THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 17, 1996 TAG: 9601160093
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines
The World of Wheels Custom Auto Show held last weekend at the Pavilion featured racing cars, antique cars, pickup trucks, a monster fire truck and a Van.
Nashville recording star Ricky Van Shelton was a featured attraction Saturday, a treat for country music enthusiasts, most of whom waited in line for up to an hour for an autograph or pose.
Pictures and guitars were signed as well as copies of children's books about a duck named Quacker, written by the tall, affable country star, who has four platinum and two gold albums to his name.
It was a rare chance for fans to get close to the man behind such hits as ``From a Jack to a King,'' ``Statue of a Fool'' and ``A Life Turned Her That Way.''
Shelton, a Grit, Va., native who got his big break in 1987, talked, signed and smiled through the three-hour afternoon and two-hour evening sessions - autograph after autograph, the signature remaining legible to the end.
He wasn't alone in the booth affixing signatures.
Shelton's wife, Bettye, was signing her name to her book, ``She Stays.'' The ``from-hell-to-heaven'' story, now in its second printing tells, no-holds-barred, about life with the singing star from his philandering days to the Ricky Van Shelton of today, a man of faith and love.
Love was the theme of the day.
``I love Ricky Van Shelton's singing,'' said Carol Mayhew of College Park. ``I have six 8-by-10 pictures and a big, ol' poster at work.''
Most of the hardy fans cheerfully waited their turn before reaching the star.
Some of the men were particularly cheerful because the line began at a Playboy cover girl booth, then wound its way, slowly, past members of the Hampton Roads Bikini Team.
By the time some of the males in line reached Shelton's table several pictures already had been snapped.
When Elaine Crawford of Green Run reached Shelton, she handed him a cassette.
``This was his first one,'' she said. ``I wanted it signed.''
Who wouldn't want an autograph from the ``world's greatest person''?
That's how Shawn Aman, of Pocahontas Village, described Shelton.
``He's, like, the greatest person in the whole world,'' said the Florida native, who is in the Navy. She said that she'll give the autograph to her baby when the little one becomes old enough to appreciate the man and his music.
Shelton lives in Nashville on acreage he and Bettye share with about 25 cars, an interest that made him feel at home at the World of Wheels Custom Auto Show.
He trucked a 1958 and 1967 Corvette to Virginia Beach, displaying them on either side of his autograph table.
A few tables away, more autographs were offered - these from Peter Blake, who portrays Jason Brooks in the daytime soap ``Days of Our Lives.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by FRANK ROBERTS
Judy Akers of South Red Mill Farms gets her reward for standing in
line - an autograph from Ricky Van Shelton at the auto show at
Pavilion.
by CNB