West Virginia Department of Commerce Troubadour Lounge captures spirit of the Opry

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Troubadour Lounge captures spirit of the Opry



Mountains of Talent
By Andrea B. Bond

Then there is the hybrid – a new venue that hosts old music. The Troubadour Lounge and Park in Morgan County is one such “new old” place. Its owner, Jim McCoy, is the recipient of the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame’s first Spirit Award.

“There are many musicians who have had performing and recording careers but who have also distinguished themselves and made their mark in other ways,” said Lipton in his address at the Hall of Fame induction in November 2009. “We decided to call this a ‘spirit’ award and in so many ways, our first recipient, Joltin’ Jim McCoy, personifies that unique spirit of West Virginia.”

McCoy, a guitarist and recording artist, was Patsy Cline’s first band leader. He’s managed several record companies. He owns a publishing company, and he operates the West Virginia Country Music Hall of Fame from within The Troubadour Lounge, which he opened 10 years ago after moving from Winchester, Va., back to the family farm in Berkeley Springs.

Troubadour Lounge“I’m 80 years old, going on 81. I thought, ‘Boy, that’s a great way to honor me before I’m gone’,” McCoy said of the Spirit Award. The Troubadour, named after McCoy’s friend Ernest Tubb, “The Texas Troubadour,” is an old-timey honky tonk housed in a modern, white-paneled building. The interior is adorned with memorabilia from the Grand Ole Opry heyday. Out back, visitors will find a barbecue fashioned in the shape of a giant six-shooter, a spacious patio and an outdoor stage for live music.

Twice a year McCoy hosts remembrances to his late friend Cline, during which fans from all over the world gather. Cline’s husband, Charlie Dick, often attends the events. The Cline tribute is but one way the Troubadour Lounge and Park strives to recapture the beloved country music of yesteryear, said McCoy, who recently released a tribute album to Ernest Tubb. The CD can be purchased via a link from the Troubadour’s website.

“I like some of the country music of today, but it’s just not the same,” he said. “To me it all sounds canned. Digital is different from analog sound.”

McCoy would know about vinyl. After all, he spent 28 years as a DJ at WHTL in Winchester, Va.

“I started in radio in 1947. Back then, a sponsor paid five dollars for a 30-minute spot. Today, that won’t get you one second,” he said with a chuckle.

Learn more at: www.troubadourlounge.com.