Matraca Berg, from left, Gretchen Peters and Suzy Bogguss, Wine Women & Song in Sisters 2014

Every school district suffering from budget shortfalls should have a powerhouse event promoter like Sisters’ Jeri Fouts.

To put it mildly, the woman is connected.

Fouts is a public relations professional from San Diego who moved to Sisters in 1993 with her husband Dan Fouts (yes, that Dan Fouts — University of Oregon, San Diego Chargers, and the Football Hall of Fame) and two high school-age and two preschool children.

In 1996, the Sisters School District budget was short $30,000 and was contemplating program cuts.

Fouts had a plan. With many years of producing large-scale fundraising events, she knew she could tap her network of entertainers to raise money for the schools. So she presented her plan to the school district in a community-wide meeting.

“I proposed the Sisters Starry Nights Concert Series that I believed could generate close to the $30,000 shortfall,” Fouts said.

The district loved the idea, and the concert series kicked off in 1997 with performances from Karla Bonoff and Kenny Edwards, Kim Carnes, Nicolette Larson and Kenny Rankin.

Fouts’ fundraising prediction for the first year was spot on.

“In 1997, we raised $28,000 for the schools. The musicians were so generous and giving. They really came here for the vacation experience, got involved with the students in the schools, and fell in love with the community,” said Fouts.

And during the next 17 years, the district benefited greatly.

“We’ve raised over $1 million in net proceeds since the start of the series,” said Fouts.

In November, “Starry Nights Presents Wine, Women & Song” will bring together three critically-acclaimed singer-songwriters for an intimate evening of acoustic songs, stories, laughter and fine wine at The Belfry in Sisters.

Considered Nashville songwriting royalty, Matraca Berg, Gretchen Peters and Suzy Bogguss are good friends and have a long history of working together as songwriters and performers.

Bogguss is one of the most acclaimed female country singers of the late 1980s and 1990s, winning a 2005 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album. Peters received her first Grammy nomination for Song of the Year in 1995 for “Independence Day” recorded by Martina McBride. And Berg received a Grammy nomination in 2012 for the Kenny Chesney/Grace Potter hit “You and Tequila.”

The trio is known for their excellent harmonies.

“Our harmonies are so crazy natural. Gretchen has a much higher voice, and Matraca has an amazing Southern syrupy, almost like sorghum, voice with a really cool middle range. I’m generally in the lower range,” said Bogguss.

And the girls do like to have fun – both offstage and on.

“We’ve always had a pact that these tours have to be fun. We’ll take time for a little retreat for a few days where we’ll write songs together and, of course, cook, drink wine, and just act like crazy girls staying up late writing songs and having fun,” said Bogguss.

“Being on the road with two of my best friends is kind of like a slumber party with more hair and makeup,” quipped Gretchen Peters.

The “Wine, Women & Song” show is designed for an intimate space, one that’s perfect for The Belfry.

“The gravity of our beautiful songs will be overshadowed by our hilarious laughter as we shred each other on stage. Each one of us has a quirky personality which comes out on stage, and it’s pretty funny,” said Bogguss.

The “Wine, Women & Song” show takes place Saturday, Nov. 15 at The Belfry, corner of Main Avenue and Spruce Street in Sisters. Appetizers, wine and a silent auction start at 6:30 p.m., with the concert and live auction at 7:30 p.m. Dessert and coffee with the artists follow the concert.

Tickets are $75 (only 200 will be sold) and can be purchased online at www.sistersstarrynights.org. For more information or ticketing questions, call 541-549-6299.