Six is comprised of the six oldest Knudsen Brothers (six of ten boys, no sisters); the four younger brothers are actively involved in the business, but do not perform on stage.  Six is back in Branson again this year, and are still at the Hughes Brothers’ Theater on West 76, less than a half mile west of the Titanic.  My wife and I took our grandson, Peyton, and our granddaughter, Marisa to the show.  It was a sell-out show, and we arrived late, so we were in the back row of the balcony, but even from there, the show was enjoyable.  Honestly, it was a hoot.

When my wife first suggested that we see Six, three years ago, I was not enthused.  The idea of an a cappella group didn’t thrill me.  Think Barbershop.  But, Six is as far removed from Barbershop music as The Black Eyed Peas are from Buddy Holly.  Six is truly enjoyable, and their show this year is even better than last years.

When one first hears Six, one wonders how they can harmonize so well.  Then, one wonders how the percussionist can do that “mouth thing” so well, for so long.  Then the next thing one thinks is, “How can they make it sound like they are backed by a band, when there are really no instruments?”  Then, one stops thinking about it, and simply enjoys the show.

The Knudsens give a nod to Sinatra, the Beach Boys, and to the songs they grew up with, and a good time is had by all, even my four and five year old grandchildren.  Even me.  This is one of my wife’s two favorite Branson shows, and in my top ten.  To my wife, Kathy, this is a show is a “MUST SEE.”

_______________________________

When I was a maybe ten years old, my mother and step-dad took me to the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds for an Indian powwow.  I remember it like yesterday.  Last night, my wife and I took Peyton, our five year old Grandson, to see Brule’, at the RFD-TV Theater in Branson, and I suspect that, forty years from now, he will remember it as well as I remember that powwow.  Brule is like nothing else you will see in Branson.  It’s roots are not in the Ozark Mountains, but in the Great Plains of South Dakota.  One will find no hillbilles, or toothless humorists.   There is no country music at Brule’, and there are no cowboys, only Indians.

Brule’ was the inspiration of Paul LaRoche, a Lakota Sioux who has lived an incredible journey with one leg in the white man’s world, and one leg in the world of Kul Wicasa Oyate, the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe.  Given up for adoption at birth, LaRoche grew up without any idea who his real parents were, or what his heritage was.  Once he discovered his Lakotan heritage, LaRoche embraced it.  His Native American heritage gave his music direction, and for the past fifteen years, LaRoche has shared his incredible journey through his music, in the form of Brule’.

To try to describe Brule’ is like trying to describe the sunset; one can describe the colors, or the clouds, or the hue that is cast by the fading light, but unless one experiences it, one can never know the beauty.  LaRoche, who plays keyboards, is the group’s anchor and host as he guides us through the story of his life, but the show is not a drama.  I have heard Brule’ described as a rock opera, and Paul’s son, Shane (lead guitarist), plays some screaming riffs, but the group cannot be called a rock band.  Paul’s daughter, Nichole plays classical flute, but the group cannot be described as classical.  Brule’ defies description.

So, put away any preconceptions, drive to the west end of Branson’s strip, and prepare for a uniquely memorable experience.  If you like rock music, if you like new age music, if you love the pulse of the earth as interpreted through authentic Native American drums (hewn from the trunk of a cottonwood tree and covered in buffalo hide), if you love the Native American culture,  if you love to be entertained, then you will love Brule’.  An integral part of the show are the traditional and fancy dancers, who perform an incredible eagle dance, a buffalo dance, a chicken dance, and a courtship dance.  The show would be incomplete without these performers, but as it is, Brule’ is one of the best shows in Branson.

Here for the entire season (plus a Christmas show), Brule’ is a “must-see” at RFD-TV Theater.  The show plays at 8 pm Tuesdays through Saturdays, (3 and 8 PM, Wed-Sat).  RFD-TV Theater sits on the corner of the Hwy 76 strip, and Shepherd of the Hills Expressway, next to the Butterfly Palace.

Let’s start on the north end of the city, at Branson Hills, which has to be the fastest growing part of town.  My son lives just north of Branson Hills, beyond the west side outer road.  If ever Branson needed a stop light, it is now, at that corner, at Branson Hills Pkwy and the west outer road.  I predict that someday, if no light is put in here, we will see a deadly broadside collision at this intersection.

Moving south a couple blocks and west a couple miles, let’s look at the Shoppes at Branson Meadows, where the movie theater recently went out of business, and then was re-opened by the owners of the Branson Imax.  This is nothing new to shoppes in the Meadows.  Stores in this shopping center are constantly opening and closing, or jostling for position.  A stoplight in front of the Shoppes main entrance would serve to both slow down traffic on Gretna, thus making it safer, and to allow people to better find the Shoppes.

