For a relatively small county, ours can boast of more than its fair share of notable residents.

Chilton County natives and transplants have accomplished many things of significance over the years.

Two recent honors highlight this fact.

In December 2014, Randy Atcheson performed his 12th concert at famous Carnegie Hall. During his early years while living in Maplesville, Cooper, Millbrook and Clanton, Atcheson learned the Christmas songs he performed at the world’s most renowned concert stage in New York City.

His performances there date back to 1991 when his parents—the late Rev. and Mrs. Hymon Atcheson of Clanton and his brothers Gerald and Wayne with their families—sat in the Presidential Box, No. 33.

Atcheson began his professional training at Samford University while in the eighth grade and was serving as organist of Clanton’s First Baptist Church when he was 12. He attended Clanton public schools from the first grade through his senior year in high school.

He entered the famed Juilliard School of Music in 1971 at age 19 and is the only student to receive a bachelor’s and master’s degree in two instruments, piano and organ, in the history of the school.

For his 2014 performance, he chose to perform three major classical selections, and after the intermission, he thrilled the audience with 24 Christmas favorites, all of which he learned while growing up in Chilton County.

Less than a month earlier, Ken Yeargan, a Chilton County native and entomology professor at the University of Kentucky, was honored for his years of mentoring entomology students, many of whom have gone on to successful careers in academia, industry and government agencies.

Yeargan was named a Legend of Entomology at the annual meeting of the Entomological Society of America held in Portland, Ore.

The Legend of Entomology mentoring award is given annually by the society’s Plant-Insect Ecosystems Section to a colleague who, through their teaching, leadership and guidance, has made a meaningful impact on the next generation of entomology leaders. Yeargan is just the third recipient of this award.

Yeargan spent the first 22 years of life growing up in the Mt. Pisgah community of Chilton County and said he “would not trade those years for anything.” He attended the old Enterprise School then Verbena High School,

Yeargan said his mother told him that his first complete sentence was, “See that bug,” when as an infant, he pointed to an airplane flying high in the sky.

From bugs to pianos, from New York City to Portland, Ore. and beyond, Chilton County natives continue to make their friends and relatives proud.