The quaint, much-beloved bluegrass and folk venue calls it quits after six years as building is sold. Lakeshore’s Walk the Beat returns in August with more prizes for bands, condensed performance area.
ZELLIE’S OPRY HOUSE ENDS IMPRESSIVE RUN
More than six years after renovating a 150-year-old Howard City church and turning it into West Michigan’s version of Nashville’s legendary Ryman Auditorium with regular folk and bluegrass concerts, Zellie’s Opry House has closed its doors.
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Owners and music lovers Terri and Keith Grannis, who’ve run the quaint Howard City venue since late 2008, have sold the building. They told patrons in an email this week that they’ve “had an absolute blast on this musical adventure and we’ve been blessed to have some of the very best local and regional talent grace our stage … and the very best audience members who’ve grown to love the performances and performers.”
With the sale pending and slated to be finalized in coming weeks, the final concert was staged at Zellie’s on Jan. 10, with the owners canceling remaining shows booked for March, April and May.
“Keith and I have some other interests and there are some other things we want to do, and when you’ve got a music venue like this, you’ve got to commit to it and do it a lot,” said Terri Grannis, adding the couple decided in August to put up a ‘for sale’ sign and “see what happens.”
A buyer came through in January and the couple has since emptied out the building. She said it’s not certain what will become of it, but “it’s not going to be a music venue from what we’ve been told.”
Much beloved by acoustic musicians from across Michigan who would participate in regular bluegrass and folk jams, Zellie’s also hosted concerts by well-known acts from across the region and beyond, from Detour to Out of the Blue to Mountain Feist to the Blue Water Ramblers to Ruth & Max Bloomquist.
But keeping the business profitable was another story, especially because the small, 180-seat venue kept admission charges low. “Bluegrass music and Americana roots music is a tough one,” Grannis conceded.
Still, she called the six-year musical adventure “a joy ride for us. We met some great people and phenomenal musicians and we have the best customers. … We’ve been so blessed.” She said her email box is full of messages and well wishes from fans who recently learned that the intimate concert hall was closing.
“When there was an intermission, if an audience member wanted to talk to a band member, they had the opportunity to do that. People loved that because they feel like they’ve got that personal connection (with an artist).”
Grannis said the couple hasn’t finalized plans for the future, though they’re selling off some other property and might eventually move south. She stressed that they legally still own the Zellie’s Opry House name and business (named after her grandmother), leaving open the possibility they could eventually open a music venue under that name in another state.
Until then, Grannis, who plays mandolin, plans to continue performing at events with Zellie’s house band and other groups.
“We’ve been so blessed,” Grannis told Local Spins, adding she’ll always treasure the Zellie’s experience. “Sometimes, it’s a good thing to step back and say, ‘What’s the next thing we want to do?’ ”
Prior to its conversion into Zellie’s, the church building in this town of about 1,800 people housed Gettin’ Picky, an instrument and music supply shop that also hosted regular jam sessions.
WALK THE BEAT OFFERS $20,000 IN PRIZES, BAND REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS MAY 15
When Grand Haven musician and music advocate Dave Palmer launched the unusual Walk the Beat event last August – with 80 bands and solo acts playing 40 different venues – he enjoyed “a great response” from performers and spectators, so much so that he’s doing it all again in 2015.
This year’s one-day festival, song and band competition on Aug. 15 is seeking 60 bands for 30 locations, reducing the number of venues but boosting awards to winning entries to $20,000 in prizes, including 40 hours of studio time at Bill Chrysler’s studio, development of a professional website and production of a video.
“The players said they absolutely love it,” Palmer said of the inaugural Walk the Beat event, which had bands playing a variety of businesses throughout the Tri-Cities area of Grand Haven, Spring Lake and Ferrysburg. “The guests said they absolutely loved it. A group of 20 businesses approached us and said they wanted to do it again. So, the prizes are bigger, more people around here know us now.”
The event involves voting by text message for the “best band” and “best song” with prizes for the winners of each. To participate, bands and singer-songwriters must register by filling out a form and submitting an original song via CD by May 15. Participants will be selected from those entries by Chrysler and assigned a location for their performance. Get details, prize information and the entry form online at walkthebeat.org.
Although most bands participating last year came from nearby lakeshore communities, there is no geographical boundary for bands entering the contest, though only the first 300 applicants will be considered. Indeed, after registration opened earlier this week, the first entry arrived from Des Moines, Iowa.
“We do expect most bands will be applying from West Michigan,” Palmer said, “and hope that we can fill it with West Michigan musicians.”
A $25 non-fundable fee is required of all applicants, but artists selected for the event are paid for their performances — $50 per musician, with a maximum of $200 per band. Participants also get invited to an after-party and will be interviewed for the Walk the Beat radio program.
It should be easier for fans and voters to hear more bands this year. The 2015 event will “condense” the locations of performances after visitors suggested last year’s venues “were spread out too far for them to see all of the acts,” Palmer told Local Spins.
Last year’s winning band, folk-rock’s Watching for Foxes, reveled in the experience and used the studio time it won to record a new EP, “Until the Winter Comes.”
“When we won, we felt enveloped by a community of music that we didn’t even know existed,” said Watching for Foxes singer Joey Frendo. “All the people we worked with were genuine and kind.”
Copyright 2015, Spins on Music LLC