Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. has been confirmed as a last minute addition to the list of performers at the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame induction gala and concert at the Culture Center Theater in Charleston this Saturday night October 15th. Showtime is 7:15pm, and the event is being taped for broadcast on West Virginia Public Television.
Murphy, the landslide winner of NBC’s America’s Got Talent, will perform alongside an all star backing band. It will be his final West Virginia performance before beginning a headlining stint at The Coliseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas October 28th. Murphy has just returned from California, where we has been recording his debut album for Syco/Columbia. The album, THAT’S LIFE is being produced by GRAMMY award winning producer Steve Tyrell and is scheduled for release November 21st.
This year’s West Virginia Music Hall of Fame inductees are BILLY COX (Jimi Hendrix’s longest running bass player), country superstar KATHY MATTEA, jazz drummer BUTCH MILES, JACK ROLLINS(writer of Frosty the Snowman and other children’s favorites), country star CONNIE SMITH, blues singer DIAMOND TEETH MARY McCLAIN and TOMMMY THOMPSON of the Red Clay Ramblers.
Other performers and presenters include BILL WITHERS, MORGAN SPURLOCK, MARTY STUART, TIM O’BRIEN, WAYNE MOSS, LARRY GROCE, PETER MARSHALL, CHARLIE MCCOY, MOLLIE O’BRIEN and BILL THOMPSON. Bill Cosby has taped a video tribute to Butch Miles and Dolly Parton has done the same for Connie Smith, one of her mentors.
A limited number of TICKETS are still available for $45 and can be purchased at Taylor Books in Charleston or at the Hall of Fame’s website at www.wvmusichalloffame.com. Premium tickets, priced at $250, include a reception prior to the concert at the Governor’s Mansion and preferred seating at the ceremony. They are available by calling the Hall of Fame office at (304) 342-4412.