Poplar Bluff concert Saturday to benefit historic theater

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Country rock band Confederate Railroad, with two Top 10 albums, will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Rodgers Theatre, with proceeds benefiting restoration efforts at the historic theater.

Confederate Railroad was formed in the late 1980s by frontman Danny Shirley and originally performed as a backup band for David Allan Coe and Johnny Paycheck. "Queen of Memphis" and "Jesus and Mama" from the band's self-titled debut cracked the top five of the Billboard Country Songs chart, helping the band earn the Academy of Country Music's Best New Group Award in 1993.

Since its inception, the band has sold 5 million albums, with six albums making the Billboard Country Albums chart. Confederate Railroad features original members Shirley, Mark DuFresne on drums and Wayne Secrest on bass, as well as Rusty Hendrix on lead guitar and Cody McCarver on keyboard and vocals.

Pop country duo July Ember, made up of vocalists July Michael and Ember Paige, will open for Confederate Railroad.

Billy Goodman of Cape Girardeau will also open. Goodman won the Texaco Country Showdown in July in Doniphan with an acoustic cover of Marshall Tucker Band's "Can't You See?" and went on to the state competition.

A crew is renovating an area to the left of the entrance that at various times hosted a restaurant, a cigar store and a pharmacy. The Historic Rodgers Theatre board hopes the area can be rented out to bring in more revenue.

Each concert helps generate more funds, and good turnouts help sell the building to even bigger acts and potential funding sources.

Saturday night's show is sponsored by Southern Bank and Fox Radio Network. Tickets are available at the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce, Southern Bank locations, the Bread Company, Myrtle's Place or Hays Music, or online at http://www.eventbrite.com/ event/2369856304.

Pertinent address:

204 N Broadway St, Poplar Bluff, MO