FALL 2014 SCHEDULE
Our performances are always on the third Saturdays in the Spring and Fall in the months of March, April, and May, September, October, November. The show is from 7:00 PM until 9:00 PM.
September 20, 2014
The Last Chance Bluegrass Band: They will be performing as a fill-in house band at this show. If you like bluegrass, you will love this group. They know their way around the Opry. They have performed on the front porch before the show, as a guest group on the main stage, and have filled in as the house band in the past. They are some of the nicest people around as well as fine musicians. We are fortunate they agreed to serve as the house band for this show.
The Messy Cookers: New Orleans is blessed to have a large number of very young musicians who have gravitated to New Orleans post-Katrina. These youngsters migrated here from various parts of the country and studied and now perform traditional musical forms. Most of them started on street corners, and have gravitated into the club scene in the Farbourg Marigny and Bywater areas of the Big Easy. This is another one of the groups that perform traditional New Orleans Jazz with energy and drive that comes from performing on street corners. If you are going to make people stop and drop tips into guitar cases, the musicians really need to bring it. These youngsters and others like them are part of the great musical revival that is taking place in what can be considered one of the greatest musical cities in the world.
The Ramblng Letters: Michael Millet is no stranger to the Opry stage, and it has been too long since he has appeared here. This time, he will appear with a different group. The Rambling letters have been performing in New Orleans for some time, and we always want to keep bluegrass music as an element in our show.
Gerald Craddock and his band: The piano was a key instrument in the earliest days of Rock ‘N Roll. People like Jerry Lee Lewis entertained us with their hard driving, personality filled sound that was an integral part of the styles of music that gave birth to that genre. Those of us who were there are blessed to have witnessed that great musical phenomenon. Gerald will deliver some of that to the audience as well as some good ‘ol Honky Tonk.
October 18, 2014
The Petty Bones: The House band for October has been an important part of the Opry family for a long time. The principal members, Anne and Jerry Crowell have been performing together for a long time. Jerry is a very clever song writer and has a very unique and entertaining singing style. Anne can belt out the blues or sing sentimental ballads with style. They have been working though health issues and it will be a real treat to see them back here.
Chris Talley and Friends: Chris performed at the Opry last season as part of Pot luck String Band. We heard him later at the Covington Farmers Market performing with another group. We decided, on the spot, that he deserved a set on our show. Chris is a very talented musician, and he can assemble an outstanding group of musicians. We are looking forward to some solid bluegrass and traditional country music.
The Carondalettes: Two of these very young and talented musicians have been performing on the Streets in New Orleans. Two of them appeared on our stage previously as principal singers in another group. During the post Opry jam session at the Abita Brew Pub, they were joined by another singer and totally captivated the other musicians and audience singing some old “Doo Wop” songs. One of our musicians and music committee members, Jan Biggs, looked at me and mouthed the words, “book them.” They will bring a smile to your face with their version of that great musical style, and they are too cute for words.
Some Like it Hot Jazz Band: This group is a must for the Opry. We heard them at a Jazz Brunch in New Orleans. The group must have gotten their name from the old movie about an all-female jazz band. The group is principally comprised of ladies who all must be someone’s grandmother. The band leader, Kay Caldwell sets the tone with her bigger-than-life personality, and they can really put some great New Orleans style traditional Jazz. Our audience will love them.
November 15, 2014
The Steve Anderson Group: One of our regular house bands. They always start the show and set the bar for the musicians who follow. Steve is a local guy who has a rich voice that is made for traditional Country music. He is a crowd favorite, and one of the most likeable guys you will ever meet.
Big Daddy O: Owen Tufts, better known by his stage name, Big Daddy O is one of the premier Blues performers in this area. He has multiple recording to his credit, and has performed regularly in area venues. He possesses a very smooth style, and is admired by many of the other musicians who perform locally. It has been some time since his last appearance on our stage and we are fortunate to have him back.
Gina Forsyth and her Cajun Band: Gina is regarded as one of the premier fiddle players in the state. She has appeared on our stage multiple times as the featured fiddle player in different groups. Her playing has a hard-driving raspy quality that makes her a go-to musician. We have a high enough regard for her that we simply asked her to put together a Cajun group to perform at the Opry and trust that whomever she includes will bring it with style.
