WHEREAS, the Old Dominion Barn Dance, the oldest country music event in Virginia, has promoted traditional country music and preserved the rich musical heritage of the Commonwealth for more than 70 years; and

WHEREAS, the Old Dominion Barn Dance was originally established in 1946 and featured a regular cast of local performers alongside nationally acclaimed acts, like Andy Griffith, Chet Atkins, Earl Scruggs, Reno and Smiley, Jean Shepard, Hawkshaw Hawkins, Mac Wiseman, Grandpa and Ramona Jones, Jimmy Dean, Joe and Rose Lee Maphis, and the Carter Family; and

WHEREAS, in its first iteration, the Old Dominion Barn Dance was held at the Lyric Theatre in Richmond and was hosted by one of the nation's first female radio emcees, Mary Arlene Higdon, also known as "Sunshine Sue"; and

WHEREAS, Sunshine Sue and her guitar-playing husband, John Workman, provided wholesome, high-quality musical entertainment to audiences in Richmond every Sunday, and the live radio broadcast reached listeners in 38 states and parts of Canada; and

WHEREAS, the Old Dominion Barn Dance put Richmond on the map as a destination for country music, and at the height of its popularity, the show rivaled the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville; and

WHEREAS, after Sunshine Sue's retirement, the show was renamed as the New Dominion Barn Dance and moved to the Bellevue Theater, where host Carlton Haney welcomed multiple famous country music stars, including Johnny Cash, June Carter, and Willie Nelson, until 1964; and

WHEREAS, the Old Dominion Barn Dance was briefly revived for a few months in 1973, when it brought big-name stars like Conway Twitty and Tanya Tucker to Richmond, and again in 1991, at the Carpenter Theatre; and

WHEREAS, in 2015, the Old Dominion Barn Dance resumed continuous operation under the leadership of Donna Dean Stevens, a member of Virginia's Country Music Hall of Fame and former cast member of the show's 1973 production; and

WHEREAS, now located at the Beacon Theatre in Hopewell, the Old Dominion Barn Dance has invigorated local cultural life and promoted tourism while preserving the region's heritage in the country music industry; and

WHEREAS, the Old Dominion Barn Dance kicks off its 2024 season on March 9, 2024, with a performance by Ricky Skaggs; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That the Old Dominion Barn Dance hereby be commended for showcasing the finest acts in country music and fostering a strong sense of community in Central Virginia; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Old Dominion Barn Dance as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for the event's rich history and legacy of service to country music artists and fans alike.