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The curtain will come up on the long-awaited and much anticipate “Shelia Jackson & Friends Holiday Concert” at 7 p.m. Friday, December 13 at the Claudia Crosby Theater on the campus of Troy University.

For 15 years, Jackson and friends have ushered in the holiday season in big-city, bright-lights fashion. And, so it will be again this year, Jackson said.

What began as a favor to the late Don Crapps, who was president of the Troy Arts Council, has become a Christmas tradition for many Pike Countians and others.

“Back all those years ago, Mr. Don asked me to do a concert and I could not turn him down,” Jackson said. “But, I asked a few friends to join me and we’ve been doing the concert every year since and with more and more friends. We have so many talented musicians, singers and dancers in our area and the Christmas concert is an opportunity to showcase them and to thank Mr. Don for this Christmas tradition.”

Jackson said this year’s holiday concert will open with an exciting variety of music from pop to jazz and from Broadway and classical to country. The concert will close with songs of the season.

Joining Jackson on stage for both the opening act and the all-Christmas closing act will be longtime friends, Christine Barron, Dorsey Fayson and Connell Barron and son, Patrick Jackson.

“We have several special guest stars,” Jackson said. “We are excited to have the Treholm State College Chorale under the direction of Lewis Webb perform. Pastor Johnny Hollis of Montgomery is well-known as a singer of hymns and we look forward to bringing him to the stage. Our own Johnny Barron will play guitar and sing. And, of course, we have outstanding talent from Troy University, Tori Lee-Averett, Tommy Newman and Quinton Cockrell and, as always, there will be a host of other very talented local vocalists, dancers and musicians.

And the Holiday Spectacular band is led by concert music director Henry Everette and features David Everette, Malachi Everette and Theo Smith.

“The Three Sopranos were such a big hit last year that we just had to have them back,” Jackson said. The Three Sopranos, Anna Moore, Alicia Moore and Tommye Cargill, are from Montgomery and they are amazing.

“The concert will also feature the Troy University Repertoire and the “Voices of Love” kids’ choir of 25 locally talented kids,” Jackson said. “We have exciting closings planned for both the first and second acts and both will be surprises. The entire concert will be filled with amazing talent. I want to thank the Troy Arts Council for giving us this opportunity to bring the community together at this special time of the year.”

The Shelia Jackson & Friends Holiday Concert is the TAC’s annual gift to the community.

“The concert tickets are only $10 rather than the usual $20,” Jackson said. “Families enjoy coming together for the concert and the reduced ticket price makes that possible for many.”

Tickets are at a premium and may be purchased at the TAC office in the Troy Tourism Building in downtown Troy.