Rolling, rolling, rolling. The Hayride keeps on rolling.
And it’s rolling back onto a Salmon Arm stage this Friday with Elvis, Hank Williams, Patsy Cline and Roy Orbison, as well as songs by many of the great country artists such as Johnny Cash, Jim Reeves, Ray Price and Eddy Arnold.
The show filled halls in four Alberta venues in May with the same great audience response that has been given by B.C. audiences.
“We normally don’t do a summer show, but you’ve been asking for it and we’re giving it to you,” says Hayride creator and producer Lori Risling.
Patrick Ryley performs as Hank Williams, Andrea Anderson as Patsy Cline and Gil Risling as Roy Orbison.
Also sharing their substantial talent are William Brookfield on double keyboard and vocals and Mike Melnichuk on stand-up base and electric guitar.
And the “cowboys” will gather round the fire.
New to this, the third version of the show, is Adam Fitzpatrick, making the music and the moves of Elvis Presley.
If you liked him, and many did, don’t miss his performance this week because he may not be in show number 4 that rolls onto the stage in the fall.
“Our Elvis from Penticton, won an Elvis Tribute Competition in California and that has allowed him to compete in the ‘Ultimate Elvis’ competition in Memphis in August,” says Risling.
“There will be 24 other Elvis Tribute Artists from around the world vying for this prestigious title. This is a huge accomplishment and we are so excited that Adam can be a part of our Salmon Arm show before he heads to Memphis.”
Known as the Cradle of the Stars, the Louisiana Hayride was established in 1948.
It was a live show similar to the Grand Ole Opry and was performed by as-yet-unknown stars at the Shreveport Municipal Auditorium and broadcast over KWKH radio.
Risling and crew are about to rehearse show #4, which will premiere in Salmon Arm with all new material in the fall.
“We will have a new character, which the audience will find quite entertaining – and that’s all I’ll say,” she laughs. “There will be four artists we haven’t featured before and songs by the Everly Brothers, Flatt & Scruggs and Loretta Lynn. And the “cowboys” will be back by popular demand.”
The Louisiana Hayride Show kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 13 at the SASCU Rec Centre. Tickets are available at Touch’A Texas and Wearabouts.