The Shadow
CLIFTON FORGE, VA (VR) – While the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary, The Virginia Opry, the Commonwealth of Virginia’s official Opry since 2020, is celebrating its 35th performance season, having debuted at The Historic Masonic Theatre on Oct. 17, 1992.
Having completed its spring performance season in May with the induction of Ralph Stanley II and the Clinch Mountain Boys into The Virginia Opry before the famous bluegrass band performed and received a standing ovation, The Virginia Opry will begin its summer and fall performance season by producing “Patsy Meets Elvis at The Virginia Opry” on stage at The Historic Masonic Theatre on Sat., Aug. 8, at 7:00 p.m.
The Virginia Opry made its debut as an outreach program for Appalfolks of America Association (AAA) to fill seats at The Historic Masonic Theatre which AAA had received as a donation on Dec. 20, 1991, and with a ten-member troupe of performers from the Alleghany Highlands and West Virginia under the directorship of Ray Tucker of Selma, The Virginia Opry drew more than 200 to its first performance.
Performances continued at the theatre for the 12 years that AAA owned and operated the facility before donating it to the Town of Clifton Forge in 2003.
M. Ray Allen, the current Executive Director of The Virginia Opry, said, “The Virginia Opry has been blessed by many talented musicians, vocalists, and guest performers over the past 35 years, and our troupe now has 76 members who comprise 11 bands.”
He continued, “The Virginia General Assembly honored our Opry in 2017 by passing “House Resolution 397” for the completion of country music productions for 25 consecutive years.”
He revealed, “In 2020, Senator R. Creigh Deeds filed “Senate Bill 283” to designate The Virginia Opry as the official Opry of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and it passed the Virginia Senate by a 40-0 vote and the Virginia House of Delegates by a 93-6 vote.” Allen added
“Governor Ralph S. Northam signed “Senate Bill 283” into law on March 31, 2020, and on July 1, 2020,
The Virginia Opry became the official Opry of the Commonwealth of Virginia,” he revealed.
After AAA added more than $200,000 of restoration improvements to The Historic Masonic Theatre which was operating as The Historic Stonewall Theatre at the time, the nonprofit organization that Allen founded in 1985 donated the facility to the Town of Clifton Forge in Dec. of 2003. The donation led to the Town of Clifton Forge taking action that led to the formation The Masonic Theatre Preservation Foundation spearheaded by the late John Hillert and other community leaders to raise $6.9 million to completely restore the theatre.
The Virginia Opry continued to produce country music shows in The Alleghany Highlands during the four years that The Historic Masonic Theatre was being fully restored, and AAA signed a contract to stage its shows in the facility that HMT leased from the Town of Clifton Forge after the theatre reopened in 2016. HMT continues to lease the theatre from the Town of Clifton Forge where AAA produces its shows.
AAA moved out of the theatre and currently has established its office at 3508 Douthat Road, Clifton Forge, where it has performed on the Buckhorne Stage from time to time, especially during the four years that the theatre was being restored.
Past directors of The Virginia Opry are Ray Tucker, Denny Tincher, Jim Tippy, Judy Coleman, Justin Peery, Robby Meadows, and William Nicely. Shows have been held at in the Alleghany Highlands at Glen Haven Farm, the Jackson River Sports Complex’s River Rock Amphitheatre, A1-Dance Studios, and the Masonic Amphitheatre.
Dan Tyminiski who has performed as a guest on The Virginia Opry will be inducted into The Virginia Opry on July 3, at a concert scheduled at Montpelier in Orange County to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the USA. Cash Unchained, one of Virginia Opry’s bands featuring James Tamelcoff III will also perform at the concert.
The Virginia Opry will complete its 2026 summer and fall performance season by featuring Cash Unchained at the Historic Masonic Theatre on Sat., Aug. 29, Mark Patterson and Midnight Special at Hull’s Drive-In Theatre in Lexington on Sat., Sept. 26 and Teddi & Bobby Cyrus at the Historic Masonic Theatre on Sat., Nov. 28. Allen concluded.
Those who wish to follow The Virginia Opry may do so by visiting www.thevirginiaopry.com.
