Evening at the Roxy with Great Pretenders returns July 17

Local talent will take center stage at the Historic Roxy Theatre on July 17 during the annual “Evening at the Roxy with the Great Pretenders.”

The show begins at 7 p.m. and is part of the W.C. Handy Music Festival. Tickets are $10 at the door, and children under six are admitted free. The box office opens at 6 p.m. on the night of the show.

Proceeds help fund the Roxy’s ongoing upkeep and repairs.

Now in its 44th year, the W.C. Handy Music Festival honors the legacy of Florence native William Christopher Handy, known as the “Father of the Blues.”

The festival is presented by the Music Preservation Society and runs July 16–27 with events throughout the Shoals.

The Roxy’s involvement began in the early 2000s.

The late Russellville Mayor John Blackwell and Franklin County Arts and Humanities Council President Susie Malone worked with longtime festival organizers Edsel Holden and Nancy Gonce to bring Handy programming to Russellville.

Working alongside Holden and Gonce, they helped launch the Roxy’s participation with a performance by John McAndrew.

In the years since, the Roxy has hosted artists including the UNA Jazz Band with Holden as lead vocalist, Kent DuChaine and “Microwave” Dave Gallaher.

More recently, the spotlight has turned to local performers in “The Great Pretenders,” now a beloved tradition where community members take the stage in character to perform songs made famous by musical legends.

Sidney Medley has performed in the show since 2018 and will return again this year.

“I have loved getting to do it each year,” she said. “I love that it brings the community together and helps showcase local talent from around our county.”

She said her performance this year is still in the works, but she hopes to bring more life to her act than ever before.

“I think this show is special to the community because we get to see close friends and peers do something they love,” she added.

Buford Parker has been part of the show since 2013, when he opened with “Release Me” by Ray Price.

Since then, Parker has missed only a few shows due to church revivals.

“I enjoy entertaining people,” he said. “It’s something in you that you just love to do.”

This year, he plans to sing “I Am… I Said” by Neil Diamond.

“I do this to help out,” Parker added. “The money raised goes to help with the theater’s maintenance and other needs.”

Eleven-year-old Ariel Cothrum, a student at Russellville Middle School, will also return to the stage.

“I’ve performed four times,” she said. “I love getting to dress up like my favorite singers and perform. I also enjoy seeing and hearing everyone else.”

Her favorite moment came during last year’s performance of “They Just Keep Moving the Line.”

“When I hit the high part of the song, everyone in the audience cheered me on,” she recalled.

Ariel said she’s planning to sing a Lainey Wilson song this year, although she hasn’t picked the exact one yet.

“It’ll be a bunch of country,” she said with a smile.

She’ll be performing solo and hopes her performance will be both fun and exciting.

“If you ever wanted to perform but maybe you’re a bit nervous, this is the best place to start,” she added. “You can dress up as your favorite artist and sing like them. Most of all, have fun and make memories.”

For those hoping to take the stage, participant numbers are limited. Each typically performs one song in costume as the artist they’re portraying.

The deadline to sign up is June 30 at 5 p.m.

For information about seeing the show or performing, call 256-810-2711.