CSX via Business Wire, 10/13/17:
Ricky Skaggs to Serve as Special Guest on 75th Santa Train
Bluegrass Legend Brings Holiday Cheer to Appalachia for 75th Year of CSX’s Holiday Event
KINGSPORT, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bluegrass music legend Ricky Skaggs will be the special guest on the 75th running of the CSX Santa Train on Saturday, Nov. 18.
Skaggs, whose impressive resume includes 15 Grammy awards, 12 No.1 hits and eight CMA awards, has been performing bluegrass for more than 30 years. He’s been especially busy lately, continuing to tour the country and forging ahead with cross-cultural, genre-bending musical inspirations.
“We are so excited to have an icon like Ricky Skaggs join us on this year’s Santa Train,” said Tori Kaplan, Vice President of Communications and Field Support for CSX. “This year’s train marks 75 years of giving back to the families of Appalachia, and we couldn’t have picked a better partner and representative of Appalachia than Ricky.”
Each year since 1942, CSX’s Santa Train embarks on a journey from Shelby, Ky., to Kingsport, Tenn., to spread holiday cheer, passing out gifts to families in cities along the rail line. The Santa Train makes 14 stops in Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee, delivering toys, food and winter clothing to hundreds of residents along the way. Skaggs will accompany Santa Claus and event sponsors CSX, Food City, Kingsport Chamber of Commerce, Appalachian Power and Soles 4 Souls on the 110-mile trek.
Fans can use the hashtag #santatrainis75 to follow the train online and engage in the Santa Train conversation on social media.
Photos and video from this year’s Santa Train will be available Monday, Nov. 20. Email Morey Hill at mhill@mpf.com if you are interested in using the images.