Abita Springs Opry Media - 2007-04 Featuring the Abita Strings, Bobby LeBlanc, The Pine Leaf Boys, Amedee Frederick & Son, and Smithfield Fair

MEDIA - AO2007-04

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.

Bobby LeBlanc with Lost & Found

The Pine Leaf Boys

Louisiana's finest, three-time Grammy-Nominated, world-renown Pine Leaf Boys have made a name for presenting their own inimitable brand of Cajun music with youthful exuberance. Hailing from the southwest Louisiana, the Pine Leaf Boys, known for their wild shows and thoughtful arrangements, have breathed new life into Cajun music, reviving ancient songs and bringing them to the bandstand.

Amedee Frederick and Son

Amedee Frederick comes from the countryside around Abita Springs in St. Tammany Parish. His Creole roots run deep and his family has been making music for five generations.

His fiery approach to the guitar — pulling out every soul-drenched note — has been compared to Albert Collins, among others, and is one outrageous Southern Louisiana musical gumbo.

When Amedee was a boy, he was exposed to a number of Delta musicians who jammed with his father. Amedee has shared stages with Lightnin’ Hopkins, John Lee Hooker and other famous bluesmen.

Smithfield Fair

Smithfield Fair is a family vocal and acoustic music trio based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Now in its twentieth year, Smithfield Fair has released 16 albums of largely original songs, as well as traditional Scottish material. Smithfield Fair is known for Celtic-themed original songs as demonstrated on the group's twentieth anniversary collection - 20420 - released in 2007. The group members are Jan Smith (vocals, accordion, guitar), Dudley-Brian Smith (vocals, acoustic guitar, recorders, mandolin, bagpipes), and Bob Smith (vocals, acoustic bass guitar), foten supplemented in concert and recordings by guitarist J. David Praet and percussionist Merel Bregante ((Loggins & Messina), {Nitty Gritty Dirt Band}, {Sunshine Company}, Sarah Pierce).