Last summer as we were returning home from
a two day visit to
Branson, Missouri, my now 15 year old grandson
(Colby) talked about how much he enjoyed everything ... and wished
we could have stayed longer.
Well, shortly before the end of his
first year of high school, he enthusiastically said yes about
returning to Branson this summer for a longer stay ... so “he
could experience“ Silver Dollar City and other shows including magic
ones along with enjoying the high energy talented
Haygoods and
the awesome singer,
Cassandre' again ... and to see what else
there was to do in Branson.
 Hamner Barber
show
We started the entertainment part of the visit with
the Hamner Barber
show
...
It is
total entertainment from start to finish with
the
hilariously, talented
Jim
Barber, one of the
world's great ventriloquists, and
renowned magician Dave Hamner with his wife Denise. And Jim and Dave surprised us too with their good
signing voices when they ended their show performing a
patriotic song saluting the troops with a final very moving
magic act. Every age group from little ones to
grandparents will love this show!
We also had a great time at the
other live shows including....
 Clay Cooper's Country Music Express
While this country variety show stars the outstanding Clay
Cooper who impersonates some of the country music great ones
and sings several of his own ... there are great dancers
including Clay's wife, an amazing roper (from America's Got
Talent), and other singers including Clay's son (7) along with
comedy bits. This show should be on "the must experience list"
for all who like country
music and things related ... And children will like it too.
Yes, I am a country music fan!
 Tony Roi
- The Elvis experience
Elvis Presley remains my
wife, Mary,
and my favorite all-time signer and Colby likes him too.
So, all three of us sat in amazement as Tony Roi performed
as Elvis ... and Roi has it all down perfectly... the
voice, looks, moves, and mannerisms. And the
impression he made on my wife remains ... as her eyes
still light up when she talks about his show with other
women. Enough said!
 Haygoods
and
Cassandre'
We did see both
great shows again and
still consider them two of the best ones in Branson.
(Both shows have moving patriotic performances.) Colby also got to meet Aaron Haygood (17) and share some
words. Cassandre' even remembered Colby from last
summer during her show and sang to him. We have a
photo to prove it. She also took another picture with him
after the show.
 Barbara Fairchild
Mary and I met Barbara
Fairchild and her husband, Roy Morris, during
Branson Veterans Week
last year
and really enjoy their performing country songs and
interaction with each other. Barbara is one of country
music's all time great women singers and her naturally funny
personality with Roy's husband comments is very
entertaining. And Barbara loves to interact with the
audience ... She did so with Colby and me with Roy doing the same
with Mary.
Barbara and
Roy are also very patriotic and tirelessly involved with
Branson Veterans Week events each year.
 Rankin
Brothers
Another entertaining "must see" show is the talented
Rankin
Brothers (Mark and Matt) and their amazing back-up singers, the Rankinettes
... taking the audience on an enjoyable performance of
classic music hits of the last five decades ...
impersonating the respective super stars. And they
deliver each time with an engaging personality to match!
 Moreover, the tribute to the troops with
the signing of "Unchained Melody" and an
associated video is very moving ... In fact, a
disabled Vietnam War hero was so moved by this "Unchained
Melody" tribute along with Mark and Matt Rankin proudly
wearing their patriotism on stage ... that he presented
each with one of his Bronze Star medals. This hero, who was wounded multiple times
and received the Silver Star during his duty in harm's way,
requested his name be withheld ... in honor of his best friend who made the ultimate sacrifice
while serving with him in Vietnam. He felt his friend deserved
a medal too.
After the veteran and his wife left, we
spent about an hour in enjoyable conversation with Mark, Matt, and Larry
Rankin (their dad). I am proud to
call them friends too.
 Brett Family
We were very happy that our scheduled allowed us to see
Tom, Andrea, Briahna, Brydon, and Garon Brett perform a
variety of songs including solos and an athletic display by Brydon (25) and Garon (20) with basketballs. And Colby
and I had a real treat when Brydon brought Mary on stage and
sang to her.
 The
Brett Family also
movingly performed the inspiring song,
I'll Give America My All,
which was written by Andrea Brett, who also recited her heartfelt poem,
I am a Veteran. (Click on the respective links to see the
videos and read the words.)
  Presleys Country Jubilee
Not only is it a very entertaining show with songs, music,
and comedy ... the Presleys Country Jubilee is the longest
running live show in Branson. And after the show, I
officially presented my poem,
In The Heart Of America,
about Branson to Mayor Raeanne Presley who is married to Steve Presley, the drummer and one of the
original performers. (The show also ends with a toucing patriotic
performance.)
 Thomas
Brothers
Thankfully, a change in plans on our last day in
Branson allowed us to see these two talented brothers, Rhett
and Ross, who
include several great songs from musical movies and Broadway
shows along with a touching patriotic song in honor of the
troops. Mary was also brought up on stage where Rhett
and Ross Thomas had a very funny exchange with her including
with a roll of toilet paper. Colby took many pictures
of her too as we both laughed knowing how much she would
like to be elsewhere.
Mary was
still lucky, as she didn't have to be a human dummy
wearing a bright yellow mop hair wig for a ventriloquist ... like
I did during the
"memorable"
Dalena Ditto
show when attending Veterans Week in 2009. Yeah, I volunteered
too ... after the talented ventriloquist looked right at me!
 Silver Dollar City
Then there was the day we spent at
Silver Dollar City
where there are many fun things to do including thrill rides with
many water ones and live shows with the streets shaded by a canopy of trees. We
really enjoyed the
Choctaw Charlie's Frontier Follies
with the beautiful Silver Dollar City Saloon Girls and the rest
of the shows talented cast including the comedian. The
magician Peter Gossamer, who is in his last year with Silver
Dollar City, was another great time at the theme park.
Yet, for us ... the most memorable aspect in our first visit to
Silver Dollar City was the tour of the impressive Marvel Cave. Nor can I remember a more
remarkable cave. You really need to experience this nature's
great wonder as words cannot adequately describe it ... and it is
included with the admission to Silver Dollar City. (The Presleys
also performed in the huge entry cavern of Marvel Cave before
their start in Branson.)
 On a special note
... I was privileged to participate in the
dedication of the Avenue of Freedom by the
Branson
Veterans Task Force (BVTF) on July 5th, which included a proclamation
by Mayor Presley. The Avenue of Freedom honors veterans from
past wars, present wars, heroes who gave their lives for freedom,
and those who died in the attacks on September 11, 2001. I
also visited with members of the BVTF at the
Veterans Memorial Museum concerning the BVTF's
association with the
Spirit of 45.
 Yes, it was a very full week of enjoyment
... experiencing more of
the Branson area including a drive to the Table Rock Lake Dam and
the surrounding area. Yet, there is still so much more to
enjoy in the Branson area, which we will do on the next visit ...
including more outdoor activities starting with Table
Rock Lake ... and the rained ruined plans for horseback riding and
"doing" the zipline.
Branson is definitely for everyone no matter your age!
 David G. Bancroft
Founder / Owner
USA Patriotism!
Copyright 2010
Author's note...
Read my other articles...
Entertainment, Fun,
and Patriotism in Branson,
Branson
Veterans Week - 100% Patriotism, and
Great Time Again During Branson
Veterans Week ... My poem,
In The Heart Of America,
is about Branson.
| 
