A Carlsbad native is going to be one of this year’s recipients of the Academy of Country Music’s exclusive “Poet’s Award,” according to a press release by the ACM.
Sonny Throckmorton will be inducted into the exclusive group on Aug. 24 in Nashville. He’ll be joined this year by none other than Shania Twain. The Poet’s Award is presented to a Country Music songwriter for outstanding and longstanding musical and/or lyrical contributions throughout their career, with special consideration given to a song or songs’ impact on the culture of Country Music. It is one of the ACM’s most exclusive awards.
Between 1976 and 1980, one of Sonny Throckmorton’s songs appeared on the charts almost every single week. Throughout his storied career, Throckmorton had more than 1,000 songs recorded by an astounding list of artists, including Ray Charles, Merle Haggard, Alan Jackson, The Judds, George Strait, Tanya Tucker, and more. In 1985, Throckmorton was inducted into the Nashville Songwriter’s Hall of Fame. He is also in the Carlsbad Hall of Fame.
Sonny has performed in Carlsbad on several occasions. This year, Sonny and the Orange Beach Band will be part of our “Liberty and Legacy” Independence Day celebration, July 3 and 4 at the Beach Bandshell. Sonny will be headlining our act on July 3 – he and his group will be performing from 7:15-9 p.m., right before our boat parade. We hope you will take the incredible opportunity to come out and watch this American legend and Carlsbad native perform live.
***
The Living Desert Zoo & Gardens State Park is a source of pride in this community. On Wednesday, the park held a ribbon cutting recognizing a recent donation by Chevron. These funds went to several improvements in the park, including a major renovation of the trail through the park.
Special thanks to Ryder Booth, Beverly Allen and everyone with Chevron who helped organize this event, and for their very generous donation. Thank you to Governor Lujan Grisham, EMNRD Secretary Sarah Cottrell Propst and State Parks Director Toby Velasquez for participating in this ceremony.
The Living Desert is so much more than just a state park. It is a sanctuary for animals who would not be able to survive in the wild without assistance. It is a place where families, both visitors to Carlsbad and our own residents, develop a love for the wildlife that is native to our region.
Thanks to an incredible group of volunteers, the Living Desert also has numerous educational events throughout the year. So many children in Carlsbad, and from other communities, know about Maggie the Bear, about the prairie dogs and the wolves at the Living Desert, and they develop a lifelong love for protecting these animals.
The Living Desert Zoo & Gardens is a gem to all of New Mexico, and we encourage everyone to continue to support this beautiful park.
***
Another big weekend is coming up for Carlsbad. The Car-A-Fair begins on Friday, and Encanto is playing Friday night at the Halagueno Arts Park. The car show goes on all day Saturday and includes a fun run that begins at 7 a.m. and a cornhole tournament that begins at 10 a.m. Both of these activities are in support of Carlsbad’s LifeHouse program. Also, a reminder that on Saturday, June 4, our summer concert series kicks off at the Water Park Gazebo beginning with LastChild.
Sincerely,
Carlsbad Mayor Dale Janway