Culture
West Virginia Musicians Honored at Hall of Fame Ceremony
< < Back toSeveral living legends will visit Charleston this weekend for the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame’s sixth induction ceremony, taking place Saturday, Oct. 24 at The Culture Center Theater.
The event, a production of FestivALL Fall, will be broadcast live throughout the state by West Virginia Public Broadcasting. The ceremony will be hosted by 2008 WVMHoF inductee Charlie McCoy and actress Joyce DeWitt.
The Hall of Fame will induct six musicians during the ceremony. Living inductees are: Beckley native Russ Hicks, a renowned pedal steel guitarist; McDowell County singer, songwriter and performer John Ellison, whose song “Some Kind of Wonderful” is known worldwide; and jazz pianist Bob Thompson, who has performed for audiences in West Virginia and around the world for more than 50 years. The three living inductees will perform at the induction ceremony.
The three deceased inductees are: old-time fiddler Ed Haley, from Harts Creek in Logan County; popular country music recording, radio and television artist Buddy Starcher, from Ripley; and Charleston native Harry Vann Walls, house pianist at Atlantic Records from 1949-1953 and one of the architects of rhythm and blues piano.
In addition, the ceremony will feature performances and appearances by Mark Farner (formerly of Grand Funk Railroad); NRBQ; past WVMHoF inductees Bill Withers, Billy Edd Wheeler, Charlie McCoy and Tim O’Brien; Christian Lopez, Johnny Staats, Ron Sowell, Alan Freeman and Robert Shafer, Distraction and Bobby Taylor.
Parkersburg singer-songwriter Todd Burge shared his enthusiasm for the event with WOUB.
“As a West Virginia musician, I’m always excited to see how my state’s rich musical heritage has spread around the globe,” he said. “These Induction ceremonies truly are a once in a lifetime events. Looking forward to Saturday!”
General admission tickets are $60 in advance; $75 at the door. “Preferred Tickets” are $250 each or $400 for two, and include admittance to the Friday night Meet and Greet, the Governor’s Reception prior to the event and the after-show party. Doors will open at 7 p.m. and the show begins at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased online at www.wvmusichalloffame.com. Tickets are also available at Taylor Books in Charleston or by calling the Hall of Fame office at 304-342-4412. For more information about the 2015 Induction Ceremony or the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame, call 304-342-4412 or email wvmhof@gmail.com.