ABOUT THE ABITA SPRINGS OPRY

Abita Opry

The Abita Springs Opry is a series of music concerts held six times a year and is produced by a nonprofit organization, Abita Opry Inc. The show has the mission of preserving and presenting Louisiana "Roots" music. Our music is played primarily acoustically, in its original form.

Our main thrust is old-time Country, Bluegrass, and traditional Southern Gospel music, but we often present other forms of traditional Louisiana music such as Cajun, Zydeco, Irish, or other types that reflect the many different groups of people who are part of our diverse culture.

What one can expect to hear at the Abita Springs Opry is Louisiana "roots" music played like it was when it was performed before audience in small auditoriums like the Abita springs Town Hall. The Abita Springs Opry, a re-creation of the immensely popular Piney Woods Opry that played at the Town Hall for ten years, has what it considers a valuable mission - The preservation and presentation of Louisiana Roots music.

The main emphasis is on the type of music indigenous to our section of the state, but we do occasionally offer something a little different as Lagniappe - a little something extra, to our show that puts a little more spice into our musical gumbo. We hope you enjoy this little taste of that gumbo, but, more importantly, we hope to see you at the Opry.

The Abita Springs Town Hall is a perfect setting for this show. The hundred-plus year old wooden building serves as a community center for the small town of Abita Springs. Abita Springs is a one stoplight rural suburban community located north of and less than an hour's drive from New Orleans.

The Town Hall has walls lined with pecky cypress and the wooden floor provides an aesthetically and acoustically satisfying environment for the "old style" music. Audiences often clap their hands and tap their feet in rhythm to the sometimes sweet and sometimes energetic sounds that emanate from the stage. The hall has a capacity of slightly less than four hundred and provides an intimate setting that allows close communication between the musicians and the audience.

LISTEN TO PAST PERFORMANCES

We are in the process of putting previous shows online.  As we add the shows, the titles will be highlighted and a musical note with headphones will appear next to the date.  That will indicate you can listen to the performances by clicking on the titles.

 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
KREWE OF ABITA SPRINGS OPRY


Bryan Gowland
- President/ Producer
Lisa King - Treasurer
Kathy Armand - Secretary General
Kent Birkle - Technical Director/Broadcast Audio
Bobby Belloni - Music Director
Jan Biggs - Publicity and Marketing

 


Stage Manager/MC: Bryan Gowland
Back Stage Mgrs: Jan Biggs and Bobby Belloni
House Audio Engineer: Kent Birkle
Broadcast Audio Engineer: Rob Bentley
Assistant Engineer: Kenny Delbert
Video Mixer: Danny Zechenelly
Camera: Jamie Hooper & Shannon Drinkard
Tickets: Kathy Armand
Concessions: Lisa King


LISTEN TO PAST PERFORMANCES
 

November 2002
The Abita Strings
Jude LeBlanc
The Driskill Mountain Boys
The Evening Star String Band
Amanda Shaw

March 2003
The Abita Strings
Harold Cavallero, Ken Schwartz & Pat Flory
Broken Grass
Gary White
190 Express
Christian Serpas & Ghost Town

April 2003
The Abita Strings
Vic LaRocca and Joe Manuel
Abigail Brooks
Pot Luck Cajun Band
Joe Manuel and Keith Cole
The White Sisters

May 2003
The Abita Strings
Jeff and Vida
Les Amis
The Porch Rockers
Pat Flory
Hugh Harris

September 2003
The Abita Strings
Rosanne Bivens
Franklin and White Family Band
Earl Ruffins
High Lonesome

October 2003
The Abita Strings
The Carpenter Family
High on the Hog
Scott and Robin Kropog
Magnolia Sisters

November 2003
The Abita Strings
Kostini
Harold Cavallero and Russ Russell
Pat Flory
Hazel the Delta Rambler

March 2004
The Abita Strings
Jude LeBlanc and Abigail Brooks
Red Stick Ramblers
Brothers Apart
Sunpie Barnes

April 2004
The Abita Strings
Beth Patterson
Van Glynn Band
Tony Green
Lenny McDaniel

May 2004
The Abita Strings
Jerry Hess
Harold's Corner & Peggy Forman
E L James and Johnny Pappas
Lee Quick and Gina Foresythe

September 2004
The Abita Strings
Jimmy Foster
Kim Carson
Keenan Knight
Shallow Creek

October 2004
The Abita Strings
Ben Manuel
Jeff and Vida
Harold Cavallero and Danny Paige
Don Vappie and The Creole Serenaders

November 2004
The Abita Strings
The Backroads Pickers
The Driskill Mountain Boys
Bob & June Lambert
Eh, La-Bas

