I met Jim McCoy back in February 2013, when friends of mine brought me to the Troubadour Lounge and Park in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia. Once inside, I realized it was a honky tonk, and I asked a server how my own honky tonk band could get to play there. He said I needed to talk to the owner, so I waited. About 15 minutes later, an older gentleman in his 80s wearing a baseball cap shuffled over and called me “Baby”. He pulled out his calendar organizer and gave me a prospective date after asking just a couple of questions about what songs we play. We exchanged information on a napkin. Of course after a couple of Jim Beams and Yuenglings, I left the napkin on the bar when I left. When I got back from the trip I found the Troubadour Lounge and Park’s website and sent an email through there to see if we could still book that date. I got an email back saying Jim McCoy would call me. He did a day or two later, on a Wednesday at 11am. Again he called me “baby”. He asked “are we doing this?” He also told me that he was at his doctor’s earlier in the week, and that the doctor grew up with The Colonel, our singer. Due to that he was very excited to have us come play and he was going to advertise heavily. I did not realize at the time that Jim McCoy was the DJ who gave Patsy Cline a shot on the radio, when she was still known as Virginia Hensley. I also did not know that he was as respected as a country music personality and songwriter as he is and has had such an interesting history. Our first show was in May, and Jim and the Dr. Matt turned it into a birthday party with belly dancers and special sets performing Jim’s music with Dr. Matt singing, and we had the time of our life. We were there again this past weekend to play both inside the club on Saturday, and in the Park out back for a Patsy Cline and George Jones Tribute. All I can say is that I wish I met him sooner. He is now 84, and starting to suffer from some serious health problems. Since I was there again this weekend I haven’t been able to stop thinking about him and his wife Bertha and their lives and all they have done for music over the past 50 or more years. I am going to start calling him weekly to check up on him.
Here is a video of him performing one of his own songs “She’s the Best” a couple of years ago on his 81st birthday, and as he says at the beginning of the video, he gets funkier every year.
We had the fortune of playing this tune both times we were at the Troubadour.
God bless you Jim and Bertha!
My First Night at The Troubadour Lounge and Park Berkeley Springs, WVA February 2013
Photo by Joseph P. McRedmond
Colonel Josh & the Honky Tonk Heroes at Jim McCoy’s Troubadour Lounge and Park – May 2013.
Photo by Jane Staub Towler
My wife with Jim McCoy
Troubadour Restaurant & Bar.
Photo by Joseph P. McRedmond
Front Door of the Troubadour Lounge.
Photo by Joseph P. McRedmond
Honk Tonk Heroes drummer Little Joe at the Troubadour Lounge and Park.
Photo by Terri Holtz
The Famous Six Shooter Smoker at Troubadour Park.
Photo by Joseph P. McRedmond
Welvis McCoy with Colonel Josh & the Honky Tonk Heroes at Jim McCoy’s Troubadour Lounge and Park May 2013.
Photo by Terri Holtz
Dancing at the Troubadour Lounge and Park.
Photo by Terri Holtz
Dr. Matt’s birthday cake at the Troubadour Lounge and Park.
Photo by Terri Holtz
The Troubadour Lounge and Park – Home of the West Virgina Country Music Hall of Fame.
Photo by Terri Holtz
Kisses.
Photo by Terri Holtz
Thanks. Thanks a lot!
Photo by Terri Holtz
Colonel Josh & the Honky Tonk Heroes at The Troubadour Lounge and park May 2013.
Photo by Terri Holtz
Colonel Josh & the Honky Tonk Heroes at Troubadour Lounge and Park Berkeley Springs, WVA – September 2013.
Photo by Jane Staub Towler
Joltin’ Jim – Jim McCoy’s Life in Country Music written by John Douglas.
Photo by Joseph P. McRedmond
Jim McCoy’s nightly view.
Sunset at Troubadour Park.
Photo by Joseph P. McRedmond
Jim McCoy & Dr. Matt
Photo by Joseph P. McRedmond
The Pool Room at Jim McCoy’s Troubadour Lounge and Park.
Photo by Joseph P. McRedmond
My favorite view inside Jim McCoy’s Troubadour Lounge and Park.
Photo by Joseph P. McRedmond
A lot going on at Jim McCoy’s Troubadour Lounge and Park.
Photo by Joseph P. McRedmond
Troubadour Park, Berkeley Springs, West Virginia.
Photo by Joseph P. McRedmond
Welvis McCoy tears it up with Colonel Josh & the Honk Tonk Heroes at Jim McCoy’s Troubadour Lounge and Park Berkeley Spings, West Virginia September 7th, 2013.
Photo by Joseph P. McRedmond
Patsy Cline Tribute at the Troubadour Lounge and Park September 8th, 2013.
Photo by Joseph P. McRedmond
Colonel Josh & the Honky Tonk Heroes perform a George Jones Tribute at Jim McCoy’s Troubadour Lounge and Park in Berkeley Spings, West Virginia September 8th, 2013.
Photo by Joseph P. McRedmond
Quilt Raffle with Colonel Josh and the Honky Tonk Heroes at Jim McCoy’s Troubadour Lounge and Park September 8th, 2013. I think I see Bobcat.
Photo by Joseph P. McRedmond
Troubadour Recording Studio and Don West Mobile Home.
Photo by Joseph P. McRedmond
Jim McCoy & the Melody Playboys poster
