Yeager Airport and WV Music Hall of Fame bring happiness to the runway

By Matthew Young, RealWV

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – “Airports connect people, and I think music does that as well. It’s just a good fit to be able to have both.”

That’s how Chief Marketing Officer Paige Withrow explained the thought process behind bringing in live music to greet passengers as they come and go through Charleston’s Yeager Airport. 

“This is something we’ve done in the past, pre-pandemic,” Withrow explained. “We’re excited to partner with the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame (WVMHoF) to bring it back again.”

For the past several weeks, WVMHoF Director Michael Lipton and his Carpenter Ants bandmates, Jupie Little and Ted Harrison, have been playing two hour sets every Thursday afternoon near the airport terminal. Whether passengers are arriving or departing, or if visitors are simply coming to the airport to enjoy the Java Moon Cafe, the music will greet them, or bid them safe travels. 

“We’d been doing this for a couple of years before the pandemic happened,” Withrow said. “We would have different artists come in and play. I really think it gives people, as they arrive here in West Virginia, a sense of place. It really lets them know that we are good, welcoming people.”

The feedback thus far, Withrow added, has all been positive. 

“We’ve gotten great feedback from our passengers,” Withrow noted. “Even many of our tenants – they enjoy listening to the live music as well.” 

When Steven, an Uber driver who dedicates his Thursdays to making numerous airport runs, heard the music, he was immediately drawn inside. 

“I think it’s great,” Steven said. “We’re an international airport, but we’re still a small, community airport. And the live music just brings it all together.”

“Coming into the airport and having that nice of a hello, man it just makes you smile,” Steven added.

According to Withrow, Thursday was selected due to the large volume of travelers the airport sees that day. 

“On Thursdays, we also invite a local food truck to come in as well,” Withrow added. “It’s our biggest passenger day right now here at the airport, so it’s a good way to capture a lot of people.” 

If all goes to plan, Withrow noted, the Thursday performances will continue well into the new year, and a variety of artists will be tapped to perform. For more information about West Virginia International Yeager Airport, visit yeagerairport.com. To learn more about the programs offered by the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame, visit wvmusichalloffame.com.