Grammy-award winning country music star Marty Stuart will be the headline entertainer at the 2001 Cattle Barons Ball, set for Oct. 13 at Schroeder Hall. The Cattle Barons Ball is an annual fund-raising gala for the American Cancer Society.

Stuart, who has three Grammy awards and five other Grammy nominations, has made 12 albums, including "Honky Tonkin's What I Do Best," "The Marty Party Hit Pack," "This One's Gonna Hurt You," "Tempted" and "Hillbilly Rock."

His latest album is 1999's "The Pilgrim," a concept album that tells the tale of a man whose life is almost destroyed when he unwittingly falls in love with a married woman. Stuart says the album is based on a true story.

Stuart is known for his high-energy live performances, and he wants to please his audience. "I've never cared much for shows that called for an intermission," he says. "In truth, intermissions are merely three-minute excuses to sell popcorn."

Also performing at the 2001 Cattle Barons Ball will be The Pictures, a party band that plays a wide variety of songs from the 1940s to the '90s.

"We concentrated on learning all the new, popular songs and performing them as close to the original artist as possible," said Byron Smith, the band's drummer and co-founder.

The Pictures have been performing in Texas and across the U.S. for more than 20 years. A recent gig was the Bush-Cheney Inaugural Ball in Washington, D.C.

A variety of other events are planned for the 2001 Cattle Barons Ball, including a style show by Double D Ranch Wear, pig races, "butt sketchers," "bottle bustin'," and silent and live auctions. For those who don't want to make the drive to Schroeder, buses will run to the hall from the parking lot of the Dr. Pattie Dodson Public Health Center on Navarro Street in Victoria.

This will be the fifth Victoria Cattle Barons Ball. The four previous balls have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the cancer society. "This year, more than 100,000 people in Texas will be told they have cancer," said Geri Schroeder, co-chair of the 2001 ball. "Events at the ball will be focused around cancer awareness."

Ticket packages for the ball went on sale in August. All proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society.

"This is an opportunity for everyone to help support past, present and future cancer patients," co-chair Becky Showers said.

Sponsors of the 2001 Cattle Barons Ball are AEP-Central Power & Light, Jerry and Carrie Bang, Bank of America, Roger Beasley Lincoln-Mercury-Honda, BP Green Lake, Dr. Gary and Mrs. Susan Branfman, Citizens Medical Center, Dow Chemical, DuPont, ExxonMobil and Speedy Stop Stores, FirstCapital Bank, First Victoria National Bank, Frost PIA Insurance, H-E-B Food Stores, Al Hogan Builder Inc., IBC Bank, Jet Maintenance, Interim Customer Care Solutions, KCI Klean Corp. International, Krueger Construction Co., M.K. Marlow Co. Inc., Dr. Paul Mondolfi, the O'Connor-Hewitt Foundation, O'Sullivan Referral Radiology, Regional Steel Products Inc., South Texas Plastic Surgery, Testengeer Inc., Victoria Air Conditioning Ltd., Victoria Communications Services, Victoria Eye Center, Victoria Machine Works, Victoria Radio Werks and Wells Fargo Bank.

Corporate sponsorship opportunities for the ball are still available. For information, contact underwriting chairmen Tom Stocker at (361) 574-5173 or Buddy Billups at (361) 574-8407. Corporate sponsors get a complimentary ticket package and other benefits.

"This is a chance to enjoy a great event, and at the same time show your company's support for a cause that touches each of our lives each day," Stocker said.

Volunteer opportunities are also available. For information, call Geri Schroeder at (361) 582-5505.

By Scot Walker