Hampton Roads has been a fertile ground for outstanding musicians. Many were pioneers in their genre. Gary US Bonds, Gene Vincent, Ella Fitzgerald, and Bill Deal, all hailed from the region. And there were others too- The Phelps Brothers, Pearl Bailey, Bob Zentz, Bruce Hornsby, Tommy Newsome, and Ruth Brown all called Tidewater “home.” However, in addition to these well-known figures, there exists an almost underground like group of composers, singer-songwriters, and talented artists from the area. These are the artists who have so enriched the area and cemented it as a place where great music is made. Woody Norvell is a part of that distinguished group. He’s a local composer who has worked with the Las Vegas Philharmonic, as well as leading the Coast Guard Band. A Norfolk native, he’s written numerous symphonies and musical pieces including a tribute to the beaches of Normandie, - and also, after living in Phoenix for a number of years, and missing the beaches of the Atlantic Ocean, a symphony which was a homage to his home back in Virginia. He was a former personal assistant to the great humorist Victor Borge and today lives within sight of the Chesapeake Bay, back in his hometown.

This edition of Open Channel celebrates the first in a series of “Legends of The Fall” local artisans with Woody Norvell.