A Dolly Parton Merry Christmas

Wednesday, 11/03

Doris found her special boots and jacket while I blog, do housework and enjoy the solitude.  It is becoming more enjoyable to watch TV, now that the political cow patty tossing commercials are gone.  Now, it's the near continuous analysis of the election results which means I'm watching the weather channel more intently, especially since we plan to leave tomorrow and head toward higher altitudes in New Mexico and Arizona, using familiar I-40 as our route.

This afternoon, we ride our rental car to Dolly Parton's "Dixie Stampede", one of the most extravagant Branson shows, complete with horse riding, camels, lambs, goats and assorted other creatures involved in Dolly's version of a Christmas celebration.  Oh, and ringside dinner thrown in as well. Three hours of our time and $54 each, the most expensive show of this trip.  Other shows have been $25, with some free tickets for the second person.  We've already concluded that Tahoe and Las Vegas shows, some only 30 minutes for $100 to $250 each are ripoffs in price and quality.  We've never been so impressed, nor enjoyed so much entertainment for so little.

A Dolly Parton Christmas show performer "laps up" Doris's affection before he has to go to work.

The Christmas edition of Dixie Stampede left us on such a "high".  Our seats were among the best in the house, center of the arena directly in front of us.  Incredible horsemanship, toys that come "alive", the birth of Christ and the manger scene was the best I've ever seen.  Trained doves flying to the angels floating above; 3 Wise Men arrive on camels which kneel for the dismount.  Sheep and goat herds enter and (I've never seen this before) trained to halt and stay still during the singing of praise for the newborn child.  Never once did there seem to be an error on the part of the singer/riders and their steeds.  The dinner served was fine, but the audience of 1,000 found this to be non-stop superior entertainment.

Santa's non-helper at Dolly Parton's Christmas Celebration.

Leaving the Christmas holiday decorated building, we could only say to each other that these 3 days of being entertained in so many ways were 3 of the best provided by all of the US entertainment capitals. Interestingly, some one mentioned to us that never once was a curse heard in any of the shows they attended.  That was true for us as well.  Humor can be "clean" and still tummy-hurting funny.  Also, music can be exceptional without mentioning acts of violence, something that has become commonplace.

 It will be difficult to leave Branson, but we will do so in the morning as we recommence our journey toward our "other" home.

Two Shows. Two Winners.

Tuesday, 11/02

The rental car arrived at our coach and we were off to explore whatever Branson had to show us.  It may be a bit tacky, but everyone was so friendly, constantly asking with a smile, "How ya'll doin' today?"  Well, just fine thank you.  A little Christmas shopping a killer lunch, and then it was time for an afternoon show, "Legends in Concert" at Dick Clark's American Bandstand Theatre.  As with last night, front & center seats for another remarkably enjoyable two hour program.  George Strait, Marilyn Monroe, The Temptations, Patsy Cline, The Blues Brothers, and Elvis!!!  Yes folks, we got them all and all of them were terrific.  OK, so we didn't get the real ones; that would've been great in some cases, and a bit ghoulish in others.  What we DID watch and listen to were impersonators that looked and sounded so much like the real ones that imagination took over and the audience responded like we did, with stand up ovations.  During each presentation were videos of the real people performing, supporting the notion that what we were seeing and hearing were the original entertainers.  Another exceptional show.

Home for dinner, after buying tickets to Mickey Gilleys' show in his own theatre, and then to our THIRD show!

This was, without a doubt, the most emotional show yet.  Seems Mickey was carrying some furniture from his house one day about 16 months ago, and fell backwards, resulting in paralysis from the neck down, due to swelling within the back's nervous system and injury to the neck's C2, 3, 4, 5, 6 vertebrae.  Intense will to return to the stage, sing and play piano, plus therapies that are ongoing, he presented himself, walking with the aid of two of his singers, to sit down in a real office chair ... and began to sing as if nothing had happened.  What a voice!  What a repertoire.  While it was very obvious that he could not play the piano ... yet... he still had entertaining stories of his career, the accident, the future. 

If you don't know Mickey Gilly, rent the movie "Urban Cowboy".  It was his bar/dance hall in Pasadena, Texas used as the movie site, with Mickey being in the movie with Debra Winger and John Travolta.  This was also the first movie Doris saw after coming to the US for college.  Special for was the movie and the music from it.  Special for both of us was getting to know the man who wrote and sang some of the best country music still heard.

And comedy?  Too funny was Mickey as the straight man for his sidekick who kept us all nearly rolling in the aisles.  Our third show, and now we want more.  So, we stay another day, for an even bigger event.

And did I mention that it's Christmas in the Ozarks, especially Branson?  It is, and that's an Ozark tradition that Christmas decorations and music be up and ready by November 1st.  A bit startling for us as we expected it at Walmart, but the whole area??!  As one native told me, they don't place much emphasis on Thanksgiving, thus giving Christmas and religion more prominence.  (Turkeys:  Take note.  It's 50% safer in the Ozarks.)

Music & Laughter

Monday, 11/01

We're excited.  Everything we've heard from those who've been there, Branson, Missouri will be a very special experience in entertainment.  We've been to shows in Tahoe, Las Vegas and Reno, so we're going to be critical, regardless of the compliments heard and read.

Three hours of driving through northwestern Arkansas' Ozarks and into southwestern Missouri, we descend on Branson, a "nothing" town until someone chose it to be the site of Midwestern entertainment.  Driving Main Street to our RV park gave us the impression that there was little regulation as to signage and building code.  What a conglomeration of tacky and showy places!  Yet, we had made a stop at a "discount" ticket seller who gave us sufficient information and some good prices for two chosen shows and  more information about how to get around town.  The essence of the input was that there were no bad shows or entertainers.

Our Musicland RV Resort was well located within walking distance of some of the shows, perfect for us.  Even with a little rain, we headed for our first night's choice, Jim Stafford's Theatre, with Jim himself being the headliner.  Two solid hours of terrific music from him, his wife, and there sooo talented teenage son & daughter.  We laughed.  We got teary-eyed.  We had such a good time!  If all of Branson was to be like this, we underestimated the time we needed to spend here, because two shows wouldn't satisfy our new-found love of this kind of entertainment.


Branson, MO.  Our RV "resort" is located behind & down the hill from the piece of the Titanic that already sunk ... not a good sign.