Virginia’s Li’l Ole Opry will welcome home one of its past stars, Troy Hedspeth, Saturday, September 16.
The Opry also will celebrate longtime emcee “Uncle Jimmy Wickham” Smith’s, 80th birthday.
The show will be in the Harry M. Ward Auditorium at Mathews High School, 9889 Buckley Hall Road, Mathews. Doors will open at 7:30 p.m. and the show will begin at 8 p.m.
Hedspeth joined the Opry when he was a youngster who adored Garth Brooks, sported a much too large cowboy hat and called himself “the little big man of country music.” He grew up on the Opry stage and audiences adored him and his fun, easy style. Since that time, he has graduated from Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn, with a degree in music theater and became the associate director of music and worship at Spring Branch Community Church in Virginia Beach, where he was raised.
Hedspeth will keep the show mainly in the country and inspirational realm. “I’d also like to give the audience a small variety of the different things I’ve done through the years,” he said. Joining him will be his band as well as his wife, Jessica, and three children.
The Opry band and singers, including Lynda Smith, A.J. McKeen, Tracy Hill, Richard Smith, Ralph Motley, David Shuber and William Earl Sadler will take the stage the first half. After a brief intermission, Hedspeth will perform.
Tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for ages 12 and younger. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the Mathews Visitor Center and Beach Bum BBQ in Mathews and Marketplace Antiques in Hayes. Tickets are also available at the door on show night.