CLIFTON FORGE—The Commonwealth of Virginia’s official Opry, The Virginia Opry, will open its 32nd performance season on Fri., March 31, with “Cash Unchained at The Virginia Opry” at The Historic Masonic Theatre in Clifton Forge.
Johnny King, Jr. and Friends will celebrate the release of King’s “Call It Confusion” album in The Historic Masonic Theatre’s Underground at 6:00 p.m. prior to the Virginia Opry’s show.
King, the music director of The Virginia Opry, will reunite with Robert L. Brown, a famous drummer, and perform some of the songs featured on the album. King is the music director of The Virginia Opry.
The Virginia Opry made its debut on the theatre’s stage on Oct. 17, 1992, with ten performers and one band.
Currently, the troupe features 65 members and 12 bands, Cash Unchained being one of the 12.
Governor Ralph S. Northam signed “Senate Bill 283” on March 31, 2020. The bill designates The Virginia Opry as Virginia’s official Opry.
Executive Director Justin Peery has scheduled two more performances at The Historic Masonic Theatre following “Cash Unchained at The Virginia Opry,” including the Kentucky Headhunters as headliners on Oct. 28 and Charles Billingsley as the on Dec. 7.
The Virginia Opry will also perform shows at Natural Bridge Historic Hotel and Conference Center, the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, and the River Rock Amphitheatre in Covington.
Denise Glass and Michael Hoover will perform “Patsy Meets Elvis at The Virginia Opry’s Blue Christmas Show” at the Natural Bridge Historic Hotel and Conference Center on Sat., Dec. 2.
Peery revealed, “Another multi-Nashville act such as the one headlined by Chris Lane with opening acts by Ashley Cooke and Lily Rose at Lime Kiln Theater the spring of 2022 is in the works for late fall at the Virginia Horse Center.”
He continued, “The River Rock Amphitheatre show in Covington has been confirmed with Brady Seals, Dan Seals’ cousin, as the headliner.”
“Brady was the lead vocalist and keyboardist for the original Little Texas Band and wrote hit songs for the group such as “God Bless Texas,”’ Peery added.
“Brady Seals at The Virginia Opry” will be held in partnership with the City of Covington’s Parks and Recreation on Sat., Sept. 16, at 6:00 p.m.,” Peery concluded.
The Virginia Opry has featured such guest stars and nationally-prominent acts as the late Dan Seals, the Freight Hoppers, The Farm Hands, Keith Bryant, Chris Lane, Lily Rose and Ashley Cooke.
Bill Pinkney’s Original Drifters were inducted into The Virginia Opry in 2022.
The Virginia Opry first gained statewide recognition in 2017 when the Virginia House of Delegates passed a resolution honoring The Virginia Opry for completing 25 consecutive years of country music shows.
Appalfolks of America Association (AAA) founded The Virginia Opry after the nonprofit organization received The Historic Masonic Theatre as a charitable donation from R-C Theatres’ owner, Irvin R. Cohen.
The theatre was operating under the name of the Stonewall Theatre and had been closed since 1987.
AAA reopened the theatre in May of 1992, and The Virginia Opry was formed with Ray Tucker as the first director of the troupe. More than 3,000 attended The Virginia Opry’s shows during the 2022 season.
After 12 years of ownership, AAA donated the theatre to the Town of Clifton Forge in 2003, and the Virginia Opry has continued to perform one or more shows in the theatre each year it has been open since then.
Tickets to The Virginia Opry’s shows can be purchased by visiting www.virginiaopry.com.
