Melody Fair Remembered: Past Country Concerts That Took Place There

I'll admit, I'm only 30 and my first country concert (or any show) was not until 2003 when I saw Shania Twain play at the HSBC Arena. Unfortunately, I didn't get to experience Melody Fair, but my dad and older brother did.

Enter your number to get our free mobile app

Melody Fair was located in North Tonawanda, at where the Walmart is now located off Niagara Falls Boulevard in Wulitzer Park and was a concert staple in Western New York from the 1960's until the mid-2000's

It started as a tent in 1956 but became a full building structure after 1974. The venue sat 3,000 people and included a rotating stage, that allowed the musical act to stand still while performing.

The venue was officially called Melody Fair until 1998, when it became the Majestic Theater until 2002, when it became the New Melody Theater until 2006. The building was demolished in 2010.

You want to talk about a who's-who of country artists, Melody Fair had nearly all the big acts in country music during the 80's and 90's.

Charlie Daniels played there numerous times. The late John Denver performed there before he died. Even legends such as Willie Nelson, George Jones, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Eddy Arnold and Johnny Cash played shows at Melody Fair.

The 90's featured shows from acts like Lorrie Morgan, Sawyer Brown, Neal McCoy, Mark Chesnutt, Joe Diffie and Mary Chapin Carpenter.

My dad raves about Melody Fair and how great a venue it was -- a true hidden gem that artists loved booking. I actually grew up in north Amherst -- less than a five minute drive from Melody Fair.

Here are most of the country artists who performed at Melody Fair during its run: