MT. AIRY - The Habersham County community turned out Tuesday night to honor one of its own, 1987 Habersham Central High School graduate Kimberly Bramlett Schlapman of Grammy-winning country music group Little Big Town.
Schlapman became the inaugural inductee in the Habersham County Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame.
The Hometown Friends & Family Salute was held in the Habersham Central High School Auditorium and featured special presentations by Congressman Doug Collins, District 50 Sen. John Wilkinson, District 28 Rep. Dan Gasaway, District 10 Rep. Terry Rogers, Habersham County Commission Chairman Chad Henderson, Habersham County Board of Education Chairman Gilbert Barrett, Cornelia Mayor J.C. Irby, and former Habersham County School Superintendent Judy Forbes.
Masters of ceremonies for the event included David Buchanan and Schlapman's friend and classmate Heather Meeks Gatchell.
The night also included a "This is Your Life" segment with friends, former teachers, co-workers and other mentors paying tribute to Schlapman.
"I just want to say that I have never been so humbled and I've never been so grateful," Schlapman told the audience at the conclusion of the event. "I cannot believe everything that went into this night. I love you - you have my heart. My heart never left here. It's always been here and it always will be, and I am proud of that."
She praised members of the community for their support during her endeavors here, whether representing the school and state at the 44th-annual International Key Club Convention in Toronto, Canada, and taking home the first-place trophy; winning first place in the Atlanta Braves 96 Rock Talent Search in 1987; recording a jingle for a local bank; or in other aspects of her school and community life.
"I'm proud of how you loved me and you taught me how to love, and you taught me how to live, and you taught me about Jesus, and you taught me that as long as I hang on to what really matters I'll be all right," Schlapman said.
After taking time to speak with each person in attendance who wanted to visit with her, Schlapman shared a little bit about what the homecoming event on her birthday meant to her.
"This night - it leaves me speechless," Schlapman said. "I feel incredibly humbled and grateful and proud and undeserving. It was overwhelming to have all those friends from the past come, and people in the audience, and my family is here. It's just one of the most special days of my whole life."
Asked what it meant to have people support her when she was young and those same people continuing to support her in her professional life, she said, "It's just how we do it 'round here. We just know how to love each other and take care of each other, and this is where I learned it and it's the way I try to live my life."
Schlapman shared one of the things she has taken with her from Habersham County.
"I've taken with me a work ethic, I think, that was given to me," Schlapman said. "My first job was picking beans right here in Cornelia. I picked beans for some friends of mine. That taught me how to work hard, and I have had to work hard. I've had great things happen in my life, but I've had to work really, really hard as well."
Schlapman said she also took with her the way how to treat people and make good decisions for her and her family.
"I was raised that everyone is equal," Schlapman said. "Just because I am on stage every night, that doesn't make me any better than the person who cleans up after we get done."
At the conclusion of Tuesday night's event, Schlapman's father, Tolbert, walked on stage and presented her with flowers.
"That was like the cherry on top of the big ol' gigantic ice cream sundae," Schlapman said.
Little Big Town currently is touring with Keith Urban through February, then will head back to the studio to record another project.
The group's new single, "Sober", is out now.
Schlapman said her all-time favorite song by the group is "Boondocks," which talks of where she grew up, including a reference to Camp Creek.
The Wilbanks Middle School Chorus, under the direction of Kevin Woody, performed that song during Tuesday night's event.
"I don't know if anything will ever take the place of 'Boondocks' for me," Schlapman said.
Wednesday
July 16th, 2025
12:31PM
