PRESS RELEASE
September 29th, 2008:
The Abita Springs Trailhead in conjunction with the Abita
Springs Opry will feature a series of Sunday afternoon concerts
on October 5, October 12, and October 19, 2008. The concerts
will begin at 1:00 p.m. and will feature 3 local acts. These
concerts will be free and all are encouraged to bring chairs
or blankets and enjoy a great afternoon at the beautiful Abita
Springs Trailhead. The Oct. 5 concert will have the Grocery
Clerks, The Leisure Kings and the Steve Anderson Group. The
Oct. 12 concert will feature The Grocery Clerks, Jude Leblanc
and friends, and The Hot Sauce Cajun Band. The Oct. 19 concert
will be announced at a later date. For further information
call the Abita Springs Town Hall at 985-892-0711.
|
Fall
2008 Schedule
SEPTEMBER 20, 2008
OCTOBER
18, 2008
NOVEMBER 15, 2008
|
Fall
2008 Newsletter
Hi Opry fans,
Summer is nearing its end and another Opry season is on the
horizon. We have planned a great season that promises more
of that good 'ol Louisiana roots music. We have been very
fortunate to have some of the greatest fans anywhere. Our
musicians invariably comment on the great audience response
and the feeling of playing before a packed house in our beautiful
old wooden town hall. The ambience of the building combined
with some great acoustics and the intimacy that develops between
the musicians and audience all cook together to create a magical
experience.
We recently contacted a very popular group to book them for
the Opry. When the musician pay was brought up, the leader
of the group commented that when playing the Opry, money was
not an object, and the experience is worth the trip. What
a great compliment to the show and the audience. We want to
thank you all for being a very important part of the Abita
Springs Opry experience.
We have some great news to share with you. We were recently
contacted by WWOZ radio in New Orleans to plan a partnership
between the Abita Springs Opry and WWOZ. We consider this
a great step for the Opry. WWOZ is a non-profit, listener
supported station that is dedicated to airing Louisiana roots
music. Since the Abita Springs Opry is a non-profit organization
dedicated to the "preservation and presentation of Louisiana
roots music," the partnership is a natural fit. WWOZ
has received national acclaim and is recognized as one of
the most listened to stations in the world via its internet
broadcasts. Initially, WWOZ will provide us with a page on
its web site so that visitors to that site can see and hear
past performances of the Opry anytime they want. We have also
had some preliminary discussions with the general manager
of WWOZ, Mr. David Freedman regarding live broadcasts of the
Opry. We are very excited about this partnership, and are
grateful to Mr. Freedman and WWOZ for recognizing the value
of the Abita Springs Opry and offering to partner in the important
and rewarding venture in preserving Louisiana's rich and varied
musical heritage. Our traditional music is a great gift to
the world, and it is rewarding to facilitate the musicians
who continue to give us that wonderful gift.
We want to congratulate two of the members of our current
house band, the Petty Bones. Recently Anne Langston and Jerry
Crowell were united to become Anne and Jerry Crowell. They
celebrated a beautiful ceremony at Anne's mother's house in
Bogalusa. The wedding and reception were well attended by
friends, and, of course, some of the attendees happened to
have their instruments handy and wound up jammin'. We wish
Anne and Jerry all the best and it is our hope that they will
continue to make beautiful music together as marital and musical
partners.
The Opry recently partnered in a support capacity to assist
a venture by the Louisiana Steam Train Association. On October
4-5, the association will have their recently refurbished
steam locomotive and cars parked near the levee between the
river and the Audubon Zoo. The two day event will feature
a Bluegrass festival. Many of the acts at the festival have
appeared on the Opry stage. Our House band, the Petty Bones
and others will be included in the event. The cars will house
an exhibit featuring roots music in our area. We are proud
that Mr. Bruce Brown, who is directing the function on behalf
of the Steam Train Association, requested memorabilia from
the Abita Springs Opry and its predecessor, the Piney woods
Opry as part of the display. We are flattered to have been
consulted in this endeavor because of the recognition of our
efforts to preserve our wonderful musical heritage. Check
their web site for the particulars.
Fall Lineup
We are proud of the lineup that will appear on our stage this
fall. Many musicians are contacting us asking to be included,
and those whom we contact first have already heard of the
Opry and are happy to be a part of it. As usual, the shows
will be on the third Saturdays in September, October, and
November.
The ticket price for this season has remained the same as
the past several seasons. I wish that I could say the same
for gasoline and my Saints season tickets. We wish to remain
a non-profit, and we will maintain a policy of keeping the
ticket prices low enough to keep the show healthy and affordable
for our audiences. If you wish to purchase advance tickets,
please contact our ticket representative, Kathy Armand at
985-892-0711.