Another traffic light that I feel is needed is at the intersection of West 76 Country Blvd. and Green Mountain Dr., in front of McDonalds and Jubilee Foods.  Okay, I know that many reading this will say that Branson does not need another stoplight on the 76 strip.  Yes, we do.  Here, we need a stoplight, especially since Forsyth Street opened up, leading down to Roark Valley Road, just a  few yards away.   Perhaps that intersection could be controlled by the same stop light?

Finally, traffic coming off southbound US 65 onto MO Hwy 76 could be greatly diminished by making the off ramp two lanes wide all the way.  As it is now, traffic leaves US 65 in one lane, and can spread to two lanes after making the first bend in the ramp.  After the lanes split, one may use the right hand lane to turn right, turn left, or go straight.  The problem is, no one but locals realize that one can turn left from the right hand lane (signs signifying two left turn lanes are small and often not seen until one is near the end of the ramp).  So having two lanes at the end the off-ramp from US 65 to MO Hwy 76 does nothing to alleviate traffic.  There needs to be a second lane from the beginning, and the signs signifying two turn lanes need to be larger, and posted over the appropriate lanes.

Now, my wife has a stop light to add to this list.  Their needs to be a stop light on the corner of Hwy 165 and Fall Creek Dr.  This is an extremely busy intersection, involving heavy traffic from three roads.  And, it sits near a curve.  I agree with my wife: a traffic light is needed here, also.

Well, that is my opinion.  Let me know what you think.

Williams began his recording career in 1944 singing back-up to Bing Crosby.  In those days, Crosby was at the top of the charts, and anyone who wanted to get ahead in the music business became a crooner, like Crosby.  At one point, in the early 1930s, Frank Sinatra (according to a biography) had made up his mind to become the “next Bing Crosby.”  By the mid 50s, Williams was no longer in Crosby’s shadow, and had begun a successful recording career of his own.

At the same time that he began his recording career, Williams began to get small parts in film, usually playing a musician.  When he got national exposure by earning a regular spot on Steve Allen’s show, his recording career took off.  His first album was Andy Williams Sings Steve Allen, followed a little later by Andy Williams and Andy Williams Sings Rodgers and Hammerstein. Williams soon found himself in demand as a guest on television variety shows.  He made an appearance on the Dick Clark Show.   He appeared six times in the late 50s on Pat Boone’s television show, which played host to other big names, such as Shirley Jones, The McGuire Sisters, The Mills Brothers, and Joel Grey.  And, in 1957, he got a shot at his own summer TV show, a forerunner of his long-running variety show.

Andy Williams’ Variety Show took several forms over the next two decades; names changed as sponsors changed, and as the show changed networks.  In his first series, Andy partnered with singer June Valli.  The next summer, Andy partnered with Dick Van Dyke in the Chevy Showroom Starring Andy Williams.  And, in 1959, the Chevy name was dropped from the show.  In 1961, Williams first recorded the song that would become his theme song, Moon River. He performed it the next year at the Academy Awards ceremony, where it won an Oscar for the writers, Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer (the song was sung by Audrey Hepburn in the movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s).  Williams’ performance led to a TV special that same spring, where Andy again teamed with Dick Van Dyke.  The special was produced by TV giants Bud Yorkin and Norman Lear (who would go on to produce All in the Family, Maude, and most of the great sitcoms that would  - in the next decade – spell the end of variety shows like The Andy Williams Show).  For this special, Andy also enlisted the help of Ann Margaret, Andy Griffith, and Henry Mancini. The special proved so popular that Williams was asked to again star in a TV series.  That fall, The Andy Williams Show that I grew up with premiered on NBC and ran for 115 episodes.

The Andy Williams Show was reduced to three episodes a year through 1967 and 1968, but when it came back in 1969, the show was again broadcast weekly,  and was stronger than ever.  TV, however, was about to change.  In the early 1970s, the variety show was at its peak.  One could flip through the channels and watch The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour,  The Carol Burnett Show, The Flip Wilson Show, The Wacky World of Jonathan Winters, The Bobby Goldsboro Show, The Dean Martin Show, and This is Tom Jones, just to name a few.  But by 1976, few variety shows remained on the air.  The Lawrence Welk Show had retreated first to PBS, and then to syndication.  Donny and Marie rubbed against the grain when they introduced their variety show in 1976; it lasted one season.  Tony Orlando and Dawn outlasted most, running through 1977, and The Bobby Vinton Show ran through 1978.  The Andy Williams Show ran its natural course, ending in 1971.

When not in the studio, Andy ran a successful record company (Cadence Records – one of Williams’ discoveries is Ray Stevens, who also starred in his own variety show, which Williams produced), and continued to star on TV specials, including his remarkable Christmas specials.

