Jimmy Fortune brings classic country performance to Holmes County

A Jimmy Fortune show listed for May 30 gave Holmes County a rare kind of draw: a recognizable classic-country name with a direct line to The Statler Brothers, the harmony group he performed with for 21 years.

Fortune’s official biography says Lew DeWitt heard him singing at a ski resort and recommended him. After an audition in Nashville, Fortune played his first show with The Statler Brothers on January 28, 1982, in Savannah, Georgia. That connection matters in Holmes County, where a name tied to one of country music’s best-known vocal groups carries immediate appeal for longtime listeners, older residents and visitors looking for a nostalgic live-music night.

The listing fit neatly into the mix of entertainment Holmes County has been building around its tourism pitch. Visit Amish Country says the area offers attractions, dining, lodging, events and travel ideas, and it describes Holmes County’s entertainment scene as one that includes comedy, drama, magic shows and live music. The group says entertainment in Amish Country is available rain or shine.

The May 30 date also landed in a busy stretch for local programming. Visit Amish Country’s event calendar listed a Nature & Birding Hike on May 30, Madhrikan’s Parlour Magic Show on May 29 and Spring Gathering on June 2, showing how the county’s late-May schedule clustered outdoor, family and performance events around the same weekend.

That kind of calendar gives diners, hotels and shops a better chance to capture visitors who stay past daylight hours. Visit Amish Country says Amish Country is a good place to enjoy dinner, live entertainment and an evening away from the ordinary. For Holmes County, a show by a performer with Fortune’s background helps turn that idea into a concrete visitor attraction rather than just a travel slogan.

The Holmes County Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau, based in downtown Millersburg, works to promote tourism, support local businesses and provide visitor resources on events, lodging, dining and attractions. A concert listing like Fortune’s reinforces that role by showing the county can attract more than daytime sightseeing traffic.

Fortune is also identified on his official site as a Country Music Hall of Fame inductee, a credential that gives the Holmes County appearance added weight. For a county known for scenic drives, shops, farms and heritage attractions, bringing in a national-country act adds another reason to stop, stay and spend an evening in Amish Country.