When I started in this business, an old-timer told me, "Stick with it, and you'll go places and see things you can't even imagine." He was right.

I've crossed the globe playing piano - from Santa Cruz, Calif., to Szczecin, Poland; Broadway to Beale Street.

And after all these years, I am playing "Last Date," on a stage, where Hank Williams, Jimmy Rodgers, Ernest Tubb and countless others, the famous and not-so-famous, have preceded me.

I am at the legendary Capri on Main, in Gaffney, S.C.

It opened its doors as The Cherokee Theatre in 1936, has been in continuous operation since, and has been owned and operated by the Hudson family - Clyde, Mary and their son Beau - since 1969.

Although it remained primarily a movie theater for the Hudsons' first few years, it now hosts everything from wedding parties to corporate events, historical society seminars to opening nights for independent films. And - most important - in the last few years, Beau has brought live music back to the Capri.

Seating and viewing arrangements can be changed according to the event.

The night I played, they set out small tables and chairs, which made for a much more intimate feel than if the audience were sitting in standard rows. Though it has a capacity of approximately 299, the room felt smaller and warmer, like I was playing for a group of friends in my living room. Indeed, even though the stage is 3 feet higher than the audience, I actually carried on conversations with several tables during the show.

Beau later said the Capri represents far more than simply an entertainment venue to the local townsfolk. He laughed as he told me, "Half the town of Gaffney has worked here. ... Not a week goes by that someone doesn't stop by to say, 'Hey,' and reminisce about a movie or a weekend that had been a first date for a couple now celebrating their 30-year anniversary."

Similar theaters from Asheville to Morehead City were saved from the wrecking ball by arts councils. The Capri has stayed alive through a couple of ownership changes and been part of Gaffney life for nearly six decades.

Fall attendance at the Capri can be light - Gaffney High's Indians pull people to the football field. Spring is the busiest season. Crowds for live music are on the rise, so the Capri is getting a liquor license: They currently serve beer, wine and offer a light snack menu.

Gaffney itself feels likes it's from another time. There's a relaxed pace, plenty of parking places on Main Street in front of the Capri and a great little steakhouse nearby. Add several clean and extremely reasonable motels and you get a nice overnight getaway.

You find that vibe inside the Capri, too. Before the show, the Hudson family went out of their way to mix with the customers and swap stories with regulars. After a long show, the Hudsons joined me on the sidewalk for the better part of an hour, afterward reminiscing with fans I hadn't seen in a while and talking about everything from gospel music to wrasslin'.

Down home.

Last weekend, Corduroy Road, which has been opening for the Avett Brothers, took the stage one night. The next night was a benefit for an area family that has been having hard times.

Back home.

Feb. 3 brings L Shape Lot, a group featured on the HBO series "Eastbound & Down." The Wilmington-based Americana band played last summer on the stage just 3 feet above the rest of Gaffney.

Right at home.