March 2005
The Abita Strings
Jude LeBlanc & Friends
The Rosehill Gospel Singers
Jamie Diliberto
The Red Stick Ramblers

April 2005
The Abita Strings
Beth Patterson
The Balsa Wood Flyers
Joe Manuel and Friends
Wilson Savoy

May 2005
The Abita Strings
Those Oliviers
The Porch Rockers
Big Daddy O
Patchwork

September 2005
Postponed Due to Hurricane Katrina

October 2005
Abita Strings
Justin & Katie Nunez
Luke Thompson and the Green Valley Cut-Ups
Back Roads Pickers featuring Steve Anderson
Cedric Watson and the Creole Cowboys

November 2005
Abita Strings
Jerry Hess
Whistlestop
The Petty Bones
Corey Ledet

March 2006Abita Opry
The Abita Strings
Evening Star String Band
Louisiana Purchase
The Zion Harmonizers

April 2006Abita Opry
The Abita Strings
Beth Patterson
Sam Warren
Hot Club of New Orleans
Shallow Creek

May 2006Abita Opry
The Abita Strings
Joe Manuel and Keith Cole
Sunpie Barnes
Gina Forsyth
The PineEars

September 2006Abita Opry
The Abita Strings
Jimmy Foster
L & M Bluegrass Band
Swamp Road Ramblers
Tom Fisher Jazz Trio

October 2006Abita Opry
The Abita Strings
Betsy McGovern
Russ Russell
Harold Cavellero and Dinosaur Dobro
Cedric Watson

November 2006Abita Opry
The Abita Strings
Jude, Abigail & Clay
The Porch Rockers
Back Roads
Kim Carson

March 2007Abita Opry
Abita Strings
Rocky Mountain Rhythm Bums
Jim Hogg and the Boys
Zion Harmonizers

April 2007Abita Opry
Abita Strings
Bobby LeBlanc
The Pine Leaf Boys
Amedee' Fredrick & Son
Smithfield Fair

May 2007
Abita Strings
Big Daddy O and Keenan Knight
The Petty Bones
Gal Holiday and The Honky Tonk Revue

September 2007
Abita Strings
The Hot Sauce Cajun Band
The Trusty's of Davo Crossing
Tom Fisher Dixieland Jazz Band

October 2007
Abita Strings
Those Oliviers
The Figs
The Fabulous Bagasse Boyz

November 2007
Abita Strings
Jerry Hess
Tony Green
Steve Anderson Group
Mike Pace & the Alabama Gentlemen

March 2008
The Petty Bones
Dirt Billy & Tom Marin
Timberland Drive
New Orleans Jazz Vipers

April 2008
The Petty Bones
The LA LAs
High Ground Drifters
The Ozark Songbirds
Ladyfingers


May 2008
The Petty Bones
Gene Lipps
The Possum Bayou String Band
Ukelele Four
Washboard Chaz

September 2008
The Steve Anderson Group
Robbie Longley
Delta Reign
Chip Wilson
Sherman Bernard & the Old Man River Band

October 2008
The Petty Bones
Kiyoko McCrea
The Tanglers
The Bayou Liberty Jazz Band

November 2008
The Petty Bones
WhistleStop
Jockey Etienne & the Creole Zydeco Farmers
The Zion Harmonizers

March 2009
The Petty Bones
Otis Bazoon Dixieland Jazz Band
Jim Hogg and the Boys
Steve Bing and the Bayou Hot Shots

April 2009
The Steve Anderson Group
Tony Green Trio
Amedee Frederick
The Sweet Tea Bluegrass Band (not available)

May 2009
The Petty Bones
The Porch Rockers
The Savoy Family Cajun Band
Christian Serpas & Ghost Town

September 2009
The Steve Anderson Group
Michael Millet and Friends
Julio and Caesar
The Leisure Kings

October 2009
The Petty Bones
Keenan Knight and Friends
Jenny Brooks
Dwayne Dopsie

November 2009
The Pot Luck Sttring Band
The Mauldin Sisters
The Mighty Supremes and the Rosettes
Robert Snow and Friends

March 2010
The Steve Anderson Group
Smoky Greenwell and Mark Pentone
Jeff and Vida
Bruce Daigrepont Cajun Band

April 2010
The Petty Bones
The Fabulous Bagasse Boys
Erika Lewis and Tuba Skinny
Sunpie Barnes and the Louisiana Sunspots

May 2010
Pot Luck String Band
Delta Reign
Johnny Price and "Mojelly"
Don Vappie and Friends

September 2010
The Steve Anderson Group
The Moss Pickers
Melainie Rainwater and Delta Rain
Choupique

October 2010
The Petty Bones
Smokey's Farmland Band
Wardell Williams
Sherman Bernard

