By Amanda Alcover-Migura/reporter

The Country Strings ensemble of NE Campus will present The People’s Choice concert Saturday, May 5.

The instrumental, acoustic strings class consists of about 15 students and some of their children, who range in age from 5 to 70.

Director Diane Enger, who plays an assortment of instruments herself, was the founder of the class and has taught it for 20 years.

Guitarist Landon Dodd and his 8-year-old daughter Savannah will sing a duet of Johnny Cash’s “Jackson.”

Savannah, who has been participating in the Strings concerts since she was 3, also plays the violin.

“ I don’t teach them how to play, just how to harmonize together,” Enger said of her students.

The group holds a concert annually and has a mailing list of 600 people to invite.

“ People travel here just for our concerts. We have a very loyal fan base,” she said.

“ The most exciting part is on the day of the concert, we see the audience very excited and anxious to see us play,” four-year member and guitarist Gloria Santos said.

Special guest Ron Crittenden of the Chuck Wagon Gang will perform “I’ll Fly Away” with the Strings.

The Chuck Wagon Gang originated in the 1930s and had a radio show on WBAP in Fort Worth for almost 20 years. The group was famous for its gospel music.

Crittenden’s performance is one of the special features of the program, which also promises a great finish, Enger said.

“ The encore will be very exciting,” she said.

The Country Strings will also salute one of its own, Harris Kirby, whom Enger described as “an amazing musician.”

Kirby will perform as a one-man band playing three different instruments in one song.

Although Enger said 90 percent of the audience is over 40, Country Strings will perform Rascal Flatt’s
“Bless the Broken Road” in an attempt to attract some younger audience members.

The concert will be in the Birdville High School Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. and will cost $1 for admission.

The class also performs for nursing homes and has raised $6,000 for a nursing home in New Orleans destroyed during Hurricane Katrina by selling their CD for $10 each.

The group’s CD will be available at the May 5 concert with proceeds benefiting the hurricane victims.