Headline Entertainment Announced for Texas State Society's 2005 Black Tie & Boots Inaugural Ball

Headline Entertainment Announced for Texas State Society's 2005 Black Tie & Boots Inaugural Ball Asleep at the Wheel, Sara Evans, Lyle Lovett, Neal McCoy and Clay Walker Headline Entertainment - More to be Announced WASHINGTON, Jan. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- The Texas State Society of Washington, D.C. and Ward and Ames of Houston, Tex. today announced that Asleep at the Wheel, Sara Evans, Lyle Lovett, Neal McCoy and Clay Walker will lead the entertainment at the 2005 "Black Tie & Boots Inaugural Ball" to be held on Wednesday, January 19, 2005, at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel. The Texas State Society was founded in 1904 as a bi-partisan social organization designed to foster a fraternal spirit among Texans who find themselves transplanted to the nation's capital. The quadrennial "Black Tie & Boots Inaugural Ball" occurs in the midst of the pomp and circumstance of the inaugural whirl and in 2001, the Black Tie and Boots Ball lived up to its Texas-sized reputation with more than 10,000 participants from all over the United States. Celebrating the centennial founding of the Society this year, the Texas State Society's legendary Black Tie & Boots is one of the hottest events in town during inaugural week. This year's Black Tie & Boots is set to be the biggest and best yet with more entertainers per square inch than previous inaugural balls. More artists and entertainers are expected to join the list soon. Top entertainers in Western swing music, the hit band Asleep at the Wheel has earned six Grammy awards since forming 30 years ago. The band has collaborated with many country music greats including George Strait and the Dixie Chicks. They are the comforting sound of home to Texans worldwide. With number one hits such as "Born to Fly," "I Could Not Ask For More" and more recently "Restless," Sara Evans is known for her distinctive country sound and was the most nominated artist at the 2001 Country Music Association Awards. She has toured with superstars Alan Jackson, George Strait and participated in the 2001 "Girls Night Out" tour with Reba McEntire, Martina McBride, Carolyn Dawn and Jamie O'Neal. Texas-born singer/songwriter Lyle Lovett is one of the most revered musicians of his time and continues to be a popular draw with Texans throughout the country. Over the course of his career, he has won four Grammy Awards including Best Country Album, Best Country Duo/Group with Vocal, Best Pop Vocal Collaboration and Best Country Male Vocal. Voted by his fans as The Nashville Network's (TNN) Entertainer of The Year two years in a row (1998 & 1999), Neal McCoy's honky tonk has brought him a string of hit albums. Mr. McCoy, who recently returned from his eighth USO/Armed Forces Entertainment tour, was recently presented with a book entitled American Eagle featuring an engraved plaque on its cover commending him for his service to Veterans. A relative newcomer to the country music scene, Clay Walker, has already racked up four platinum and two gold albums that sold a combined eight million copies. Among Walker's 11 No. 1 singles are "Live Until I Die," "This Woman And This Man," "Then What" and the most recent "Chain of Love." Source: Texas State Society CONTACT: Trudi Boyd, +1-202-775-1401, for the Texas State Society; Nancy Ames or Danny Ward of the Texas State Society, +1-713-266-9696; or Lisa Stewart of Marriott Wardman Park, +1-202-328-5633 NOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information about the Black Tie and Boots Inaugural Ball contact Trudi Boyd at trudi.boyd@dittus.com ------- Profile: International Entertainment