Bob Keast of Birdsong Signs CMT (Country Music Television) Contract

Sunday April 27, 2008; Birdsong Resort/TN River Pearl Museum

Vinnie Kaufmann, Bob Keast and Debbie Tyner pose for a quick picture in front of the Pearl Museum sign as they "ink" the contract to shoot a ½ hour CMT program on May 11th.

Kaufmann and Tyner are talent and location producers for CMT in Los Angles and Nashville. Kaufmann contacted Bob Keast after reading the Nashville Tennessean's Travel section a few weeks ago and called Bob up to see if he would be interested in providing Birdsong as a resort setting to host a TV show in a series aired on Country Music TV. Bob said, "of course, bring it on to Benton County. We will treat your production company like rich aunts and uncles. Whatever your crew needs like boats and fishing and of course, the 58 acre resort are all free. We want your group to come back and like the publicity that will come out of it."

The trio spent a couple of hours going around the resort and marina in the golf cart taking still pictures and discussing the location and all the attributes the resort has to offer for the production company that is in charge of shooting the ½ hour show.

"The name of the show is being held at this time for further contractual agreements to be signed but there is a possibility that several top name recording stars will appear in the show being shot here in Benton County. There is a possibility for some local citizens to appear in the crowd shots as the TV show is being filmed," according to Keast.

"It is a lot of fun being able to work with a production company especially for a ½ hour TV show being aired world wide. It is rewarding being able to bring this kind of exposure to Benton County", according to Keast