A Lively Legacy

from Nfocus October 2022

Best Behavior

Preservation and history shine at the Heritage Ball Patrons Party

History and heritage came together on a beautiful August evening in Franklin. The preservation-minded patrons turned out at Debbie and Michael W. Smith’s home nestled in the rolling hills just south of Nashville to celebrate the Heritage Ball. There, guests mingled with co-chairs Tom and Cordia Harrington, Bill Frist, artist Erik Skoldberg and more as they awaited announcements of awards and the headlining entertainment for the ball.

“The Heritage Foundation captures the magic of preservation and conservation,” said Bill. “It is a legacy for the future.” Michael also shared, “This is a very rare place to live. We love it for the history, and we want to protect it.”

While chatting, guests enjoyed sips of wine and cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvres, such as lamb biscuits and chicken katsu satay. Tyler Smith, Debbie and Michael’s son, entertained on the piano while Penny, the black labrador retriever, gratefully accepted pats on the head.

During the party, organizers presented two awards. The Patron’s Award was presented to Alma McLemore, president of the board of directors of the African American Heritage Society of Williamson County. Alma is deeply rooted in the community, serving on both the Franklin Planning Commission and the Battlefield Preservation Commission, in addition to overseeing the restoration of the McLemore House and working to purchase the Merrill-Williams House on Natchez Street, which will be used for educational and interpretive purposes for the Natchez neighborhood and for Black history.

The second award for the evening, the Tracy Frist Award, was presented to Katherine Malone-France, chief preservation officer of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Throughout her career, Katherine has worked tirelessly to create and administer programs such as a fund dedicated to supporting historic gardens and landscapes, as well as collaborations with contemporary artists.

The big news came with the announcement that Tony and Grammy Award-winning artist Heather Headley would headline this year’s Heritage Ball. Heather is known for her career on Broadway and her already illustrious music career.