Nashville Nights

The Council on Alcoholism and Drugs Abuse’s 33rd annual Amethyst Ball at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara was a real gem!

The bold-faced name-filled bash attracted nearly 360 glamorously garbed guests, many in Western outfits, and raised around $650,000 for 70-year-old CADA, which has an annual budget of $5.6 million serving more than 8,600 people with 23 programs for youth and adults.

Event co-chairs Anne Towbes, Diana MacFarlane, Holly Murphy, Dana Mazzetti, Susan Neuman, and Betsy Turner reprised their frequent roles and pulled out all the stops to make the cavernous ballroom a neon Nashville Night to remember with Montecito event whiz Merryl Brown making it a true Tennessee wingding.

After cocktails on the terrace, with “buskers” – American Idol contestant Jackson Gillies and talent contest winner Cailli Brill –, guests checked out the silent auction items featuring trips to Aspen, Colorado, Antigua, Utah, Cabo San Lucas, a stay at the Montage in Beverly Hills, and a week at rocker Eric Burdon‘s home in Joshua Tree.

The ubiquitous Andrew Firestone conducted the energized auction, which featured a $10,000 shopping spree at bling king Bob Bryant‘s State Street emporium, a week’s stay in Fiji, including airfare, and a private party at the Red Piano with five-time Grammy winner Michael McDonald.

Entertainment was provided by Montecito rocker Peter Noone‘ s daughter, Natalie, who sang a duet with Justin Fox of the local rock group Tripdavon and Pryor Baird from the NBC TV show The Voice.

The CADA Champion Award was given to businessman-philanthropist Peter Hilf, who made a $70,000 donation to the charity, making a total of $1.2 million over the years. Peter joined the men’s committee co-chairs with Bob Bryant, Virgil Elings, Bob Fuladi, and Earl Minnis.

Among the melee of movers and shakers, noshing on southern fried chicken and ham braised collard greens, were Catherine Remak, Ed Stonefelt, Bob Murphy, Patty Bryant, John Palminteri, Susan Keller, Terry Ryken, Barry and Jelinda DeVorzon, Fred Brander, Mireille Noone, Janet Garufis, Ralph MacFarlane, Bill Brown, George and Laurie Leis, Wendy McCaw, David Edelman, Bill and Sandi Nicholson, Randy and Roxie Solakian, Diana Starr Langley, Bruce and Judy Anticouni, Joyce Dudley, Chris and Mindy Denson, Thomas Rollerson, Lori Luhnow and Greg Huron, Chuck and Stephanie Slosser, Mara Abboud, Arthur von Wiesenberger, and Steve Thompson.