Abita Opry Media - 2005-04 featuring the Abita Strings, The Balsa Wood Flyers, Joe Manuel and Friends, Wilson Savoy, and Beth Patterson

MEDIA - AO2005-04

The Abita Springs Opry is a series of music concerts held six times a year and is produced by a nonprofit organization, Abita Opry Inc. The show has the mission of preserving and presenting Louisiana "Roots" music. Our music is played primarily acoustically, in its original form.

Our main thrust is old-time Country, Bluegrass, and traditional Southern Gospel music, but we often present other forms of traditional Louisiana music such as Cajun, Zydeco, Irish, or other types that reflect the many different groups of people who are part of our diverse culture.

Abita Strings

This home town bluegrass ensemble is one of the Opry's "House Band". Setting the pace for every show, the Abita Strings have taken Traditional to another level.

Beth Patterson

Multi-instrumentalist Beth Patterson is foremost a player of the eight- and ten-stringed Irish bouzoukis (adaptations of a traditional Greek instrument). Known for her razor wit and musical versatility, her performances are chock-full of drive, savage energy, and passion, laced with humor and rapport with her listeners, dishing out an eclectic repertoire of original and traditional songs.

The Balsa Wood Flyers

The Balsa Wood Flyers have been a fixture of the
Americana/Folk music scene for the past few years.
The Balsa Wood Flyers incorporate traditional string band instrumentation with stellar harmony vocals to bring to life their own musical creations as well as country, folk, and blues standards.

Joe Manuel and Friends

Joe Manuel is an expert craftsman and possesses an intricate knowledge and zeal for vintage string instruments, their specifications and sensibilities. He is also a master guitarist and mandolin player, who is accomplished in several diverse musical forms. In addition he also teaches, composes, records and performs music.

Wilson Savoy is the younger son of Marc and Ann Savoy, plays the Cajun accordion, the keyboard, and the bass. He has been brought up among the finest Cajun musicians and has played Cajun music with his parents throughout the United States and Europe. He presently also fronts his own Cajun band, Wilson Savoy and the White Mule Boys as well as the Boxed Wine Ramblers.