*** Performed live on the Grand Ol' Opry stage at the world-famous Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Tennessee! We actually got to sing my original song, "I Wish George Jones Would Listen To My Songs" on the stage that George Jones has performed on many times!
That will always be one of the treasured memories of my lifetime. I dreamed about it ever since I was a small child, when my parents and I would go to Granndpa's house on Saturday night to play cards and listen to the Grand Ol' Opry on WSM radio. I actually heard Hank and Lefty sing live from that stage, and when no one was looking, I spent a lot of hours pretending I was performing there too.
After all this time it's almost surreal to realize we've actually done it. It's a dream come true for me.
*** Traveled to Branson, Missouri, the new home of live entertainment. We saw some terrific shows, and got to present Barbara Fairchild with my original album of Gospel music during her performance. (Also got to make her husband laugh out loud, as well as the audience. Barbara told me I was "in deep Poo!" She is just plain delightful!!
*** Hosted and performed a Fifties Rock 'n Roll dance at the high school gym here in McCool Junction. What a hoot, doing it the way it was done when I was in high school in 1959!
Jerry Havemann, our lead player in the 1963 North Texas band "The Casuals", drove in from Chicago to perform with us, making this one of those events we'll remember and cherish forever!
*** At a Sept 11th Remembrance event today, we sang Patriotic songs and received such a strong response from the audience, we nearly choked up several times. Across the street from the event, which was performed outside, someone had erected a flagpole and Old Glory was waving brightly in the sun, shining brilliantly as we sang. It was a wonderful and inspiring event.
*** The Mellow D's shared headliner responsibilities again with some terrific musicians and entertainers at the big Country Music Jamboree in Avoca, Iowa. It's an annual event each year, great fun! We took top honors in harmony! I'm so proud of Karen, she deserves the credit for that award. Also, I was recognized for two songs I wrote during this festival; a Country song called "I Can't Help But Feel That Way", and a Gospel song called "Jesus, Lead Me Through". I received a special request to perform both songs from the main stage, and the response from the audience was extremely gratifying!
***We performed live at the Midwest Country Music Theater in Sandstone Minnesota! This was on my "bucket list"; my list of things I want to accomplish before I "kick the bucket." Had an absolute blast, playing in front of one of the premier backup bands in the nation! Joe Savage on sweeeeeeet steel guitar; Larry Rose on rock-solid bass; Dan Lund on country lead guitar the way it should be played, and Bobby Vandell who controlled his rock influence and played great country drums! I really appreciate these guys for being fine gentlemen as well as terrific musicians. And of course, thanks Joe & Kathy Jensen, for all they do to keep classic country music alive! And Thanks to RFD-TV for airing one of our segments on nationwide television!
How cool is THAT!!
*** The Mellow D's were headliners for the Country Music Jamboree, Avoca, Iowa. That was cool!! We also garnered more awards in the songwriter, male vocalist, and harmony contests. This festival is one we'll never miss, it is just that much fun!
*** Live Gospel Show, at the Double-D Ranch in Ashland, NE. It was an honor to be selected as performers for this Chuckwagon Dinner show, which regularly features such renowned performers as Rex Allen Jr., Roy Rogers Jr., and Michael Martin Murphy.
*** The Mellow D's performed a half-hour live radio show on KAWL in York, Nebraska! Great fun, nice folks.
*** The Mellow D's were honored to be selected as judges for the annual "Middle of Nowhere" Country Music festival in Ainsworth, Nebraska.
*** At the annual Country Music Festival in Avoca, Iowa, Larry won 2nd place Male Vocalist and 2nd place Songwriter honors. (His "band" placed 2nd in the Band Scramble contest. Whose band took 1st? KAREN'S!)
*** Our friend Jerry Havemann and his wife Maria decided we just had to see Luckenbach, Texas. We've never been there either, so what the heck! We were on the road for about three weeks, sightseeing, looking for places to play and sing, and just kicking back for a while. Jerry’s been my friend since 1960, even before he played lead on a Les Paul Junior for The Casuals. Yes, he does wish he still had that guitar!
On our way South after surviving a nearly terrifying ride in our two motorhomes trying to navigate the traffic gauntlet that is Dallas, Texas, we stopped in Streetman, Texas, to visit our music friends, Tex and Mary Schutz. Unusual to find them home, they are usually out performing somewhere, from New Zealand to California and back.
We stayed in Fredericksburg in the heart of Texas hill country. It's an old German town with lots of tourist attractions and shopping opportunities. From there, we visited surrounding points of interest, scenic drives, the River Walk in San Antonio, etc., etc.
