Shelby, North Carolina celebrates music legend, hosts nationally touring acts.

By Hope S. Philbrick

The Don Gibson Theatre is housed in a historic Art Deco movie house that was built in 1939. It now stages performances by nationally touring jazz, country, blues, rock & roll, bluegrass and comedy acts, from Grammy Award-winning acts to rising stars.

Movies are also screened on select Thursdays.

There’s not really a bad seat among the 400, since the natural stagger of seats means you’re never sitting directly behind someone.

The theatre is named for songwriter and country musician Don Gibson. He shaped the sound of country music through his nearly five decades of involvement and wrote such country standards as “Oh, Lonesome Me,” “Sweet Dreams” and “I Can’t Stop Loving You.” Push a button on one of the record album statues located throughout Uptown Shelby and you’ll get to hear a featured Don Gibson tune.

Gibson was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1973, an honor he shares with Bob Dylan, Jimmy Buffet and Johnny Cash, among others. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001. Gibson died in 2003; his memorial is part of the Historic Shelby Walking Tour.

The Don Gibson Theatre is part of North Carolina’s “Blue Ridge Music Trails.”

More Information…

Don Gibson Theatre
318 Washington St.
Shelby, NC 28150
704.487.8114

While you’re in Shelby, also visit the Earl Scruggs Center.

Visit Shelby

Uptown Shelby

Visit Cleveland County

Visit North Carolina

– Photos © HSP Media LLC

Featured products, services and/or travel arrangements may have been complimentary in part or in full; this affords the research opportunity but does not sway opinion.

Hope S. Philbrick is founder and editor-in-chief of Getaways for Grownups. Her work has appeared in dozens of publications nationwide. She’s reviewed restaurants for several Atlanta-based newspapers and magazines for more than 14 years. When not writing, she can usually be found on the road or savoring something tasty.