Sting to headline Olympic ceremony

(Salt Lake City-AP) -- Here's a first: Sting will share the stage with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir at the Olympic opening ceremony. <br><br>The February eighth event that kicks off the Winter Olympics

Tuesday, January 22nd 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Salt Lake City-AP) -- Here's a first: Sting will share the stage with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir at the Olympic opening ceremony.

The February eighth event that kicks off the Winter Olympics will also feature the Dixie Chicks, country singer LeAnn Rimes, former member of ``The Band'' Robbie Robertson and Rita Coolidge.

Other performers include Grammy award-winning cellist Yo-Yo Ma, a local six-man a cappella group called Eclipse and Utah's Deseret String Band, which played cowboy tunes at the 1998 Nagano Games.

All the artists will be paid only minimal amounts for their brief Olympic performances. They will appear on stage not alone but in supporting roles for other elements of the ceremony which remain secret.