Dusk falls and the Don Gibson Theatre marquee flashes on in Uptown Shelby, North Carolina, revealing the night’s live music line up. This historic art deco theatre has graced the town since 1939 and lived through several iterations as the former cotton textile town transitioned to a must–stop on the southeast music circuit. Great artists across the genre spectrum—Wynonna Judd, Edwin McCain, Chubby Checker, Oak GroveString Band, the Blue Dogs—take the stage in this 400–seat theatre where the acoustics give the small theatre a huge sound.
"It’s unique. It’s like going to a big concert, but the farthest seat from the stage is 65 feet," says executive director Stan Lowery. "So, it feels like a personal concert and the acoustics in the room are fantastic. In my opinion, we have the best sounding venue in the Southeast."
With such an intimate setting, this is the kind of place where if you yell out something to the artist on stage, they yell back. Perhaps the best show moment occurs when artists send the band off for a break and address the audience with just a guitar and an acoustic version of a favorite hit. It’s a small venue that reminds concert goers of the magic of live music, when it feels like the artist is performing only for you.
"We host national type artists, Grammy award–winners, folks that have had number one hits—Travis Tritt, Vince Gill, Pam Tillis, Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels," says Lowery. "Chubby Checker is one of my favorites. I love to sit backstage before a show and just talk about their past, stories from the road."
Lowery shares those road stories freely with folks who take the "Behind the Scenes Tour" backstage in the theatre. He’ll regale you with the full 90–year history of the theatre and some killer tales about its namesake Don Gibson and the artists that played the theatre. You’ll get to see where the artists hang out and read messages handwritten by the likes of Lisa Marie Presley and others.
Shelby Son Creates the Nashville Sound
The theatre takes its name from native son and famed singer–songwriter Don Gibson. Born in Shelby on April 3, 1928, Gibson is often quoted as saying, "I consider myself a songwriter who sings rather than a singer who writes songs."
Prior to 1957, country music was known by the combination of steel guitar and fiddle, but Gibson and his producer Chet Atkins would change all that. Gibson’s record "Oh Lonesome Me" became a #1 hit by featuring piano, upright bass, drums, guitars, and background singers. The sound came to be known as the "Nashville Sound" and it influences country music to this day. During the late 1950s, Gibson wrote "I Can’t Stop Loving You" which has been recorded by more than 700 other artists across music genres and sold in excess of 30 million records.
In all, Gibson would release more than 80 charted records between 1956 and 1980, including three of the most famous songs in country music history: "Sea of Heartbreak," and the aforementioned "Oh Lonesome Me" and "I Can’t Stop Loving You." During his long career, the songwriter penned some 513 titles—many of which were covered by legends including Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Patsy Cline, Emmylou Harris, and more. His talent as a composer and artist earned him spots in the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Legacy in Action
Each spring, just around Gibson’s April 3rd birthday, the Theatre honors his legacy by hosting the Don Gibson Singer Songwriter Symposium. The annual competition draws artists from all over the country in every music genre. Singer–songwriters write and record original music and perform it in front of a live audience and a panel of judges. The winner walks away with a $1,000 prize, bragging rights, and promotion for their winning song.
"We put a little twist on during the symposium. Though they’re not judged on it, artists have to perform their own take on a Don Gibson song," says Lowery. "We do this to get folks playing Don’s songs and to let the audience hear some Don Gibson music as well."
The audiences get treated to live, new arrangements of Gibson’s classics and exposure to some of the lesser–known songs in his immense catalog. The big finale puts twelve finalists on stage at the Don Gibson Theatre in a sold–out showcase.
The theatre is also credited with keeping Uptown Shelby popping and is one of many venues that keeps live music humming in Shelby. In the summer, the Bobby Bell Pavilion downtown draws a crowd for the monthly Shelby Alive concert series. The Earl Scruggs Center—a museum dedicated to another music legend with Shelby roots—hosts Picking on the Square and other music events. And, at nearly every Shelby restaurant with a courtyard or space, you walk in and hear music. The town is alive with the sound of rhythm and melody on the breeze around every corner.
"It’s mostly local musicians that play the smaller venues, but occasionally we’ll have folks traveling through that stay for a week or so in the area as they’re making their way through the southeast playing shows," says Lowery. "One of the best things about Shelby is that there is always something going on."
Visit the Don Gibson Theatre and Shelby and see for yourself. Ask Lowery to give you a tour and get an up–close look at what makes this southern venue so unique.
Written by Alice Manning Touchette