It is in the spirit of those Christmas specials that Andy Williams presents his show in Branson.  His show is paced well, of high production quality, and entertaining as ever.  Backed up by a 10-piece band, a chorus of about a dozen, and a half-dozen special guests, Williams shines.  He is not above making fun of his age, and, in fact, has crafted an entire routine around “Cookie Bear” pestering Andy about his age.  Speaking of age, let’s just lay to rest any rumors: Andy still sings well – remarkably well – still does an occasional soft shoe, and is still able to carry a note higher and longer than most people half his age.  I was truly impressed.

Seeing Cookie Bear, by the way was just one of the joys of watching Andy Williams’ Christmas Show.  The guest stars for this season were astounding.  Classical dancers Pasha & Aliona presented an indescribable routine.  It is not fair to call them dancers, for their dance is magical, changing costumes in front of your eyes, quicker than you can comprehend.  Their routine will leave you wondering what you just saw.  Dean Church, arguably the best fiddler in the world, is a treat, and the Warnock girls may be the most talented sisters to perform in Branson since the Lennons Sisters.  The guest star that stands out in my mind, however, is Bob Anderson, a veteran of Las Vegas and a Branson favorite.

Williams played host to an innumerable list of guest stars on his TV show, from Roy Rogers to Kenny Rogers, from Charlie Callas to Mama Cass.  Andy gave the Osmond Brothers their big break, and gave a showcase to the last of the great Vaudevillians (people like Jimmy Durante, Phyllis Diller and Charlie Callas).  Watching Anderson interact with Williams on his Branson Christmas show is a close recreation of the old series.  Anderson does a spot on, if not perfect, impersonation of the Rat Pack, Robert Goulet, Tom Jones, and dozens of other voices, including Andy himself.

Andy has written his autobiography, Moon River and Me, which is on the Los Angeles Times best sellers list.  I look forward to reading it.  The season is almost over, but if you get a chance in the next week to get to Branson, be sure to catch Andy Williams’ show.

I must say, however, that there are some odd, uniquely Branson displays on the trail.  If memory serves me right, there was a moose fishing for a trout… where else but Branson could one see that?  The theme this year is zoo animals, and I am still trying to figure out the connection with Christmas.  But, it was truly fun.  One gets to see the Twelve Days of Christmas set to lights, which is fun recount.

Take my advice, put an Andy Williams Christmas CD in the player, grab the kids, and take the tour.  Oh, when the people behind you get in a hurry, pull over and let them pass.  One needs to drive slowly and absorb the fun; there’s a lot to see.

Sight and Sound Theater spared no expense in producing this show; the sets are the most elaborate I’ve seen in Branson, the multimedia screen is the largest, and there are more aerial acrobatics than Peter Pan.  The stage is actually three stages, forming a U, and action takes place on all three stages at various points in the show.  But, that is one of the things that I disliked about the show, one in a list too long to enumerate without sounding like a curmudgeon.   Three stages allow for a quick change of sets, for action can begin on stage right (for example), while sets are struck on center stage.  And, that is exactly what they did.  This works fine when the action on stage right is loud enough to cover the noise from center stage, but this is not always the case.  At one point in the show, Mary indeed begins a new scene at stage right while, in center stage, sets are struck, but the noise from center stage drowns out Mary’s song.  Later, just before the Three Wise Men arrive, the noise in stage left drowned out the story.

The story itself fairly well followed the Bible story of the birth of Jesus, and I won’t quibble over minor departures, but the back stories added nothing to the drama but contrivances and sentimentalism, and were more worthy of a high school production.  Some of the acting was overacting, as in the eldest shepherd, the leaders of the rebellion, and the innkeeper and his wife.  Utilizing live animals has become synonymous with Sight and Sound Theater, so I was disappointed when the manger scene utilized animatronics instead of live animals.  Some of the music, however, was phenomenal, though, I struggled to determine whether the performers performed live or not.  I finally decided that most of it was live, but not all.  I have not contacted the theater to confirm this.

That the owners of the theater consider their business a ministry, is one aspect of Branson that I have always struggled with (theirs is not the only business that mixes ministry and merchandising); in the end, they offered an altar call.  I have not made up my mind what I think about this, but I sympathize with those who felt moved to make a commitment after the show.

In summary, Miracle of Christmas – in my opinion – is overpriced and overacted.

Not knowing what to expect, I was pleased to see that the Dutton Family presented a show that was not only faced-paced enough to satisfy the descriminating tastes of my grandchildren, but one that was tasteful, classy, and essentially flawless.  The night began with a recap of the Duttons’ appearances on NBC’s America’s Got Talent, but the family doesn’t rest on those laurels.  Moving smoothly from scene to scene, the Duttons’ Christmas Show plays more like a network television Christmas special more than a Branson show.  Every member of the family is allowed to show off his or her talents during the show, and every member of the family has talent to spare.  Expect to hear an eclectic mix of musical genres, but don’t expect a lot of old-fashioned country music and toothless hillbilly humor; that is not the Duttons.  Amy and Timothy’s flawlessly performed “Orange Blossom Special” is about as close as one will come to hillbilly music.  The show is highly polished.

