Johnny King, a virtuoso guitarist, vocalist and songwriter, and Jeff Dennis, the percussionist for the Doug Lester Band, have been inducted as the 58th and 59th members of The Virginia Opry.
The two were inducted prior to “Patsy Meets Elvis at The Virginia Opry” at the Natural Bridge Historic Hotel (circa 1905) and Conference Center’s Washington Hall on Fri., Aug. 12.
King then served as the emcee for the sold-out show that featured World Champion Elvis Tribute Artist Michael Hoover and Denise Glass, a Patsy Cline tribute artist from Jonesville, Va.
The performers received three standing ovations, the first for Glass, the second for Hoover, and the third for both of them after they performed duets.
Dennis joined the other five members of The Virginia Opry who form the Doug Lester Band, not counting Hoover and Glass who are also members of The Virginia Opry.
King is the president of the Alleghany Highlands Blues Society, and he has been appointed as the music director of The Virginia Opry to form The Virginia Opry’s new house band.
The Virginia Opry made its debut on Oct. 17, 1992, on stage at the Historic Stonewall Theatre in Clifton Forge, King’s hometown, after Appalfolks had received the theatre as a charitable donation on Dec. 20, 1991.
Appalfolks restored the twin-cinema to a performing arts facility that featured a professional dance studio on the top floor, held more than 100 concerts and theatrical events during the nonprofit organization’s 12 years of ownership, and donated the theatre to the Town of Clifton Forge in 2003.
The Town Council of Clifton Forge has designated the Town as the Home of The Virginia Opry, and the Town still owns the theatre that it renamed The Historic Masonic Theatre.
WKEY Radio Station’s Big Country 103.5 is the (radio) Home of the Virginia Opry, and Natural Bridge Historic Hotel and Conference Center has been designated as the Opry’s Resort Performance Home.
King and his rock ‘n’ roll band from Fla. performed a benefit concert in the theatre for Appalfolks before the theatre exchanged hands, and recently he returned to the area after living out of state for many years.
Recently, he recorded five CDs in different music genres, and 10 Grammy winners were involved with his recording project.
The house band will become the 11th band that makes up The Virginia Opry that became the Commonwealth of Virginia’s official Opry after Governor Ralph S. Northam signed “Senate Bill 283.”
Senator R. Creigh Deeds filed the bill on Jan. 8, 2020, and “Senate Bill 283” passed the Virginia Senate by a 40-0 vote and the Virginia House of Delegates 93-6 before Northam signed it on March 31, 2020.
The Virginia Opry had been honored on Feb. 17, 2017, by the Virginia General Assembly for completing country music shows in the Alleghany Highlands for 25 consecutive years.
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