First thing’s first: There’s nothing wrong with being a small town.

While most residents of such towns would likely argue the many values of living in a small community — low crime, a quiet atmosphere, a general sense of unity — there’s also something to be said about at least a little bit of growth.

Take, for example, the small town of Tremont.

“I would love to see our town flourish a little bit,” said Tremont Mayor Glyn Robinson. “It’s actually been one of my main goals as mayor. We really need some things out this way that would make life a little bit more convenient.”

But growth doesn’t come easily, and a somewhat secluded place like Tremont needs a little help jump-starting change.

That’s what Fulton’s Buster Davis had in mind when he organized the December 3 performance of country music legend George Jones at the ICC Davis Event Center in Fulton.

Touted as the “Tammy Wynette Birthplace Concert,” the event will help raise money for the construction of a memorial in honor of country music legend and Itawamba native Tammy Wynette — Jones’ former wife — in her hometown of Tremont.

The concert will kick off at 5:30 p.m. with some live music, followed by George Jones at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets for the event are currently on sale and range from $25 to $40. The goal is to sell approximately 4,000 tickets to help fund the concert itself and provide a nice starting point for the construction of the Wynette memorial.

Although no plans have been finalized, officials hope to use the concert’s proceeds to create a "tourable" replica of Wynette’s childhood home. In conjunction with Wynette’s Mississippi Country Music Trail marker, recently erected in Tremont’s park, the replica home would hopefully generate traffic in the town, thereby making it more attractive to potential businesses.

“We’re going to try to get the replica to match Wynette’s original home as closely as possible,” Robinson said, adding that Wynette’s original home is no longer standing.

The hope is that the memorial will help breathe new life into the town.

“I think some kind of memorial dedicated to Tammy Wynette would definitely benefit the town,” Robinson said. “It would attract people who are interested in Tammy and want to know where she was born, what setting she came from.”

Known internationally as “The First Lady of Country Music,” Tammy Wynette was born and raised on a farm near Tremont, where she attended school. During her decades-spanning career, she produced 20 No. 1 records including “Stand By Your Man,” “D-I-V-O-R-C-E” and “You and Me.”

The mayor said Wynette and the music she created are both genuine sources of pride for the town of Tremont. Much like Elvis and Tupelo, Wynette’s legacy proves that important people who accomplish big things can come from the smallest of places.

The concert is being produced by ICC and the Itawamba County Development Council. Tickets are available at the following locations: Unity Broadcasting in Fulton, Davis Ford Sales, the ICDC, Tremont Town Hall and Itawamba Community College.

Adam Armour can be reached at 862-3141, by e-mailing adam.armour@journalinc.com or by visiting his blog at itawamba360.com.