Changes afoot at Renfro Valley

During this past weekend, April 30/May 1, 2017, reports emerged that the Renfro Valley Entertainment Center had dispensed with the services of members of their house-band, led by Kimberly ‘Kricket’ Reynolds.

On Saturday night after that evening’s show, they were presented with a type-written letter by Howard Thomas of Old Barn Entertainment, stating that their services were no longer needed and asking for them to remove all of their equipment and take all personal items with them.

Apparently, the organization want to take the business in a different direction to ensure that it survives, although it is said that the changes were beyond Renfro Valley’s control.  

Some of the musicians have played for Renfro Valley for more than 50 years.

‘Kricket’ Reynolds told WKYT’s News reporter Phil Pendleton that they have hired legal counsel because they believe that what happened to them was not legal.

In answer to a request for a comment, Renfro Valley provided this statement  ….

Renfro Valley Entertainment Center being in its 78th season is restructuring its business plan. All of these changes have been made and will continue to be made with the best of interest for Renfro Valley and our dedicated guests in our mind. Renfro Valley Entertainment Center will continue to operate with a full schedule, which will include more headliner concerts in both theaters and our Renfro Valley shows will continue.

Renfro Valley has provided many tourists from all over the world to Rockcastle County, provided employment too many residents in the county and surrounding counties throughout the years, as well as providing tourism dollars and county taxes. We would like to have the local support with us as we move forth with our vision for the Valley.

For more information and updates you may find that on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and our website at www.renfrovalley.com or call our ticket office at 1-800-765-7464.

The Renfro Valley Entertainment Center, familiarly known as Kentucky’s Country Music Capital, is located in the beautiful Renfro Valley just off Interstate 75 at 2380 Richmond Street in Mount Vernon, KY. The traditional music venue was established in 1939 by founder John Lair.
 
The complex is spread across 90 acres and includes two unique show theaters, two RV parks and the Renfro Valley shopping village.

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About the Author

Richard Thompson

Richard F. Thompson is a long-standing free-lance writer specialising in bluegrass music topics. A two-time Editor of British Bluegrass News, he has been seriously interested in bluegrass music since about 1970. As well as contributing to that magazine, he has, in the past 30 plus years, had articles published by Country Music World, International Country Music News, Country Music People, Bluegrass Unlimited, MoonShiner (the Japanese bluegrass music journal) and Bluegrass Europe. He wrote the annotated series I'm On My Way Back To Old Kentucky, a daily memorial to Bill Monroe that culminated with an acknowledgement of what would have been his 100th birthday, on September 13, 2011.