The Duttons offered up a many faceted show that never lagged.  In a multimedia tribute to the Wizard of Oz, Judith - whose voice is perfectly suited for Garland’s signature song – gets to demonstrate why she was nominated female vocalist of the year.  During this tribute, the next generation of the family are featured in an adorable performance as Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion.  The kids are allowed to show off again in a nod to Michael Jackson and in a Christmas story where toys come to life.  The Duttons Christmas Show is pure talent and pure enjoyment, but not a lot of pone.  I fully recommend it.

There is no doubt that Vietnam Vets were not properly welcomed home, but Orlando is one who did welcome them home. In 1973, Bob Hope invited Orlando to perform in the Cotton Bowl for a Homecoming for Vietnam Vets.  One of the songs he sang was his hit, “Tie a Yellow Ribbon (’round the old oak tree).”  The song is an upbeat pop song that has become synonymous with support for our troops.  Since then, Orlando has spent a large part of his life performing for US troops around the world, essentially filling the gap that Hope left when he passed in 2003.

Twenty-two years after Orlando and Hope (and others) welcomed home Vietnam Vets in the Cotton Bowl, Orlando invited Bob Hope to Branson where he was honored for a lifetime of service to our troops (for those of you too young to remember, Bob Hope was one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, and spent his life entertaining troops in USO Shows around the world).

Now, nearly 15 years after Hope came to Branson, Orlando is still honoring vets.  Today, he, indeed, performed free shows for the vets, and it seemed that every vet in Branson attended.  For the 2 pm show, traffic was backed up from the front door of the Welk Theater for over mile, past Fall Creek Road.  Vets appreciate Orlando as much as he appreciates them.

Orlando gives a fine performance, and his love for those who serve(d) is genuine.  It shows in his music.  It shows in his face.  All of Branson seems to be just as appreciative, too.  Signs all over town read “Welcome Vets”, “Vets Free”, “Ask About Our Veterans Rates”, and “Have You Thanked a Vet Today?”.  All over Branson, vets were made welcome.

A Vietnam Vet that I ran into today at an automotive repair shop said, rather bitterly, “Too little, too late,” when speaking about the way that Branson thanks its vets.  At first, I wanted to argue with him, tell him about Orlando, tell him how (literally) every show in Branson honors our military.  But then, I thought better of it.  I haven’t walked in his shoes.  I don’t know what he experienced in Vietnam or after returning home.  I have no right to dispute him.  So, I smiled, said nothing to him, but to myself, I said, “Welcome Home.  Thank You.”

Sitting adjacent to lake Taneycomo (where, it seems, there are always fishermen standing in hip-deep, ice-cold water) and in the shadows of the Table Rock Lake Dam, the hatchery costs nothing to tour.  The tour is self guided.  An optional 11 minute movie welcomes visitors and educates them on trout and the role of the hatchery.  My grandkids, 4 and almost 2, skipped the movie and ran straight for the fish food.  This is where the fun is and also the only cost involved.  A generous handful of fish food costs a quarter.  It was actually all that I could do to hold the fish food in both fists.  If you’ve ever fed fish, you know how they react.  Throw a few pellets into the water and hundreds of trout swarm like piranha, leaving the water boiling.  The kids loved it; my grandson didn’t want to leave, and my granddaughter wanted to dive in (the people at the hatchery have wisely installed nets over the pools).

Signs at the hatchery explain that 800,000 trout are raised there annually (about 400,000 pounds).  A news story I heard last week said that the hatchery stocks Lake Taneycomo  with a million trout each year.  Most of the fish at the hatchery are about 8 – 12 inches long, but what my grandkids found the most exciting was the large fish, trout larger than I knew they could grow (some the size of a large carp!).  These are the brooders, which provide the eggs and sperm for production.  The mature fish are kept for seven or eight years, until they are passed peak fertility, and then they, too, are put in the lake.  The behemoths don’t swarm for food (they look like they could skip a few meals), but their size is impressive.

In front of the hatchery is a veteran’s memorial garden that was just completed and dedicated last week.  This is an attractive tribute to all those who have served this country.  Native Missouri wildflowers decorate the property, including a substantial patch on the south side, and bird feeders attracting all kinds of birds are strategically placed in the gardens.  We spotted a bluebird, the state bird of Missouri (sorry fans, the state bird of MO is not the cardinal), and several cardinals.  All in all, I spent about two bucks in quarters on food, had a great time and learned a little, too.  Not a bad way to kill a couple hours before a show.