Meet the Cast Kym Shurbutt
Comedy, Guitar, Vocals Kym Shurbutt, of Spartanburg, South Carolina, has been entertaining for more than thirty-five years—over twenty-five of those years spent here at The Carolina Opry, where he was an original cast member, and is best known for the character “Bogie.” Also a vocalist and musician, Kym has performed at the legendary Bitter End in New York. When not performing, Kym has volunteered for such causes as Promise Land Crisis Center and Hurricane Katrina relief. He also helped form a men’s devotional group, which he attends weekly. Kym’s favorite quote is “People will forget what you say, and people will forget what you do, but people will never forget how you make them feel.” Kym takes great pride and pleasure in his son Cody.
Eric Gumm
Comedy, Guitar, Harmonica, Vocals Eric grew up in the small towns of Weaubleau a n d Wa r s a w, Missouri, where his parents (both school teachers) instilled in him a love of music and sports. When Eric was seven, his father taught him 24 • Spotlight Magazine
to play the guitar, and he grew up playing and singing in church with his father and his sister. Eric enjoys playing basketball, softball, and golf, watching The Kansas City Chiefs on Sundays, riding his motorcycle, and spending time with his grandson Hunter. Eric reads the Bible daily and accepted Jesus Christ as his savior when he was nine years old. He is married to the love of his life, Rita, who is a featured vocalist at The Carolina Opry, and whom he met onstage at The Carolina Opry in March of 1989. Eric joined Calvin Gilmore Productions in 1989 as an original cast member of The Dixie Jubilee in North Myrtle Beach. Eric loves to make people laugh and says that being in The Carolina Opry cast “is like having a second family.”
Steve Templeton
Vocals Steve was born in Statesville, a town nestled in the foothills of western North Carolina, where he lived until becoming an original cast member of The Carolina Opry in 1986. But long before then—at the age of four, in fact—Steve began singing. Two years later he appeared on television for the first time and also recorded his first songs. It’s obvious to audiences that Steve’s precocious love of country music continues to thrive. Steve is an avid hunter and when he is not spending time with his wife Christie and their two children, Lauren and Cole, he is in the woods looking for places to hunt.