Brian White, Luke Robinson, Will Nance, and Dean Dillon perform at the Songwriter Shuffle
held in Almont to benefit Gunnison Tough on July
Original Story from Gunnison Country Times
Vol. 145 No. 30 | July 23, 2026
By Leigh Alan
From underneath his wide-brimmed hat, on July 16, Clayton Everhart, a spitfire auctioneer, rattled off prices while bidder-paddles jumped up across the room. The Songwriter Shuffle, a live music and auction fundraiser created by the nonprofit Gunnison Tough, had begun.
The event took place in a stark white tent next to a creek outside the Almont Resort. Western-attired attendees dined beneath golden string lights while songwriter Dean Dillon took the stage. His voice carried a familiar tune as he strummed his guitar. Whispers from the audience spoke of the legend,
“That’s him! That’s the guy that writes all those country hits for George Strait!” Dean Dillon is a staple in country music, writing hits for Kenny Chesney, Pam Tillis and more. You might have heard one of his most famous hits (cowritten with Linda Hargrove),
“Tennessee Whiskey” sung by George Jones and Chris Stapleton. He’s also a driving force behind a good cause along with a passionate group of board members and staff, including Lana Athey, executive director and Shannon Mujica, event director who brought the Songwriter Shuffle to life.
But Dillon wasn’t the only reason people came to the Almont Resort that Thursday night ; attendees were there to raise money for Gunnison Tough, the nonprofit whose mission is to support those coping with cancer in our Gunnison community. As noted in their 2025 Annual Report, “Gunnison Tough programs are available to individuals with any kind of cancer.” It’s a worthy cause and a need in our community. According to the National Cancer Institute, “Gunnison County has a melanoma incidence rate of 32.5 cases per 100,000 people. This is well above Colorado’s average of 21.4 and the national average of 22.7. Mountain communities like ours are especially vulnerable due to high altitude and yearround sun exposure, making skin health a public concern.”
No matter the type, it’s a fight nobody should have to battle alone. The money raised by Gunnison Tough stays local to our community members. Survivors and loved ones, Erinn Dalton and Dylan Miller spoke passionately from the event stage about their own journeys through the trenches of this battle and how Gunnison Tough stepped in to help. Gunnison Tough has connected patients with much-needed resources, vehicles, gas, lodging, information, caregiving, and a community of support. It’s this reason the fundraiser was sold out. It’s a moment to celebrate the resilience of the survivors and raise funds for those still in the battle. “Thanks to your incredible generosity, we raised a mind-blowing $1,051,325 to ensure our programs remain fully funded and well-supported!” Gunnison Tough shared on their Instagram account.
Donated auction i tems included Bull Fest tickets, a private concert from Nashville’s Billy Montana, Anthony Smith and Earl Bud Lee, a custom metal sculpture by local metal artist and cancer survivor Codie Aljets, a guitar autographed by Grammy-winning songwriters “The Love Junkies”, a one-ofa- kind painting by Nashville’s Rob Hendon, a ride along with Spann Ranches’ cattle drive, custom Western fashion accessories by The Rad Hatter of Austin and Jeff Smithers, luxury resort stays and much more. These items, donated by the owners, all helped to raise thousands of dollars for Gunnison Tough which in turn funds the healing journeys of our community members.
The main event of the night were the songwriters, goodhearted souls who donated their time to serenade patrons and survivors. Will Nance (multi-platinum songwriter responsible for George Strait’s
“Round About Way” and Brad Paisley’s “She’s Everything”), Brian White (16 No. 1 hits including Rodney Atkins “Watching You” and Jason Aldean’s “Blame It On You”), Luke Robinson (charting- songwriter with hits like “Tequila Sheila” and “That’s What I Tell Myself”) and Dean Dillon (country music hallof- famer and one of the most successful as well as influential songwriter in the genre, penning hits like “Ocean Front Property”, “Easy Come, Easy Go” and “Here for a Good Time”) were joined on stage by special guest Tracy Lawrence (top-charting songwriter with 14 studio albums and hits like “Alibis”, “Sticks and Stones”, “Time Marches On”, “Find Out Who Your Friends Are”, and more). With the funds that were raised, our local cancerfighters can sing a new song of personal strength, community support, and, with Gunnison Tough’s help, victory.