BamaJam set for June 2012

The field outside Enterprise that once hosted more than 100,000 guests will once again quake with the sound of country music's best this summer.

A Jan. 4 press release announced the return of the BamaJam Music and Arts Festival to Enterprise.

The event is scheduled for June 14-16 at BamaJam Farms, a year-round entertainment venue located on the same Highway 167 site of former BamaJam festivals.

The festival, which took place the first weekend of June from 2008 until 2010 went on hiatus in 2011 as organizer, promoter Ronnie Gilley faced federal bribery charges in an alleged vote-buying scheme to pass electronic bingo legislation. Gilley pleaded guilty in September to 11 of 21 charges and served as a prosecution witness against other legislators and business leaders.

Gilley is currently an employee of a company working with BamaJam Farms and will not be working as a promoter for the 2012 festival.

BamaJam Productions, LLC also announced Rendy Lovelady, of RLM/Mission Management, as the festival's executive producer and is responsible for booking on-stage talent.

No artist names have been released so far for the 2012 festival.

According to the press release, Lovelady will also be responsible for all other musical events hosted at BamaJam Farms throughout the year.

"The history of BamaJam might be short, but it sure is exciting," said Lovelady. "Headliners ranging from Kid Rock, Hank Williams Jr., Brooks & Dunn, Jason Aldean and Taylor Swift have all graced the BamaJam stage and this year will be just as exciting with our 2012 plans already underway."

For more on this story, see the next issue of The Southeast Sun.