Abita Springs Opry Media - 2006-03 Featuring the Abita Strings, Evening Star String Band, Louisiana Purchase and The Zion Harmonizers

MEDIA - AO2006-03

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.

Evening Star String Band

The Evening Star String Band specializes in the sound of country music as it was played during the '40s and '50s. Bandmates in the Evening Star String Band include vocalist and guitarist Patrick Flory, Bob Lambert on the mandolin, Harold Cavallero on the Dobro and Mary Howell on vocals and bass.

Louisiana Purchase

Louisiana Purchase Bluegrass Band has served as host to the South Louisiana Bluegrass Association's events at Acadian Village in Lafayette, LA since the group formed in 2002. The band has entertained audiences in Louisiana and beyond as news about their dynamic sound spread.

Band members live throughout South Louisiana, from Choupique to Slaughter, and enjoy performing often at regional concerts and festivals. The group's sound features smooth vocals by Scott Willis, three- and four-part harmonies, and instrumental versatility with Bryan Sims on banjo, Len Springer on fiddle, David Sonnier on guitar, Scott on mandolin, and Gary Newman on upright bass.

The Zion Harmonizers

The Zion Harmonizers trace their origins to 1939 and feature an uncommonly resilient tradition of harmony - beautiful, spirit lifting, four-part harmony. That is why it is such a pleasure to discover a group like the Zion Harmonizers. True to their name, they still harmonize, and they still cling to the optimistic notion that harmony in song can bring out harmony in mankind.
Their arrangements of familiar hymns like "When the Saints Go Marching In" and " Down By The Riverside" are thoroughly original and up-to-date. But, they never forsake their harmony for form or fashion, and their musical accompaniment, though very exciting, is never overbearing.