Grammy winner starring in Virginia City benefit concert

A 14-time Grammy-winning country guitarist is performing at the biggest fundraiser of the year for Community Chest Inc., a Virginia City nonprofit that provides youth development, food security, employment assistance and other programs to rural Nevadans.

The ninth annual “A Night to Imagine” benefit concert will feature the Jerry Douglas Trio — whose namesake has won acclaim as a Dobro player and received the Country Music Association’s Musician of the Year award three times — at 8 p.m. April 13 at Piper’s Opera House.

Douglas, who garnered a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011 from the American Music Association, plays elements of bluegrass, country, rock, jazz, blues and Celtic.

Called “Dobro’s matchless contemporary master” by The New York Times, he’s known for his work as a member of several bands including J.D. Crowe & The New South, The Country Gentlemen, Boone Creek, The Earls of Leicester, and Strength In Numbers. His playing can be heard on more than 1,500 albums, including some released by Garth Brooks, Paul Simon, James Taylor, Elvis Costello, Earl Scruggs, and Ray Charles.

The fundraiser will raise money for a plethora of services offered by Community Chest, including the Storey County Community Library and the Classroom on Wheels (COW Bus), a rural mobile preschool program.

Founded in 1991, the agency also supports rural communities with mental health counseling and early childhood programming. Its reach spans Carson City, Storey, Lyon, Mineral and Nye counties.

Doors for the performance open at 7:30 p.m. Piper’s Opera House is at 12 B St. in Virginia City.

Tickets, which organizers expect to sell out, are $50 each and available at www.communitychestnevada.net, or in person at the Red Dog Saloon in Virginia City, Sundance Bookstore in Reno, and Comma Coffee in Carson City. Stageside champagne box seats will be available for bid.

The show is being sponsored by Barrick Gold Corporation.

For information, contact Melanie Lopez at 775-847-9311, ext. 115, or Melanie@communitychestnevada.net, or Adrienne Sutherland at 775-847- 9311, ext. 201, or email Adrienne@communitychestnevada.net.