West Virginia bluegrass duo Jim and Valerie Gabehart play at the Pocahontas County Opera House Saturday, March 24 at 7:30 p.m.

Admission is $8. Children 17 and under are admitted free of charge.

When Jim and Valerie Gabehart met and discovered their mutual interest in bluegrass music, a lifetime partnership was formed. They married in 1981, while both were sophomores at Marshall University, and they started playing as a gospel bluegrass group in 1982. Together with her solid rhythm guitar playing, Valerie's voice quickly became the most recognizable part of the couple's sound. In an early review, Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine called Valerie a "gutsy, dynamic singer."

Jim developed a reputation for his banjo playing by competing in contests throughout West Virginia and surrounding states, winning or placing at the top in more than 30 contests, including consecutive wins at the West Virginia State Open Banjo Championship in Elkins and winning first or second place 12 times at contests in Charleston and at Clifftop sponsored by the West Virginia Department of Culture & History.

The Gabeharts are joined on stage by Brandon Shuping (mandolin) and John "Buckwheat" Green (bass). The group's latest recording, "It's My Turn," was released in 2010, features a mix of well-loved bluegrass standards, as well as some of Jim and Valerie's original music.

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 purchased at the Fourth Avenue Gallery in Marlinton, or online 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, Brightside Acres, and the Law Office of Roger D. Forman.