The Hickory Ridge Concert Series kicks off its 35th season, returning to the Historic Ellisville Opera House in Ellisville, IL on Saturday, February 11th, at 7:00 pm. “It’s hard to believe we have kept this series alive for 35 years” said series director Chris Vallillo. “When we started this there were virtually no downstate acoustic music venues. It was a way to interact with other musicians while providing a quality, affordable, venue in rural West Central IL.”

The series began in the late 1980s at the Shad Hill Cultural Center in Farmington. After about 5 years, the series moved to Spoon River College for a few months, then went to the Dickson Mounds Museum where the once a month concert series was housed for over 25 years. Covid closed the facility to the series and after a year and 1/2 of live streaming the shows, Vallillo approached the Ellisville Opera House about bringing the venue there. “The folks at Ellisville had asked me about doing a performance at the opera house, and instead, I offered to bring over the whole series!” said Vallillo. "And our audience loves the ambiance of the old opera house"

The 2023 season will kick off on February 11th with Gaines and Wagoner. Based in Madison, WI, the award-winning husband and wife duo of Mary Gaines (cello, guitar, bass, vocals) and Chris Wagoner (violin, mandolins, lap steel, ukulele, guitar, accordion, vocals) play an eclectic mix of Americana—original and classic tunes ranging from folk to jazz, bluegrass to blues, honky-tonk and a little singer-songwriter on the side. Its acoustic jazz that swings hard with great singing and superb playing.

The Hickory Ridge Concert Series is hosted by singer-songwriter Chris Vallillo. Concerts are usually (but not always) held on the 3rd Saturday of the month and begin at 7:00 p.m. with the doors opening at 6:00 p.m. The Ellisville Opera House is a second story venue (as were most IL Opera Houses) and doesn’t currently have an elevator, but is air conditioned. Coffee, drinks, and a variety of desserts are available during intermission. There is an admission charge of $10.00 per adult and $5.00 for children under 12. Follow Hickory Ridge Concerts on facebook, or on their website, www.hickoryridgeconcerts.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT CHRIS VALLILLO @309-224-8210.