River City Classic January 31

Same competition, new venue

It was the last week of January, 2009. Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States. Pilot Chesney “Sully” Sullenberger landed a U.S. Airways flight on an icy Hudson River, saving his passengers and becoming a hero in the process. In California, a woman gave birth to eight children and became known as the “Octomom.”

And in the brand new Montgomery Performing Arts Centre, Tallassee High School hosted its first Capital City Classic, a show choir competition.

Tallassee High School had distinguished itself in the music world for a long time. Between the accomplishments of the Long Blue Line and, later, the Pride of Tallassee, the band program was noted around the region for its superior-rated performances and increasing participation during an era when many school bands were downsizing.

Similarly, the choral side of the program had really taken off during the decade of the 2000s, as more and more students began participating in the award-winning, nationally recognized show choirs at THS: New Image, Gold Edition, Voltage, and Divas.

By the 2008-09 school year, choral director Jerry Cunningham had planned to begin his own competition. After decades of attending contests hosted by other schools, Mr. C planned this one with a twist: instead of hosting the competition at our school, we would rent the nicest auditorium in the tri-county area instead. 

And the choral directors all over Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Georgia began flocking to this event, which has become one of the greatest successes in Tallassee’s music department. From 2009-2024, the event was held at the MPAC, and thousands of students from all over the southeast got to experience the joy of performing on one of the finest stages in the country. The panel of adjudicators were as top-notch as the facilities themselves, and the THS music program benefitted greatly from the exposure.

The exciting news for Tallassee is that the Capital City Classic is transitioning into the River City Classic. For the 2026 competition, Tallassee High School is hosting the competition for the first time at home – in the Tallassee High School Auditorium!

This year’s competition features choirs from Saraland, Tift County (Georgia), Enterprise, Opelika, Homewood, Eufaula, Lakeside (Georgia), Oxford, Chelsea, Pike Road, and Appling (Georgia). Many of these schools have participated in our competition from the beginning and their continued support through the transition is appreciated.

Also appreciated are the sponsors who help fund the festival, and the parent volunteers who keep the contest day flowing smoothly.

Please support the Tallassee music program with your attendance on Saturday, January 31 at Tallassee High School.