November 2010
Pot Luck String Band
Olga
Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns
Kim Carson

March 2011 (not available)
The Steve Anderson Group
The Spirit Family Reunion
The Crescent City Celtic Band
Erika Lewis and Tuba Skinny

April 2011
The Petty Bones
Hazel and the Delta Ramblers
Tony Green
Jonno and the Bayou DeVille Cajun Band

May 2011
Pot Luck String Band
Babineaux Sisters Cajun Band
By and By String Band

Corey Walters - Traditional New Orleans Jazz Band

September 2011
The Steve Anderson Group
The Porch Rockers
The Driskill Mountain Boys
Rodney Thibodeaux and Tout Les Soir

October 2011
The Pot Luck String Band
Cassie Krebs
Rick Ledbetter
Jockey Etienne

November 2011 (not available)
The Petty Bones
The Fugitive Poets
Wardell Williams
The Zion Harmonizers

March 2012
The Steve Anderson Group
The Abita Stumps
Leroy Troy
The Crescent City Celtic Band

April 2012
The Petty Bones
Bourbon Brass Band
Stalebread Scottie
Johnny Dilks

May 2012
Hurray for the Riffraff
Joe and Julie Manuel
The Pot Luck String Band
New Orleans Ladies

September 2012
The Steve Anderson Group
Washboard Chaz
Last Chance Band
Smoking Time Jazz Club

October 2012
The Petty Bones
Amadee Frederick
Pot Luck Cajun Band
The Wasted Lives

November 2012 (10 Year Anniversary)
Pot Luck String Band
Cori Walters and the New Orleans Dixieland Jazz Band
Sunpie Barnes and the Louisiana Sun Spots
The Zion Harmonizers

March 2013
The Steve Anderson Group
Joe Barbara
Jackie Coyne and Mama's Family
Linnzi Zaorski and her New Orleans Jazz Band

April 2013
The Petty Bones
Storyville String Band
Double Date: Joel Savoy and Linzay Young
Wasted Lives

May 2013
Pot Luck String Band
The Lucky Dogs
Delta Reign
Kim Carson

September 2013
Steve Anderson Group
Buffalo Death Rattle
Sweet Olive String Band
John Eubanks and his New Orleans Jazz Quartet

October 2013
The Petty Bones
Drunken Catfish Ramblers
Reverend Charlie's Patent Medicine Show
Jockey Etienne and the Creole Zydeco Farmers

November 2013
Last Chance Bluegrass Band
The Deslondes
Aurora Nealand and the Royal Roses
The Zion Harmonizers

March 2014
Steve Anderson Group
Driskill Mountain Boys
The Long Time Goners
Waylon Thibodeaux

April 2014
Big Shine
Those Oliviers
Gal Holiday and the Honky Tonk Revue
Shotgun Jazz Band

May 2014
Pot Luck String Band
Good Gollies
Lost in the Holler
The Dapper Dandies

September 2014
The Last Chance Band
The Messy Cookers
Rambling Letters
The Gerald Craddock Band

October 2014
The Petty Bones
The Carondalettes
Chris Talley and Friends
Some Like It Hot Jazz Band

November 2014
The Steve Anderson Group
Big Daddy O
Gina Forsyth and Her Cajun Band
The Bad Pennies Pleasure Makers

March 2015
The Steve Anderson Group
The Longtime Goners
The Lucky Dogs
Dwayne Doopsie & The Zydeco Hellraisers

April 2015
The Chris Talley Band
Sonic Migration
NOLA Bluegrass All Stars
Wasted Lives

May 2015
The Last Chance Bluegrass Band
Kenny Swartz
Julio and Caesar
The Tradsters

September 2015
The Steve Anderson Group
Olga
Choupique
Shotgun Jazz Band

October 2015
Three Rivers Cooperative
P-Town Ramblers
Tom Fisher Jazz Band
Sluetown Strutters

November 2015
The Last Chance Bluegrass Band
The John Hatchett Band
Amadee Frederick
The Zion Harmonizers

March 2016
Steve Anderson Group
Hill Country Hounds
Pig Pen
The Bad Pennies Pleasuremakers

April 2016
Three Rivers Cooperative
Tuba Skinny
The Deslondes
Crispin Schroeder

May 2016
The Last Chance Bluegrass Band
Zac Maras
Big Daddy O
Bruce Daigrepont

September 2016
Steve Anderson Group
Peter, Paul, and Mary Review
The Bagasse Boys
Big Easy Playboys

October 2016
Three Rivers Cooperative
Slick Skillet Serenaders
The Get Back Band
Messy Cookers

November 2016
The Last Chance Bluegrass Band
The Western Sweethearts
Necessary Gentlemen
Shakem Up Jazz Band

