Little NC Towns Hosting Big Stars
For Dewey and Leslie Brown, seven is a lucky number. They wed in 2007. After seven years of marriage, the former Clinch Mountain Boy fiddler and his wife started their own business, Brown Entertainment, and opened their first musical venue, the Liberty Showcase, in Liberty, North Carolina, in 2014. Then, seven years later, they opened a second venue, 45 miles to the north, in Reidsville, NC.
Liberty is a charming small town best known for its bi-annual Antiques Festival. The Browns might replace that notoriety with their music venue, which hosts bluegrass and Nashville performers on a regular basis. The musical couple purchased the former Curtis movie house that used to be home to another music venue, the Rand Ole Opry, operated by Grady Hockett. Dewey, who fiddled with Dr. Ralph Stanley for 12 years and lived in nearby Graham, often drove past the then-closed venue and dreamed. “I’m going to buy that theater,” he would tell his wife. She didn’t think he was serious, but then one day he called her to say, “We’re going to the sign the papers.” Leslie admitted. “I had no idea what we were getting into!” Originally a nurse by trade, she shared, “Music (as a livelihood) came afterward.”
Growing up in the Appalachian Mountains, Leslie spent her youth listening to bluegrass music, clogging, square dancing, and attending Primitive Baptist Church with her great uncle, Ralph Stanley. She met Dewey while he was playing with Stanley. They clicked and married. Dewey continued to tour with Stanley until his death in 2016. The fiddler wanted to maintain his musical livelihood, so his wife decided to join him. “Dewey taught me to play the bass. I took to it. It blew my mind. I started writing songs. I had written Ralph’s recitation on his last album.”
The duo formed their own band, Dewey & Leslie Brown & the Carolina Gentlemen, hit the road, and started performing her original tunes. Leslie, who had stage experience from beauty pageants, became the band’s spokesperson. The couple also launched Brown Entertainment, opened a business office in Burlington, NC, rolled up their sleeves, and went to work.
The Liberty Showcase (which seat 454) almost sold out on their first show that featured Dewey’s boss and Leslie’s great-uncle, Ralph Stanley, and his band, the Clinch Mountain Boys. Since then, the music hall has seen many bluegrass, country, and gospel music icons grace their stage. Entertainers to play the theater include Ricky Skaggs, Vince Gill, Mary Stuart, Lee Greenwood, Gene Watson, and the Oak Ridge Boys to name a few. “Skaggs sold out in a month, a year in advance,” stated Leslie. “We had to add a second (matinee) show.”
In the spring of 2021, they opened a second venue, the Reidsville Showcase at the historic Rockingham Theater. Built by W.H. Hendrix, Sr. in 1929, just before the Great Depression, it was the first theater built in North Carolina for motion picture sound movies. In fact, before the Rockingham Theater was built, there were only two other theaters in the country designed and built for movies with sound—one in Los Angeles and one in Chicago.
The legendary Rockingham Theater was also one of the sites for the showing of the movie, Bluegrass Country Soul that featured the NC iconic bluegrass festival, Camp Springs, near Reidsville. Carl Daughtery, originally from Pennsylvania, attended the premiere at the theater. “Carlton Haney was there. I actually do a cameo at the beginning. I’m the guy walking through the campground carrying the mandolin case with my back to camera.”
But that was almost half a century ago. The Browns brought new life to the entertainment venue. “We did a lot of renovations,” Dewey explained. “It still had a movie screen and an orchestra pit. There were unexpected challenges throughout the pandemic, but we trusted our faith in God to help us through them.” Work included removing the movie screen, making the venue handicap accessible, and adding a new sound system.
“We wanted a sound system that was more suitable for live music. We have incredible sound. It’s like sitting in your living room listening to your favorite band.” Dewey is pleased. “The town has just taken us in. Things are going great.”
“I think this is a huge game-changer for our downtown and city,” said Reidsville City Marketer, Judy Yarbrough. “It provides another quality-of-life piece to our picture as a whole, bringing business to our restaurants, hotels, brewery, and especially our businesses downtown. Isn’t that what every city wants?”
With a seating capacity of 325, the Reidsville Showcase held its first show that featured the country band, Exile, in September of 2021. Then in December, they hosted the Junior Sisk Band. “We almost doubled in size for Junior Sisk’s show. The Reidsville Showcase is good for bluegrass. The Liberty Showcase is for broader audiences and includes country and gospel shows,” the fiddler stated. “Our shows are more in the fall and cold weather months.”
Both Showcases serve as a perfect outing for any family. Handicap accessible, the venues do not serve alcohol, but offer a variety of movie theater-type concessions such as popcorn, candy, and Pepsi products. Dewey stressed, “Our vision is to provide a place that is clean and you can bring your family.” By not serving alcohol, he realizes that is not always a popular choice in today’s society. “We don’t sell it. You draw a line in the sand and choose to do that. I feel we have a cleaner atmosphere and a better environment.”
Many of their patrons travel long distances to attend the shows. “Lots of folks come from out of town. We’d love to see more local attendees. We want everyone to know about us,” stressed Leslie who also serves as the Liberty Showcase’s emcee. “We offer an intimate, up-close-and-personal entertainment experience. Most our artists meet and greet with the patrons for photos and autographs.”
Marie Taylor of Cary, North Carolina, a regular patron of the Liberty Showcase, sings the venue’s praises. “It’s great entertainment value for the money. I have been many times and always have a good time. It is family-friendly and comfortable. There are no bad seats. The sound is good from every seat in the house. Many big names have played at the small venue and you get to meet the stars. Plus, they have the best popcorn in town!”
The classic country duo, the Malpass Brothers, play both Showcases annually. “They are great family venues ran by people who know how to have a great show and great venue. We have known the Browns for years. They are first class people to work for and great entertainers in their own right. We love working for them anytime we can,” remarked Chris Malpass.
The Brown family maintains a busy life style. In addition to operating the two entertainment venues, traveling and playing music, they are raising three young children. “It has been a huge life change. If you follow what God calls you to do, you will be happy,” Leslie reflected. “We enjoy what we do. We are very blessed to have been this successful. We definitely want the community to know about us and the great acts on the way.”
Upcoming fall shows at Liberty Showcase Theater will feature: Ricky Skaggs, Del McCoury, Rhonda Vincent, Dailey & Vincent, Gene Watson, a salute to Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn (featuring Loretta’s granddaughter), and the Malpass Brothers. The Reidsville Theater will host acts such as the Country Gentlemen Tribute Band and the Seldom Scene. Ticket prices and times vary with performers.
The Liberty Showcase Theater is located at 101 South Fayetteville Street, Liberty, NC. For show schedules and to purchase tickets, call (336) 622-3844 or visit their Facebook page or website: thelibertyshowcase.com.
The Reidsville Showcase at the Rockingham Theater is located at 205 Gilmer Street, Reidsville, NC. For information and ticket purchases, call: (336) 349-5673 or visit thereidsvilleshowcase.com.
