Not Rocky Top…, ROCKYHOCK!
Rockyhock was officially named in 1982. The town decided between Rocky Hock, Rocky Hook, and Rockyhock, and even though Rockyhock was the official choice, I’ve seen it spelled all three ways. I thought it was typo error, but now I’ve learned. I can find no history concerning the name, however.
There’s a campground in Rockyhock famous for its Good Clean Family Fun Theatre called David’s Red Barn. They have live bands, beach music, the original Rhondels, sock hops, and shag dancing. http://www.rockyhockcampground.com/
The Rockyhock Playhouse, we’ve learned, is something different. It’s a Live Christian Music Dinner Theatre. Founded in 2000 by Jeff and Gloria Emmerich Ministries, they compose, write, produce, direct, and even perform, four or five original musicals a year based on Bible characters and stories. The shows travel around the world, but their debut is always in Edenton at the Rockyhock Playhouse. http://rockyhockplayhouse.com/
We weren’t sure what we planned to attend Friday, but we bought tickets for the Rocky Hock Opry; our first official “date” in our new home. But it wasn’t at Rockyhock’s David’s Red Barn, nor was it at the Rockyhock Playhouse. It was at the high school, a couple blocks from our house. It turned out to be an evening of country music and comedy show for Relay for Life. And it was fantastic!
This is the 15th year of Rocky Hock Opry fundraiser for Relay for Life. They’ve raised over a half-million dollars for cancer research. They have 3 performances, all sold out, and worth every bit of the $10 ticket. What an amazing show of professional talent, mostly home-grown and returning home to perform for the relay.
Do you remember years ago when Gomer Pyle stunned the world on the Ed Sullivan Show the first time we heard him sing? Jim Neighbors was…well, you know, there just aren’t any words. It was just so unexpected. That’s how the Rocky Hock Opry surprised us. It’s so much more than one expects! And I could just hear him say his famous line: Sup-rize, sup-rize-sup-rize!