A grand ole time

By: TONY MARKS
Editor

When Jimmy Rogers took the music from the Appalachian hills and married it to the Blues music of the Gulf Coast, Country music was born. Nearly a century ago, this truly American genre of music swelled in popularity in part to the creation of WSM radio in Nashville, Tenn., and its program The Grand Ole Opry.
Countless of Country music artists have taken the stage ranging from Hank Williams to Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash to Roy Acuff, and from Little Jimmy Dickens to Mamou’s own Jimmy C. Newman.
Now, another Evangeline Parish native has stepped onto the Opry stage and stood in the shadows of musical icons.
For James Dupre, standing inside that “Sacred Circle” on the stage was surreal. “I’ve always felt that an invitation to play the Opry was the highest of honors for a Country artist,” he shared. “The nearly 100 year history of that show and the artists who stood in that circle over the years, that’s what makes it so special.”
That circle is a portion of stage that was cut out of the one at the Ryman Auditorium (affectionately known as The Mother Church of Country Music) and transferred to the stage of the Grand Ole Opry House.
The significance of playing at the Opry is not lost on Dupre, who has been exposed to it since at a young age. “We grew up listening to Country music, as well as Classic Rock and Pop,” he said. “We didn’t have the Opry on TV, but we did watch a lot of CMT. I remember seeing clips of the Opry all the time and always remember the unmistakable microphone with the WSM logo.”
Music has always been a part of Dupre’s life. As he said, “I started singing and messing around with different instruments when I was just a toddler. I played saxophone and learned how to read music throughout junior high and high school. In college, I learned how to play guitar and eventually started performing locally and on YouTube.”
This interest grew into a desire to hone his skills and become a musician. “I just enjoyed music and knew that I had a knack for it,” Dupre stated. “I struggled a lot growing up because I had this desire to play music but I was also introverted. Eventually, I decided that my need to play music would have to overcome my shyness. It was very difficult at first, but with more experience it became easier as I grew more confident in myself and my talent.”
To help in that process of finding his voice, Dupre leaned on the influences of some of Country music’s greats. “My biggest influences were vocalists,” he commented. “Anytime I would listen to a song, my ears immediately went to the vocals. Singers like Randy Travis, Vince Gill, Alison Krauss, Ronnie Milsap, and George Jones. I could go on and on, and that’s just the country artists. I also listened heavily to Rock from the 60’s-90’s, which influenced me greatly.”
From that point on, Dupre has enjoyed following the path that has been laid out for him. He said, “I enjoy being able to use my talents to make a living. It is a lot of work, but whenever there’s live music, there’s usually a party. And I like parties. I like seeing the faces of people who are enjoying themselves, and it makes me happy to know that I am part of that.”
Dupre looks to continue following that path and blaze his own trail in the Country music business. “As of now,” he said, “the plan is to continue playing both locally and across the US and Canada, part-time touring with Randy Travis and his crew. There are also plans to record some new music soon, although we haven’t yet nailed down a timeline.”
Wherever the path takes him, Dupre never forgets his Evangeline Parish roots. He concluded, “I love where I’m from, and I love representing Evangeline Parish wherever I go. It’s a huge honor to play the Grand Ole Opry, and, as far as I know, the only other Evangeline Parish native who has played on the Opry was Jimmy C Newman. I am proud to be on that shortlist of people.”