

Go here to learn more about The Stars That Shine. Go here to visit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

The Gibson SJ-200 captures historic 1950's details of this most popular jumbo, known as the "King of the Flat-tops." Go here to see and hear the full line of hand-crafted Gibson acoustic guitars with the MasterBuilt difference. Call 1-800-4GIBSON for more information or email Gibson Support directly.

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