Long-Time Area Musician And Entertainer Dies

SPARTA, Miss. (PRESS RELEASE) – Walter  Lee  ” Buddy ” Eaton, 70, born on May 9, 1945, son of Lonnie and Arlita Mixon Eaton Brooks, died on Monday May 9th, at his home in Houston.

Mr. Eaton was very active in many  community activities and  part of The Sparta Ramblers.

Mr. Eaton was co-founder and  President of the Board of Sparta Opry in Chickasaw County near Woodland in Webster  County.

The  story goes that one evening, when some of  the Eatons and friends were sitting around playing music, they talked about there being a need for a place for people to go, and play and hear country music.

Thus began Sparta Opry, located on Sparta Road near Woodland in Webster County,  a place where, on Friday nights,  150-200 people or more  go to hear bluegrass music and enjoy  a meal of  chicken strips, catfish, hushpuppies, and all the trimmings.

Each  Friday  night, there are many  different  groups performing, and some local, such as Louis  ” Red ” Williams,  from Maben,  the Davis family, from Clay  County,  Mack Banks, from Columbus,  and many others too numerous  to mention.

It is not anything unusual for people from other states, and even other countries, to visit the Opry.

Services   for Mr. Eaton, one of  the founders of the opera, are to be Saturday May 14th, at 1:00pm at Amity Baptist  Church with burial in the church cemetery.