The Two Rivers Arts Council and the Marengo County Historical Society are working in concert to help paint Bluff Hall.

The two organizations are sponsoring a concert presented by Chevy 6, who will also conduct a book signing. The events will take place on Saturday, May 8, beginning at 6 p.m. at Lyon Hall on South Main Avenue.

An evening-opening meet-and-greet will begin at 6 p.m., with the concert getting under way at 7 p.m.

Chevy 6 will be signing a book detailing the band’s 35-year anniversary.

Mayor Mike Grayson will be the honorary chair of the event, having been a part of the band when it was first formed in April 1974.

“I was one of the original six,” Grayson said. “We started out playing ’50s and early ’60s beach music — old soul and basic rock and roll. We were definitely an oldies band when we started because at that time, the rage was the ’50s. That’s how we started. We did one set where we had our hair all slicked back like greasers, then we did the Brenda Burford Revue, where the two singers dressed up as girls and we did ‘girls’ songs. We had a beach set and we played old soul music, Motown kind of stuff.”

Grayson said that Burford is the sole remaining original band member, adding that Ken Murray of Faunsdale replaced Brian Smith in 1976, soon after the band was formed.

“They have updated to include some ’80s tunes,” Grayson said, “but it’s all geared towards the songs to party with!”

The concert is also a fund-raiser, with proceeds going to help repaint historic Bluff Hall.

“The exterior will be repainted,” said Kayte Melton of the Marengo County Historic Society. “That entails taking all of the old paint off and putting the new paint on. It is an expensive process, but it needs to be done. It’s been a long time since it was last painted.”

Melton said the estimated cost of repainting Bluff Hall was about $26,000. The Society held a Paint Gala last month to help raise funds for the procedure.

Tickets are $20 apiece and are available at the Canebrake Craft Corner next to Bluff Hall on North Commissioners Avenue, or from any board member of the Society or Arts Council.

For more information, call 289-9644 or e-mail marengohistory@bellsouth.net.