(April 12, 2014) Jackson, Tenn.- Nashville isn’t the only city that can have an Opry.
In a just under 4000 square foot community center in South Jackson, The Golden Circle Opry entertains music fans both young and old.
John Few, the producer and manager of the Golden Circle Opry, can be seen both backstage and on stage. In addition to calibrating the sound and the microphones, he also heads up a band.
Few detailed the start of the Opry, “Mr. Albert Hall and I decided that we wanted to have a venue set aside for bluegrass, bluegrass gospel, and gospel country bands to perform on a regular basis in the area.”
That home is the South Jackson Community Center that, in addition to housing the Opry, also acts as a senior center with a myriad activities provided.
“We’ll see the same people [come] and they’ll bring new people [to the Opry],” explains Linda Kauffman, the Center Director. She is also the Director of Programming for the Senior Citizens. “Some of my seniors that come on Thursdays started coming down here and bringing their friends, so it helps not only the Golden Circle Opry, but it helps my senior programs also.”
Few also chooses the bands. “Over the years, we’ve invited bands to come and perform here,” Few explains, “and we always, whenever they’re pleased with being here performing and we’re pleased with their performance, ask them if they’d like to go on the list of being called back.”
They have quite a lot of bands to choose from as the Opry has been rocking South Jackson for 14 years. These groups come from all over the South, including Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi. The Sparks Family Singers were one of the bands that performed that night. They hail from Belmont, Mississippi and have been performing together since 1972.
The Golden Circle Opry operates from November to April, taking the rest of the year for Summer Break. For more information, you can contact Few at [email protected]
