The Asheville Downtown Association announced that 2014 American Idol winner, Caleb Johnson, will serve as Grand Marshal for the Asheville Holiday Parade, presented by Bojangles, on Saturday, November 22.
The Grand Marshal float, sponsored by Mission Health, will lead the parade beginning at 11am on Biltmore Avenue. The parade continues north on Biltmore Avenue, turning west on Patton Avenue, and ending at South French Broad.
The Asheville Holiday Parade rolls, marches, and dances through downtown with nearly 100 entries from area nonprofits, schools and businesses.
Following the parade, Johnson will stop by Ingles JingleFest for a meet and greet with area fans and sign autographs. Also during Ingles JingleFest, U.S. Congressman Mark Meadows will honor Johnson with a Congressional Record for his significant contributions to North Carolina.
Ingles JingleFest will feature nonstop entertainment with performances from many of the groups that participated in the parade, inflatables and bouncy houses, kid’s activities, and of course, photos with Santa.
A native of Asheville, Johnson’s first album Testify pays tribute to his lifelong obsession with Southern soul, classic rock, and heavy metal. Johnson’s versatility is on display tearing through blistering barnburners, blues-soaked rock numbers, and heart-on-sleeve ballads. Written and recorded in just three weeks, Johnson co-wrote nearly every song on the album. Testify features Jane’s Addiction bassist Chris Chaney, former Nine Inch Nails/Guns N’ Roses drummer Josh Freese, and guitarist Phil X (a multi-instrumentalist who’s previously played with Rob Zombie and Tommy Lee).
After flooring his fellow Erwin High School classmates with a jawdropping performance of a Creedence Clearwater Revival song at the school’s talent show, Johnson formed the band, Elijah Hooker, and began playing venues around downtown Asheville and beyond.
Johnson credits his Southern roots with defining his music. “Being from the South is something that gets into your blood and your soul, and I think that comes out very clearly in my music,” he says.
The Asheville Holiday Parade and Ingles JingleFest are sponsored by Bojangles of WNC, Ingles Markets, Mission Health, Deerfield Retirement Community, Goodwill of Northwest North Carolina, Holston Gases, Asehville Eye Associates, Aloft Asheville Downtown, Renaissance Asheville Hotel, Kudzu Branding Co., TD Bank, WLOS, Mix 96.5, Star 104.3, 105.9 The Mountain, 99.9 Kiss Country, Asheville Scene, Asheville Citizen-Times, WNC Parent, The Laurel of Asheville, Icon Media Asheville, and Asheville Color & Imaging.
For more information on the Asheville Holiday Parade, presented by Bojangles, and Ingles JingleFest, visit ashevilleparade.org or facebook.com/ashevilleholidays.
For more information on Caleb Johnson and his debut album, Testify, visit calebjohnsonofficial.com.