Wealth of talent on October River City Radio Hour

Clair Myers, producer of the River City Radio Hour, says, “We have a wealth of talent on the October Radio Hour.”  To prove his point, he announced that Dr. Stephen Levine and the Dreaded Blues Lady, Lorie Strother, and the dynamic duo of Chet and Jill will join the Boogie Kings for a jam-packed musical hour on Friday, October 18.  Also on the 6:30 pm and 8:00 pm performances will be the Waynesboro Mistress of Merriment Marsha Howard and An Irish Tale by J. D. Robb.

Dr. Stephen Levine and The Dreaded Blues Lady Lorie Strother are the energetic duo who have been traveling widely, presenting a diverse selection of acoustic blues music styles from the 20s and 30s with a sprinkling of contemporary blues. Lorie Strother was awarded a Virginia Humanities Foundation fellowship which coupled her with the internationally known blues singer Gayle Adegbalola of the Uppity Blues Women.  Radio Hour audiences will hear the results of that mentorship.  Dr. Levine is a historian at the University of Virginia where he studies and teaches about the evolution and cultural significance of blues music in American society. Whether it is the early acoustic based styles of the 20s and 30s or the more recent, electric oriented styles, Stephen loves to play it all and share his music with others.

Chet Riley and Jill Turner form the Chet and Jill Duo.  They are two young locals who enjoy writing and playing music with friends. Whether around a fire or on stage, they appreciate the atmosphere that simple songs using vocals and an acoustic guitar (and sometimes a salt shaker) can bring.

Topping the musical segments of the Radio Hour is its own studio band, The Boogie Kings. Under the leadership of the multi-instrumental Richard Adams, William Hayes and J. T. Fauber bring the trio’s unique take on Americana.  With the delayed broadcast of the Radio Hour at 9:00 am on 550 AM, the Boogie Kings are taking their musical talents to a wider audience.

Marsha Howard will return loaded with a handful of humor that has made her Waynesboro’s first lady of laughter. Marsha says her debut on the Radio Hour delayed broadcast on WSVA has opened a new audience.  “I am excited by the chance to reach out to a whole new part of our world.  I am searching for the right bits of humor.  Come check them out.”

The River City Players will present a new drama written by the Radio Hour’s Foley director J. D. Robb.  An Irish Tale follows his 18^thcentury ancestor from a prison dungeon to the shores of America.  True to his calling, the play will make maximum use of the Foley Team’s skills in creating sound effects.

The September Radio Hour is Friday, October 18, 2013 at 6:30 and 8:00 pm at WTA’s Gateway.  The theatre is located at 329 West Main in downtown Waynesboro.  The doors open at 6 pm.

Tickets for the September performances are $10 in advance and $12 on the day of performance.  Tickets may be purchased online atwww.wtagateway.com or by calling (540) 943-9999.