The number of patrons who purchase tickets for the whole season
is increasing, and you may want to get on that list. We still
have a good number of reserved seats available. We are presently,
because of demand, increasing the number of advance reserved
seats that are available. We will continue to save seats for
walk-in patrons, but that number is a little smaller than
in previous seasons. We manage to get everyone who shows up
a seat, and we still provide closed circuit TV on the porch.
Make your plans now for the following dates; September 20,
October16, and November 15.
September 20:
The Petty Bones. They are serving as our current house
band. They always provide a great start for the show. Their
energy, personality and great musicianship serve as a great
introduction for the Opry. In order to keep their act fresh,
they plan to have different artists featured as guests at
the different shows. They are a very popular group of musicians,
and have a broad networking of very capable musical friends
who can help round up their performances and keep them fresh.
We are looking forward to a great season with them leading
the way.
Robbie Longley: This young guitar player will amaze
you with his classical guitar playing. He is one of the most
skillful players you will ever witness. His hands are literally
a blur as they move over the strings. People who have an appreciation
for superior musicianship will thoroughly enjoy this young
man's offering.
Delta Reign: A visiting Bluegrass group who will be
traveling from Mobile to treat us to a very unique brand of
Bluegrass music. We are flattered that they are willing to
travel all the way from Mobile to perform for us. This is
a young group of bluegrass musicians who promise to combine
youthful exuberance, skillful musicianship, and high energy
bluegrass.
Chip Wilson: This New Orleans blues and folk singer
specializes in traditional Louisiana roots music. He is a
master of the slide guitar technique. He is well traveled
and treats audiences all over with the kind of music we love.
We are looking forward to this set.
Sherman Bernard and the Old Man River Band: This will
be a first for the Opry. In keeping with the mission statement
of "the preservation and presentation of Louisiana roots
music, we have not, as of yet, had traditional New Orleans
Rhythm and Blues. Sherman is one of the best piano players
in town and has studied under some of the all-time greats.
He will be supported by some superior musical talent and will
treat us to some of the best Big Easy R&B you will ever
hear.
October 18:
The Petty Bones (House Band)
Kyiko McRae: This young lady is a New Orleans musician
who is full of very traditional music. She has a very commanding
presence and a powerful voice. She plays frequently in town
and we were very impressed by her vocals when we heard her
at a New Orleans Jam session. She promises to be a real treat
as a newcomer to the Abita Opry stage.
The Tanglers: This young Bluegrass group hails from
New Orleans. They have a wonderful style of playing that they
refer to as "Big Easy Bluegrass." It is gratifying
to see young musicians who recognize the value of keeping
the traditions alive and we hope the Opry is a means of facilitating
and encouraging those musicians. Our rich New Orleans musical
heritage enriches traditional styles like Bluegrass, and we
are looking forward to hearing that from this group
Bayou Liberty Jazz Band: If you like traditional New
Orleans Jazz, you will love this group. They are frequent
visitors to the Jazz Fest, and are steeped in the Dixieland
Jazz tradition. Traditional Jazz has proven to be very popular
with our audience and one of New Orleans' greatest contributions
to the world. We are proud to have this great musical tradition
offered on our stage. They are excited about their performance
opportunity and we are equally excited about their coming
to the Opry.
November
15
The Petty Bones (House Band)
Whistle Stop: This is a return Bluegrass group from
South Mississippi. They are very skillful in their musical
presentation and proved to be very entertaining to our audience.
They specialize in the traditional hard-driving Bluegrass
style and enjoy playing together. They have been anxious to
have a return performance, and we are happy to have given
them that opportunity
Jockey Etienne and the Creole Zydeco Farmers: Yes they
are actually farmers. This group will be traveling to the
Abita Springs Opry from the Lafayette area. They are a group
of older Zydeco musicians who are steeped in that great musical
tradition. Zydeco is a pure Louisiana musical genre, and needs
to be heard and preserved. These guys promise to provide the
strong rhythms and rich sounds that Zydeco lovers love to
hear. We are proud that they are willing to travel all the
way across the state to share their music with us.
The Zion Harmonizers: You can't sit down long when these
guys crank up. This is one of the greatest gospel groups in
existence. They initiated the gospel tent at the New Orleans
Jazz Fest, and still perform there every year. For many years,
they performed in the Gospel tent with Aaron Neville. They
are no strangers to the Opry stage, and these great guys always
put their heart and soul into their high-energy and uplifting
performance. This performance is a don't miss.
As
you can see, we have a great lineup for you. The Opry is a
labor of love for us and we are grateful to our loyal audience
who continue to support our show. Preserving our rich musical
heritage is a worthy pursuit, and it would not be possible
without your support.
Thanks
Bryan Gowland
Executive Producer, Abita Springs Opry
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