Published: May 07, 2008 04:11 pm            

Tolley’s Spring Concert bringing country music to Met Theatre

FAIRMONT — Get ready for some country music.

Tolley’s Spring Concert will be held from 1-9 p.m. Saturday, May 24, at the Metropolitan Theatre in Morgantown.

“We got started playing at a little show in Rivesville at the Paw Paw Fairgrounds about 11-12 years ago,” said Carolyn Tolley. After playing at a Grafton venue for a while, the show moved to its current location, Middletown Community Building on Route 73, where it has shows every Saturday.

“My husband Tom started the show,” she said. “When we began, we really didn’t have a name at that time. It was just the Country Music Show.”

Their son Lawrence took over the show as emcee and show coordinator after his father passed away in April 2006.

“We’re growing,” he said.

Beginning at 1 p.m., the all-day concert will feature an open mic, Morgan Ridge, Ray Hileman and Wheels of Country, John and Ann Coberly, Rockin’ Al Anderson and Your Request Band.

Taylor Made Country will perform at 6:30 p.m.

Taylor County native siblings Wendy, Brian and Greg Duckworth, according to their Web site, www.taylormadecountry.com, “will electrify your senses while soothing your soul with those trademark harmonies. They have taken this unique style, which began on a back porch in Taylor County and crafted it into the rich country sound, that is truly Taylor Made.”

Taylor Made has now teamed up with Dale Morris and Associates from Nashville. Morris has been responsible for such acts as Kenny Chesney, Gretchen Wilson, Big and Rich, and Alabama. Their current CD is “Perfect Fit.”

“Wendy Duckworth Williams sang at the Sagebrush when she was 14,” Lawrence said. He added that Greg is a State Trooper in Beckley and Brian is a truck driver.

“This is the first year for the spring concert,” he said. “We want to try to continue it every year with a fall concert

“I’d like to see all these country music shows pulls together and open all the theaters that have shut down in Fairmont and Morgantown to bring bus tours to bring money to West Virginia and create jobs.”

“I’ve listened to country music all my life,” Carolyn Tolley said. She likes Kitty Wells and Tanya Tucker.

Her late husband played guitar with Johnny and Jack, Kitty Wells’ husband, and Pop Powell of the Louisiana Hay Ride.

Her son prefers Randy Travis and Ricky Van Shelton.

“But there are too many to mention,” he said.

The concert is benefiting St. Jude’s Children’s Fund, Tolley said.

Tickets for Tolley’s Spring Concert are $18 and are available at Middletown Country Music Show, Fawley’s Music in Morgantown, Shop ’n Save at the Middletown Mall, Music Center on Bridgeport Hill, and at the door.

For more information, call Lawrence Tolley at 265-4938.

E-mail Debra Minor Wilson at dwilson@timeswv.com.

        

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