Tall tales and traditional music will take center stage on Opry Night at the Pocahontas County Opera House February 25 at 7:30 p.m.

Five-time West Virginia Liars Contest champion Bil Lepp will be the emcee for an evening of music by West Virginia's own Born Old and Jim O'Dell.

Born Old is is Paul Gartner (banjo, guitar and vocals) and Doug Van Gundy (fiddle, guitar, banjo-mandolin and vocals). The duo was recently featured on Mountain Stage and plays traditional old-time music, as well as early country classics from the great artists of the 78 rpm era, including The Carter Family, Charlie Poole, Uncle Dave Macon, and others. Gartner and Van Gundy have been making music together for 14 years, giving performances that are both traditional and informative without sacrificing a very high energy, raucous fun factor.

Sharing the Opry Night stage will be Jim O'Dell. The West Virginia-born singer-songwriter has worked as a coal miner, surveyor, forester, farmer, logger, and champion competitive axe-thrower. These varied experiences-and the people and animals that have made his acquaintance over the years-have shaped his songwriting, earning him a description from one reviewer as "a writer of songs of life, love and dogs."

Woven among the music of Opry Night will be the side-splitting stories and observations of humorist, author and recording artist Bil Lepp. Growing up in a family where it was always the responsibility of the listener to decide whether or not a story was true, Lepp became adept at spinning tales and exaggerating circumstances at an early age. Audiences across the country have been delighted by Lepp's hilarious tales and delightful insights into everyday life. Be it a plunger, a hunting trip, or a funeral, Lepp can find the humor in any situation. A champion and veteran of the West Virginia Liars' contest, Lepp explains that while his stories may not be completely true, they are always honest.

Tickets are $8. Youth 17 and under are admitted free of charge.

The Pocahontas County Opera House is located at 818 Third Avenue in Marlinton. Performances at the Opera House are informal, family-friendly and open to all. The entrance and main seating are accessible to persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities are encouraged to attend; special accommodations can be arranged upon request by calling 304-799-6645. Advance tickets may be ordered at pocahontasoperahouse.org.

The Opera House Performance Series is presented with financial assistance through a grant from the West Virginia Division of Culture and History and the National Endowment for the Arts, with approval from the West Virginia Commission on the Arts. Financial support is also provided by Pocahontas County Drama, Fairs and Festivals, Pendleton Community Bank, Glades Building Supply, the National Radio Astronomy Observatory and Brightside Acres. Additional support comes from the Law Office of Roger D. Forman.

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