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A Night At the Opry

THE SNOW HILL High School ain't no Grand Ole Opry, but then again, Snow Hill, Md., ain't no Nashville. Population 2,500, this quiet, 350-year-old town deep in the Delmarva peninsula is home to the Eastern Shore Opry, a monthly showcase of bluegrass, country and folk music.

Created by the father and son team of Pat and Patrick Costello, the opry has been drawing an average of 350 folks to the high school since it started in March. "We put on a show that everyone can enjoy," says son Patrick, 26. "I keep in mind that I've got my 95-year-old grandfather in the audience, as well as lots of little kids. It's a family show."

This Saturday is Opry night. When you walk through the school's front door, you'll be hit by that smell, that singular tang of chalk, floor cleaner and linoleum familiar to every kid who ever carried a book bag. Scheduled are former national banjo champ Billy Lee Cox & the Mason Dixon Grass, North Carolina country duo Jerry & Debbie Hatton and Average Grass, winners of the Eastern Shore bluegrass contest (who knew?).

Between sets, wander the halls and breathe deep. Buy a soda (no beer) and chips from the snack stand. They'll dig the soda out of plastic tubs of melting ice, wipe it off with a hand towel and hand it over with a smile. Buy a raffle ticket for a chance to win one of Trudy Costello's handmade quilts. That's Pat's wife, Patrick's mom. Her chicken pot pies feed the evening's performers.

Pass the gleaming trophy case and pause in front of the pictures of Snow Hill High's athletes of the week. It's a Mayberry world down along the Pocomoke River, 15 miles south of Salisbury, 25 miles west of Ocean City, with a handful of inns if you want to stay over.

The Costellos moved to the peninsula from Philadelphia five years ago for a quieter life, and found a receptive audience for their father and son act, the God Knows We Tried String Band. The two play throughout the mid-Atlantic, strumming banjos and bantering like an old vaudeville team. They might remind you of Grandpa Jones, Uncle Dave Macon or maybe even Jimmy Durante, one of Patrick's heroes. They play one or two numbers on the opry stage before introducing the other acts.

In 1993 they took over the running of the Old Fiddler's Picnic, an annual bash held at Snow Hill's "Furnace Town Historical Site" (scheduled for Aug. 17 this year), and last summer came up with the notion of an opry, like the famous one in Nashville. "It's an entertainment package of music, humor and fun all on one stage," says pop Pat, 50. "We present all facets of country music, different kinds of comedy, an emcee and a house band. We try all different ways of reaching an audience."

Son Patrick says he wanted to give people a show more than once a year. "The opry is a place for people to get away for a few hours and forget their troubles," he says. "The older people remember good times, and the kids get a show that stands for something. Respect, tradition."

The show starts with a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. On stage, to the left of the red curtain, is the U.S. flag; to the right is the Maryland flag. It's like a school assembly, except the average age is around 60. Last month, singer Ken Lattimore sang the old Marty Robbins tune "El Paso" and more than a few in the audience were quietly singing along.

"We want to have a place where everybody feels good," says Pat. "There's nothing more important than the audience going home thinking they've spent their money well." Tickets are $7.50 in advance and $8 at the door for general admission, $10 in advance and $12 at the door for reserved seating. It's a little old-fashioned, admits Patrick. "There's a lot of people still out there that loved Lawrence Welk, though I hate to make that comparison. It's not really the music, but what he stood for and the way the show is presented. We'll take care of you if you've had a rough week."

He admits, though, to having an ulterior motive for running the opry: "The only reason Dad and I are doing this is to have an excuse to be together and play music together. And if we can make people smile on top of that, then that's a bonus."

Besides this Saturday's opry, performances are scheduled for Aug. 17, Sept. 14, Oct. 19 and Nov. 16. For more information, call 410/968-3873.