Swainsboro Georgia Music History?
The Music Memories Museum in Swainsboro Georgia is one mile from The Nancy Auditorium where Country Music singer Hank Williams Jr. performed in front of a live audience for the very first time March 22, 1958. He was only 8 years old and was with his mother Audrey Williams. Brenda Lee, famous for the song "Rockin Around The Christmas Tree" had her first paid performance on the same stage in 1953 at the age of 9, she was paid $35. Patsy Cline performed on the stage in 1957 at the age of 25. Also Rock-n-Roll singer J.P. Richardson known as "The Big Bopper" performed on the same stage in November 1958 and 3 months later he died in the airplane crash with Ritchie Valens and Buddy Holly known as "The Day The Music Died".
Jack A. Thompson opened the WJAT radio station in April 1950. The radio call letters was his initials. He later developed a plan for an auditorium to be used for concerts. Known as the Peach State Jamboree. The auditorium was attached to the radio station. It was opened April 1954. It was named after his wife Nancy.
In 1957 Grand Ole Opry star Webb Pierce and General Manager of the Grand Ole Opry Jim Denny went in as partners and purchased the Nancy Auditorium and WJAT radio station. They had some sort of arrangement, if they booked a group or singer for the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, TN. they also had to perform at the Nancy Auditorium in Swainsboro GA.. Johnnie Bailes of the Bailes Brothers also moved to Swainsboro about the same time. Webb Pierce hired Johnnie Bailes as the General Manager for WJAT radio. Johnnie lived in Swainsboro until he died in 1989.
Hundreds of famous singers performed in Swainsboro between the 1950s-1970s such as; (Country Singers) Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Bill Monroe, Brenda Lee, Chet Atkins, Roy Acuff, Loretta Lynn, George Jones, Ray Price, Hank Snow, Mel Tillis, Kitty Wells, Ernest Tubb, Carl Perkins, Jim Reeves, Connie Smith, Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs, Little Jimmy Dickens, George Morgan, Minnie Pearl, Red Sovine, Carl Smith, Porter Wagner, Statler Brothers, Wilburn Brothers, Faron Young, (Gospel Singers) Blackwood Brothers, Happy Goodman Family, Bailes Brothers, Oak Ridge Boys, Chuck Wagon Gang, Lewis Family, Byrd Family, JD Sumner & The Stamps and (Rock-N-Roll Singers) Jerry Lee Lewis, Big Bopper, The Kinks, 3 Dog Night, Tony Orlando & Dawn ,The Tams, Swinging Medallions and many others. You can see the entire list of singers who performed at the Nancy Auditorium in our museum.