Con Hunley - Extreme Makeover - Home Edition, Knoxville, TN, January 15, 2012

EXTREME MAKEOVER HOME EDITION

	Extreme Makeover Home Edition January 15, 2012 Con was honored to lend his talents to benefit the Extreme Makeover Home Edition Special taped in Knoxville. Though the final episode of the ABC series aired in December, the show chose two locations for special shows to air around Thanksgiving 2012. The cities chosen for the specials were Knoxville and San Antonio, TX. The deserving Knoxville family chosen for this extraordinary gift are Daniel and Mandy Watson, founders of The Restoration House.
	The Restoration House is a non-profit organization reaching out to help single mothers with everything from counseling to the basics of running a household and being financially responsible, to housing and job training. You can read more about this great organization by visiting therestorationhouse.net. A lot of hard work was going on at the build site when we arrived. This build has had some serious weather obstacles since it began, including a lot of rain and even some snow. But that does not deter the warm-hearted volunteers who know what it takes to get the job done!
	We are performing in a special event tent, and to keep the place looking spic and span, everyone attending is asked to don a pair of booties before entering....including the band....and uh, Con! These boots ain't really made for walkin'!
	The band gets set up. Remember, this is a tent, so space is what you might call limited....but the band is determined to make everything fit!
	Okay....so there was no way Con's band was gonna fit on an 8' x 8' stage. So maybe the more appropriate term is we're gonna make it work!
	Con's got a great group of people working with him, and they were happy to do whatever they needed to do for this fundraiser. Ken Jackson on sax and Burton Akers on bass were both on the floor to the left of the stage. Drummer Tony Creasman and Guitarist Greg English were on the stage with Con's brother Kenny and sister Ruthie. Keyboard player Shane Roark was on the floor to the right of the stage. And Con was just in front of the stage on the floor.
	Con thanked all the folks for coming out to the show. With the limited space there were only 70 seats available which made for a fun, intimate show.
	A glimpse from outside...
	The first set was a rockin' good time!
	There was a little break for some great BBQ from Sweet P's...Mmm-Mmm! Con visited with the folks who donated so generously by purchasing tickets to tonight's event. Pictured here from L-R: Gina Changas with Grace Construction and VIP Coordinator; Con; Cynthia Moxley and Alan Carmichael of Moxley Carmichael, the PR firm handling all the news and media for the entire Knoxville Extreme Makeover build. Cynthia posted a great article on her blog. You can check it out by clicking HERE.
	Con with his brother, Kenny.
	Drummer Tony Creasman, left, with Con's nephew Stephen Hunley.
	Con's brother-in-law Burton and sister Ruthie enjoyed mingling with the guests.
	The second set gets underway.
	Eddie Speeks was on hand to make sure everything sounds "stellar". Eddie owns Stellar Visions, a Knoxville based sound and lighting company. They work with some of the biggest names in the music industry, and Eddie was kind enough to provide the sound, lighting and technical assistance required for the entire week of events held at the tent.
	Con gettin' his groove on!
	And the man can play!
	Con closed the show out with his heart-felt version of "America, The Beautiful". He and the band enjoyed being here for such a worthy cause.
	The work continues as we make our way out of the construction site. It's amazing to watch something of this magnitude come together in just 7 days! And the "reveal" is only two days away! You can watch a twelve minute time-lapse video of the entire construction courtesy of our ABC affiliate, WATE by clicking HERE. We tip our hats to all of the volunteers - those who gave materials, those who gave money, and above all those who gave their time and their energy, sludging through mud and facing the rain and snow head-on! You are true heroes! We wish all the very best for the Watson family and for The Restoration House - may you keep changing lives for the good!