And now we can say we've actually performed live on stage in Luckenbach, Texas! What a neat little (and I do mean LITTLE) place, out in the middle of Texas hill country! Met some really nice folks there. We also performed live at the LBJ Ranch National Park, at the insistence of one of the park rangers. Lots of fun.
Ate the best chili-cheeseburger in the whole world at Hondo's in Fredericksburg. We stoked up on Tex-Mex from the time we got into Texas until we left. Austin was the best!
We went to visit Beenie and her husband in San Angelo, time for more Tex-Mex! Beenie was instrumental in being our remote tour guide. She is primarily responsible for the wonderful time we had in Texas. Thanks, Beenie!
In Lubbock, we went to the Buddy Holly museum and learned a lot about this fascinating entertainer and creative artist. For a guy whose career only lasted 18 months, he sure had an impact. Did you know that the first recording ever made by the Beatles was Buddy Holly's "That'll Be The Day"? And yes, we did see Lubbock in our rear view mirror. Made us think about Mac Davis and Waylon Jennings, who also hail from there.
Just South of Amarillo, we toured Palo Duro canyon in a rental car. I know I could have navigated it with my 38-foot motorhome, but my wife would have waited for me in Amarillo. In order for her to go with me, the rental car was an absolute necessity. Palo Duro is known as the Texas Grand Canyon, and is a fascinating place with incredible scenery.
From Amarillo, we decided to come back home by way of Colorado. Hey, it CAN be on the way, if you want it to be bad enough! With everything greening up and the snowcaps just beginning to melt, bright blue sky and millions of wildflowers, it was just plain spectacular!
On the way home, we visited Monument Rocks just South of Oakley, Kansas. 6 miles of bad dirt roads, but really very interesting formations out in the middle of the Kansas prairie. I always thought Oakley was Annie Oakley's birthplace, but discovered she was born Phoebe Mozee in Ohio. But they do have an "Annie Oakley Motel". Oakley is actually Buffalo Bill's birthplace! There's an impressive huge bronze statue of him on the West side of town, astride his horse at full gallop taking aim at a buffalo.
We also went to see Castle Rock, South of Quinter, Kansas. More bad dirt roads, but another really interesting place, and worth the drive in my opion.
Then we went to Waldo, Kansas. My mom's maiden name is Waldo, so I was curious if it might be a good place to host the Waldo family reunion. It does have a post office, but that's about all. The only sign of life we saw was three old ladies in a car that followed us no matter where we went. So I went up and down alleys and around the block several times. Once I stopped and got out and began walking toward them just to see their reactions. They nearly burned rubber getting out of there, but only for about a block. They made sure they never lost sight of us. I guess we were the most suspicious or exciting people to visit Waldo in a long time. My bet is they're STILL talking about us!
*** We were hired to go to Avoca, Iowa for a terrific music festival there, and we just had a ball. Great folks to be around, treated us like family, and a great crowd!
*** From there, we were invited to perform at the Midwest Country Music Theater in Redding, Iowa, and in spite of tornado warnings, we put on one heckuva show. Those folks were just terrific, as well.
Sometimes I think the people we get to meet is the real blessing we get from being involved in music!
*** At the Cotner Center in Lincoln, Nebraska for the Lincoln Area Agency on Aging’s “Extravaganza of Country Music” concert, we performed before one of the most responsive audiences we have ever encountered. “It was one of those satisfying performances that I dream about”, says Larry. “After being rewarded with a spontaneous and lengthy standing ovation, I was flying high for hours!”
*** At the annual Nebraska Country Music Foundation’s awards ceremony, The Mellow D’s achieved Top Gospel Group of the Year.
*** Perhaps the biggest achievement of our lives was our induction into America’s Old-Time Country Music Hall of Fame before an encouraging crowd of standing, applauding country music fans! Being invited to join an institution that included country music superstars that were our inspiration was truly an emotional experience. My lead guitar player from our 1963 band, The Casuals, drove across country to attend the induction and take pictures of the ceremony, making it an even more personal and exciting day! Wow.
*** The Nebraska Country Music Foundation awarded The Mellow D’s 2nd Place Gospel Group.
*** The Mellow D’s won 3rd place in the International competition at the annual week-long National Traditional Country Music Association’s event in Missouri Valley, Iowa.
*** The Nebraska Country Music Foundation recognized Larry as Top Songwriter of the Year, and The Mellow D’s as Top Country Duet. Karen’s first trophy!! That was truly gratifying, because it validated my claims that she was a highly talented harmony singer with a style all her own. She finally had to accept the fact that there were others who shared my opinion.
*** At the Cornhusker Country Music Club competition, Larry won 3rd Place in the Top Male Vocalist category.
*** The Nebraska Country Music Foundation selected Larry as the Semi-Pro Male Vocalist of the Year, and runner-up Songwriter of the Year.
