Look for the McCoy Pavilion plaque just inside the entrance to Picnic Pointe.
On a sunny afternoon in late January, a crowd gathered for the official dedication of McCoy Pavilion at Picnic Pointe. The Pavilion is named in honor of Charlie McCoy. Formally named Charles Ray McCoy, he is known as Charlie to everyone.
New people at The Landings may not be aware that a renowned and award-winning musician lives here with his wife Pat. Charlie won a Grammy at the 15th Annual awards for his album, “The Real McCoy.” He also earned two CMA Awards and seven Academy of Country Music honors.
Charlie wrote a song about The Landings after Hurricane Ian, called “Where We Landed.” Although the hurricane did tremendous damage, the owls that were on the roof of Wheelhouse Grille somehow managed to survive. Charlie was given one of the owls to thank him for the music and lyrics he wrote and performed in 2023.
The Wheelhouse owl was presented to Charlie by The Landings Board president Steve Ramsey (left) and General Manager John “JT” Trimarche.
Charlie played with a host of famous people throughout his career. He is perhaps best known for his harmonic solo that appears on the recording “Candy Man” by Roy Orbison, which begins with Charlie playing harmonica. The song was originally released as the B side to “Crying” in July 1961 but went on to be a hit on its own. Thanks to YouTube, interested listeners can hear it below.
Charlie is known as a prolific session musician for good reason. He performed on many recordings by well-known artists including Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Chet Atkins, Waylon Jennings and Loretta Lynn. Indeed, Charlie performed on eight of the soundtracks for Elvis’s movies.
The harmonica is not the only instrument Charlie plays. On Presley’s 1965 “Harum Scarum” soundtrack album, he played guitar, organ, and vibraphone in addition to harmonica.
Charlie also played trumpet on Bob Dylan’s “Rainy Day Women #12 and 35,” saxophone on Roy Orbison’s “Oh, Pretty Woman,” and bass harmonica on Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Boxer.” Charlie’s talent wasn’t limited to playing music. For 19 years, he was the music director for the television show “Hee Haw.”
What’s perhaps most amazing is that with all this acclaim, Charlie has remained humble and accessible. Riverside resident and musician Jim Willis had this to say about his friend: “He’s the easiest professional I’ve ever performed with. He’s always the most prepared, and always patient, kind and encouraging. He makes everyone feel comfortable and special.”
One of Charlie’s most recent performances came when he sat in with the Crossroads Band on January 30. More than 150 people came to the Lumber Axe Bar & Grill on Colonial Boulevard. Charlie played harmonica and sang a few songs, much to the delight of the crowd.
The audience agreed that it’s a lucky day when the musician entertaining you is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. He was inducted in 2007 into the Musicians Hall of Fame as part of a group of session musicians called “The Nashville A-Team.” He was invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry by Vince Gill and was inducted by Larry Gatlin in 2022.
Although Charlie is normally the entertainer, the tables were turned at the dedication. His neighbors at Steamboat Bend started singing “Happy Trails to You,” the song that ended their community gatherings. Four neighbors at a time began singing with additional groups of four joining in until all the neighbors were serenading him. That was a fitting tribute to the man who had entertained his neighbors so well for so long.
Photos by Cathy Webb
