Big D Opry coming to Gilley’s in Dallas on Thursday

by PegNews wire

The Big D Opry will feature the top major and independent label country, bluegrass, and gospel artists from the great State of Texas and beyond. The next concert will be held Thursday, October 29 at Gilley’s at 7:30 p.m. More than a dozen top artists will perform, including four-time #1 Billboard chart topper Ty Herndon. There will be a singer-songwriter segment along with a talent competition where the audience will get to vote for their favorite new artist.

A special appearance will be made by guest emcee Luke Barr (Allen, Texas/Los Angeles, Calif.), brother of actor Matt Barr of CBS’ Harper’s Island, who has recently appeared on NBC daytime’s Days of Our Lives and aboard the Disney Magic and Wonder Cruise Ships as emcee.

The Big D Opry will mix modern talent with the rich history of songs, songwriters, and artists of country’s past and for the first time create great "Opry" moments in Dallas with the following artists:

Ty Herndon (Meridian, Miss.) Ty Herndon was born May 2, 1962, and raised in Butler, Ala. He grew up with a background of family singing, both at home and in church. He went to Nashville to seek his fortune, performing at Opryland theme park sporadically throughout the 1980s. He attended Belmont University on scholarship. Herndon left Nashville to make a name for himself on the Texas club circuit, and in 1993, he was named Texas entertainer of the year. He signed to Epic Records shortly afterward and his first single, "What Mattered Most," reached No. 1 in 1995. "Living in a Moment" reached No. 1 in 1996. Two years later, "It Must Be Love" also topped the charts. Following the 1999 album Steam, he left Epic and released a Greatest Hits volume in 2002. A Christmas album appeared on an independent label in 2003. He released Right About Now in 2007.

Jolie Holliday (Richardson) will perform and share emcee duties. She was recently performing eight shows a day, seven days a week at the 2009 State Fair of Texas on the Chevy Truck Stage. She is Chevrolet’s NASCAR spokesperson with more than 60 to 80 appearance and performance dates a year. She's a native Texan performer that blends pop country sound with the traditional tone of her voice, making fans harkens back to Reba, Wynonna, and Patsy. Holliday has performed with country music legends Mickey Gilley, Johnny Lee, Restless Heart, Lee Ann Womack, Lonestar, Collin Raye, Marty Stuart, George Jones, and Jerry Jeff Walker. Her new album is entitled Lucky Enough, which she recorded in Nashville with the help of great Texas country artists including Womack.

Brittnee Lee (Rockwall) is a teen sensation from Garland who has performed nationwide and won several notable talent competitions including the USA World Showcase in Las Vegas. She is the first high school student ever to be inducted on the wall of honor at Richland Junior College and graduated from high school at 18 with her diploma and associate’s degree. She has performed at the Garland Opry and the State Fair to large audiences. Her new CD Purpose shows off her versatility as a singer and maturity as a songwriter with “The Perfect Catch” and “Don’t Drink and Drive.” Her songs have been chosen as the anthem for many charitable organizations.

Channing Dodson (Plano, Texas/Nashville, Tenn.) In 2008, Channing was invited by legendary manager Irving Azoff to join a singer-songwriter training program in Los Angeles where it was discovered that she should pursue a career in country music. Legendary music producer Michael Lloyd (Dirty Dancing soundtrack) is working with Channing and she has just moved to Nashville after honing her talents in top studios in Los Angeles. In Texas, she has performed at the Hard Rock Café, Curtain Club, House of Blues, Grapevine Opry, and Johnnie High’s in Arlington. In keeping with making great Opry moments, Channing will perform “I’ve Had the Time of My Life” as a tribute to the late Patrick Swayze.

David Wood (Los Angeles, Calif.) proves that it is never too late to pursue your dream. He is a Hollywood entertainment industry veteran and legal eagle with A-list clients. This singer-songwriter has just recorded his newest album of traditional country songs with members of Elvis Presley’s backing singers, The Jordanaires, in Nashville. His new album is entitled Here and Now.

Aubree-Anna (Dallas) has written and copyrighted more than 100 songs. She has performed all over the Dallas-Fort Worth area including the first-ever Cowboys Alumni Association Gala, for the Dallas Cowboys. For the fourth consecutive year, she performed at the State Fair of Texas on the Main Chevrolet Stage. Her performances have followed headliners such as Grammy Award Winners Boys II Men. Aubree-Anna has been featured in many publications, including The Dallas Morning News, Addison Magazine, Turtle Creek News, and most notably she was celebrated as a Singer and Entertainer on the August 2009 cover of D Magazine's "The Best of Big D" 2009.

Also appearing are new artists Erica Nicole and Brian Webb (Arlington). Shane Mathews (Plano), who has been called a young Ray Price, is a true traditional country artist and a 2007 winner of the Texas Country Hall of Fame Showcase. The winners of the April and June 2009 Big D Opry talent contests, Angie Landers and Sydney Brannan, will also take center stage.

Source: Lisa Endicott