Sibyl Center Summer Season Gets Underway
The summer season is officially underway at the Sibyl Center in Stanley. Dakota Drifters, vocal and dance band and perennial audience favorite, opened the 2025 season on Saturday, May 31.
This quartet plays a variety of country, gospel and a bit of rock and roll. Members are Dick and Brenda Johnson from Turtle Mountain area; Carl Kannianen from the Stanley area; and Kevin Ternes from Minot. All four are home grown self-taught musicians who really enjoy country music.
All are inductees of the Dakota Musicians Hall of Fame in Aberdeen, South Dakota, and they’ve recorded three CDs. The band likes to say if you like Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Chet Atkins and similar classic country, you’ll enjoy their music. The audience is always encouraged to dance.
This week will see the return of the Waddington Brothers. These four brothers from the great plains of North Dakota perform what they live: real music that takes listeners on a journey through the heart of the American West. Nicknamed “The Bluegrass Cowboys,” the Waddingtons will be on stage at the Sibyl Center in Stanley on Saturday, June 7 at 7:00 p.m.
While their performing experience together traces back to 2004, the band officially came together as The Waddington Brothers in 2019. Their musical inspiration today is drawn from many pools of influences. Their sound might be described as a mixture of traditional bluegrass, gospel music, and Western strains reminiscent of The Sons of the Pioneers. Even more accurately, though, it can be described as something brand new, something powerfully different, a breath of fresh air to their audiences, that could only be created by four brothers with such an authentic synergy and blend. And it’s been proven, in 2023 at the annual SPBGMA (Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America) Convention in Nashville, Tennessee, The Waddington Brothers took first place in the International Bluegrass Band Competition.
This season will be an exciting one at the Sibyl Center. Upcoming events include the return of Hard Day’s Night, a perennial favorite. They will be doing an early Beatles tribute on Saturday, June 14. Chris Golden returns on Saturday, June 26.
New this year David H. will be performing Elton John and Roy Orbison music on Saturday, July 5.
Gospel group The Hoppers will be there on July 20th. The Craguns are another new act on July 16 and Wes Barker, a magician and comedian will take the stage on August 29th. There will be The Browns Celtic Show on September 16 and Steve Leslie will bring the music of James Taylor to the stage on September 12.
The Sibyl Center is bringing a well known name to the stage on September 20 when Larry Gatlin comes to town. The last currently scheduled show will be Rift, performing dance music of the 70s and 80s on October 4.
You can follow the Sibyl Center’s Facebook page for news and updates. You can also check out their website at sibylcenter.org.
The Sibyl Center is located at 301 1st St. SW in Stanley. There are set ticket costs for most of the performances.