Country Music Legend Mickey Gilley Honored with Calgary White Hat

Legendary country music artist Mickey Gilley was presented the Calgary White Hat Saturday night at the Deerfoot Inn & Casino in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

"It was a great honor receiving the White Hat in Calgary, just about like when I got the star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, it was awesome!" said Gilley.

The Calgary White Hat recognizes the recipient as an honorary citizen of Calgary and is a symbol of friendship and hospitality that has been bestowed upon celebrities and government officials alike since 1948. Other notable recipients include former U.S. Presidents Clinton and Bush, the Dalai Lama, Oprah and the Rolling Stones.

"It is a distinction given to visiting dignitaries as an Official City Welcome, making our guests Honorary Calgary citizens," said Kevin Hendrickson of the Calgary Stampede Promotional Committee. "Mr. Gilley was chosen for his lifelong work in the country music industry. We wanted to extend our respect and the lifelong work that he has brought to country music."

Mickey Gilley is currently traveling and performing both solo and together with Johnny Lee on their "Urban Cowboy Reunion Tour." The tour kicked off earlier this year and the two have been playing to sold out crowds all over the country.

About Mickey Gilley
Country music artist Mickey Gilley has been wowing fans with his haunting sound of Louisiana rhythm and blues since 1957. The Mississippi native grew up with his two famous cousins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Jimmy Swaggart, surrounded by the influence of music. Gilley made his chart-topping debut with his song "Is It Wrong For Loving You," in which Kenny Rogers played the guitar. After moving to Pasadena, Texas, in 1971, he opened his world famous honky-tonk nightclub, Gilley's. He continued to show chart success with hits like "City Lights" and "Don't The Girls All Get Prettier at Closing Time," both of which reached number one on the Billboard Country chart. In 1980, Gilley appeared in the film "Urban Cowboy" alongside John Travolta and Johnny Lee. At age 82, Gilley is still going strong and is currently on the Urban Cowboy Reunion Tour alongside Johnny Lee, playing more than 40 dates across the United States in 2018.

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