Show Time in Branson, Missouri

We have just spent a few days in Branson, Missouri. We went to five shows when we were there and they were all really enjoyable. Most were not just good, but great and we had a wonderful time.

Since these are professional performers in large theaters, I thought there was no way that they would allow photographs, so I did not take my camera to the first show, which was Andy Williams at the Moon River Theater.

The Moon River is a huge state-of-the-art theater and I was amazed to find that photographing is not only allowed but encouraged. As a result, I have no pictures of 83-year-old Andy performing. My apologies.

Our seats were about a mile away, or so it seemed, so I couldn’t see him really well, except to say that he is thin but stands up very straight. He also has a strong voice that sounds very much like he did 50-some years ago. If you didn’t know, you would never suspect him to be 83…especially from the “second balcony.”

Andy Williams’ show included a couple other acts, one of which was an impersonator who did singers like Neal Diamond, Frank Sinatra, and Sammy Davis, Jr., among others…all old guys. Obviously, we were all “old guys,” who would readily recognize these singers. Sad, but true. However, it was nice to hear music where we could understand the words, hum along and remember, “way back when…”

Next we saw George Dyer, who was billed as a tenor, although we thought he was more of a baritone, with a wide vocal range, and incredibly talented singer. He did a very funny skit with three ladies from the audience. He was a very good entertainer.

George Dyer

At one point he was doing a rather romantic song and instructed the men in the audience to put there arm around their wives to let them know how much they cared. Don reached in his pocket and pulled out a small gift he was planning on giving me for Christmas, but suddenly, this seemed to be the right time instead.

I was very surprised and touched. This little message is something we all need to hear every so often.

The Texas Tenors were the next show we saw. If you watched America’s Got Talent TV show a couple years ago, then you watched them win the competition. These three guys are amazing. The actually preformed at our FMCA (RV) Rally in Redmond, Oregon this past July, so we knew they were great singers. We enjoyed their show immensely. They are an amazing talent.

The Texas Tenors

Then we saw SIX. These were six of 10 brothers who perform acapella but you would never know there was not a band accompanying them. They make the sounds of all the instruments with their voices while singing. It is pretty amazing.

They are so good at this that one keeps forgetting that there are no instruments playing. They have been the top show in Branson for two years so we were looking forward to the performance.

When we were seated, we found there was a couple sitting behind us, who obviously weren't used to being "off the farm" very often. Before the show started they were talking to another couple about being from a small town in Arkansas. No problem, everybody is from somewhere.

When the performance began, they were constantly talking and/or singing over the performers.

When the rest of the audience clapped their appreciation, this lady would put her fingers between her teeth and blow an incredibly loud, shrill whistle into our ears, totally blasting our eardrums.

Don felt like turning around and saying, “You are now in the big city, (although less than 50,000) you are not at a hog-callin’ contest. Act like you belong here!” However, instead of saying that, he decided to just leave for the second act.

I stayed, hoping to enjoy the rest of the show. However, there was more ongoing interference coming from behind me, this time with the addition of a couple beers they had brought in from outside the theater at intermission. 




By this time there were several of us in the row in front of them biting our tongues and bracing our ear drums lest there be another whistle.

SIX

The last show we saw was, The Haygoods. This is a family of seven boys and one girl, the youngest who is now 17 years old. They play many instruments, violins, saxophones, guitars, piano, harp and others as well as singing in beautiful harmony. This was a high-energy show with amazing musical talent. It was a great show to close out our visit to Branson.

THE HAYGOODS

All shows had a Christmas segment and three of the five of them sang Mark Lowry’s song, “Mary Did You Know?”, which is one of our favorite Christmas songs.

Andy’s rendition was so-so, The Texas Tenors version was really good, but the Haygoods won, as far as we were concerned, for an absolutely amazing rendition for this wonderful song. Now we feel ready for Christmas.

I had not been to Branson for more than 50 years, back when there was nothing there except the lake and a few souvenir shops.

AN HONEST-TO-GOODNESS TOURIST TRAP

Now there are tons of shops and shopping in addition to 170 shows going on a regular basis and huge theaters everywhere. It has changed more than a little.

One of the things that we noticed in Branson was the friendly people. We had seen a restaurant down on the lake and we decided to have lunch there one day. It turned out to be a Bass Pro Shop restaurant, the White River Fish House.

WHITE RIVER FISH HOUSE

The waitress was very friendly and we were having a lot of fun with her.

Then the manager came over and sat down with us, telling me, step by step, the recipe for their wonderful cornbread that is baked in a small cast iron skillet. She asked if I had one of the skillets. When I told her I did not, she disappeared into the kitchen and returned with a “take home” bag containing a skillet filled with cornbread.  The waitress told us she had worked there for three years and never seen that done before. We were thrilled and really enjoyed the cornbread.

YUM!!

Today we drove to West Memphis, Arkansas and are parked right on the Mississippi River across from Memphis, Tennessee. We have been watching tug boats push barges up and down the river. 




Tomorrow we will cross the river to Memphis and look around there. What we find will be on our next blog posting.