The Bad Pennies Pleasure Makers: Eclectic, talented, and entertaining. This duet was on the Opry stage some time back as featured artists in the Wasted Lives. They break off at times to do something that is a little different. These two are a real treat, and our audience will love them. We heard them at the Covington Farmers Market and decided on the spot that they had to be on our stage.
Please don’t forget that following every show, many of our musicians gather at the Abita Brew Pub to jam. Some of the best music performed on Opry nights has been at this after-the-show jam. It allows a blending of some really great musicians to play in an informal atmosphere, and some really great and unique stuff has come out of those jams.
THERE'S MORE MUSIC IN ABITA SPRINGS
Besides the shows we put on at the Abita Opry, we are very active in the community that is our home. You may notice all of the improvements to the Town Hall when you get there for the show. This comes at a significant cost to the Town. The Opry has contributed financially to the repairs. We are grateful to the town for its support and the old Town Hall is the perfect location for what we do.
In addition to helping to keep the hall in good shape, the Abita Opry provides musical talent for outdoor festivals in Abita. The Trail Head has turned out to be a wonderful venue for musical presentations and a nice place to visit.
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 LISTEN TO PAST PERFORMANCES
Hi Opry Fans, Here we are again, ready for another season. As usual, we are always grateful for loyal fans like you who make our show possible and assure its continued success. We are always interested in feedback from you about what you see and hear at the Opry. We are open to criticism, and always ready to hear compliments.
Our continuing mission is the "Preservation and Presentation of Louisiana Roots Music." Of course, what constitutes Louisiana "roots music" is sometimes hard to define, we always want to keep it traditional while presenting an entertaining variety of music for our fans and a great environment for our musicians.
Our audience is very important to us, and our musicians always tell us that you are the best audience around. If we continue to show them the love, they will send it back to us. The energy and exchange between the musicians and the audience at the Opry is real.
The vibe that exists in that hundred plus year old building packed to the gills with a great audience listening and appreciating traditional music from some of the best musicians around gives us a musical gumbo that really cooks!
Get your tickets
If you want to get a big serving of our musical gumbo, tickets are presently on sale. We offer season packages as well as single show tickets. The season ticket holders from the previous season get first dibs, but as of August 1, they are sold on a first-come-first served basis. By the day before the show, we are usually close to selling out. We are always trying to make sure that we have as many seats as possible, and very seldom turn away folks who show up the night of the show.
If you happen to make a last minute decision to come to the Opry, The worst case scenario is the big screen closed circuit TV on our front porch. We also have outside seating available. Also keep in mind, that we have a live act on the front porch for an hour or so before the show.
For ticket information, please contact Kathy Armand at 985-892-0711. All tickets are $18. We have not raised our prices for several years, and intend to keep them at that price. Please keep in mind that the choicest seats go first. Nothing pains us more than to turn folks away because of a sell-out. We always try to find a way to get people in.
The Petty Bones
We believe this is another season of great traditional music. Please remember that we sell tickets on a first-come-first served basis. All seats are $18.00. We have not raised our prices for several years, and have no plans to do so any time soon. To purchase tickets call Kathy at 985-892-2342 or drop by the Abita Springs Town Hall during working hours.
Y'all Come! See you at the Opry
Anytime Access to the Opry
We always want to remind our fans that most of our past performances are online and can be enjoyed anytime on your computer. All you have to do is visit our home page at www.abitaopry.org. Locate the words;
"LISTEN TO PAST PERFORMANCES"
click on it and the listing of downloaded shows will appear on your screen. From there, you can scroll to any show or pick out any particular act that may appeal to you and enjoy.
We provide the web service and cover the cost of video taping and provide the shows to St Tammany Parish Government access TV channel 10 and Southeastern Louisiana University, channel 18. The channels mentioned are available to Charter Cable TV subscribers in several surrounding parishes.
Our mission to "Preserve and Present Louisiana Roots Music" is taken seriously. Making the Abita Springs Opry available to as many people as possible is a way of fulfilling our mission and gives that much more exposure to these great musicians. We have a valuable musical cultural tradition, and it is worth keeping alive.
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