2016 Buskers Festival
Bad Pennies Pleasure Makers
Loose Marbles
Shotgun Jazz Band
Sluetown Strutters

2017 Buskers Festival
The Wasted Lives
Jackson and the Janks
The Gentilly Stompers
Shakemup Jazz Band
Tuba Skinny

March 2017
The Steve Anderson Group
The Driskill Mountain Boys
The Old Scratch Sallies
The Melitauns

April 2017
Three Rivers Cooperative
Crossing Canal
Crazy Whiskey
The Loose Marbles

May 2017
Kass and Friends
Necessary Gentlemen
The Magnolia Sisters
The Zion Harmonizers

September 2017
Steve Anderson Group
Julio and Caesar
Coobie Joe Cajun Band
King James and the Special Men

October 2017
Chris Talley Band
Trustys of Davo Crossing
Ric Robertson Band
Gentilly Stompers

November 2017
Last Chance Bluegrass Band
Pat and Benita Murphy
Choupique Cajun Band
The Tradstars

March 2018
The Steve Anderson Group
The Sweet Olive String Band
Jackson and the Janks
Dwayne Doopsie and the Zydeco Hell Raisers

April 2018
Three Rivers Cooperative
Gal Holiiday and the Honky Tonk Review
The Abita Stumps
Jumbo Shrimp Jazz Band

May 2018
Last Chance Bluegrass Band
Darrell, Darrel, and Daryl and My Cousin Darryl
Sheryl Cormier and the Cajunettes
Miss Sophie Lee

September 2018
Steve Anderson Group
Big Daddy O
The Rayo Brothers
Albani Faletta & Her New Orleans Jazz Band

October 2018
Chris Talley & The Three Rivers Cooperative
The Slick Skillet Serenaders
The Affordable Bluegrass Act
The Cotton Mouth Kings

November 2018
The Last Chance Bluegrass Band
The Raisins
Kim Carson
The Electrifying Crown Seekers

March 2019
Steve Anderson Group
Riverside Ramblers
Big Easy Playboys
Fair River Station

April 2019
Three Rivers Cooperative
David and Roseanne Bivens
Dr. Bird and the Beak Division
The Wasted Lives

May 2019
Last Chance Bluegrass Band
OK Crawdad
Old Man River Band
Spider Murphy and the Fatback Vipers

September 2019
Steve Anderson Group
Little Freddie King
Tuba Skinny
Zion Harmonizers

October 2019
Chris Talley & The Three Rivers Cooperative
Sabine and the Dew Drops
Coobie Joe Cajun Band
Rick Ledbetter - Get Back Band

November 2019
The Last Chance Bluegrass Band
The Lucky Dogs
Zac Maras
Ben Redwine


September 2021 (not available)
Steve Anderson Group
Crispin Schroeder Band
The Driskill Mountain Boys
Ben Redwine Jazz band

October 2021

Three Rivers Cooperative
Charles Richards Movement
Steel City Jug Slammers
Chris Akers and the Growing Boys


November 2021
Steve Anderson Group
Jayna Morgan and the Sazerac Sunshine Band
Miss Martha and her Goodtime Gang
The Sam Doores Band

March 2022
Steve Anderson Group
Band of Brothers
Ben Redwine Jazz Band
Ceilieh Ramblers


April 2022

Three Rivers Cooperative
Mid City Aces
Maddie Kirgo
The Bad Sandys

May 2022
Travis Clark
Slick Skillet Serenaders
Long Time Goners
The Lucky Dogs

September 2022
Steve Anderson Group
Spider Murphy and the Boudin Zombies
The Tanglers
The Jump Hounds


October 2022

Three Rivers Cooperative
Big Daddy O
Christian Serpas and Ghost Town
Shake Em Up Jazz Band

November 2022
The Right Tolerable String Band
Ben Redwine Jazz Band
Patchwork Bluegrass band
The Zion Harmonizers

March 2023
Steve Anderson Group
Boston Street Ceili Band
Julio and Caesar
Sunpie Barnes and the Louisiana Sunspots

April 2023
The Bad Pennies Pleasure Makers
Gina Leslie
Spring Chickens
Chopsley

May 2023
Three Rivers Cooperative
Jonathan Freilich Blues
Poisson Rouge
Secret Six jazz Band

September 2023
Three Rivers Cooperative
Cactus Thief
Gravel Storm
Jackie Blaire and the Hot Biscuits

October 2023
The Bad Penny Pleasure Makers
The Oliviers
Lynn Drury
The Porch Rockers

November 2023
Steve Anderson Group
Amadee Frederick & Pontchartrain Shakers
Sherman Bernard & Old Man River Band
Rick Ledbetter & Get Back Band