We have a terrific season lined up for 2011/2012. Next season, we have booked ONLY top quality entertainment and bands that are recognized nationally, worldwide and locally. The entertainers are geared to what our residents have requested.
Please browse through the list and mark your calendars so you can get your tickets early as many of our events will sell out. Be aware that this season, in response to our customer surveys, we have booked ONLY the top entertainers, and are having fewer events. So we do expect more sellouts than in previous years. You will not want to miss the entertainers we will have this upcoming season.
December Will Pack A Wallop With Many Activities
Hold on to your hats for December. The Fred King Band will be playing for our Christmas Dance as shown below on December 17th. But that is just the "tip of the iceberg." We have a ton of fun for the holidays: Resort unit decorating contests, Christmas caroling hayrides, two Christmas Eve Programs, our annual FREE Christmas dinner and of course our New Year's Eve Party, the largest in the Rio Grande Valley and a sell out for the past three years.
The Texas Country Band
(New Year's Eve 2011 & every Thursday night November 2011 - March 2012)
December 17, 2011 Christmas Dance and February 25, 2012
Ralph and The Cruisers
Julie Lee & Her White Rose Band
January 11, 2012
Nationally acclaimed recording artist Julie Lee and her White Rose Band are based out of Fargo North Dakota and will play for a third season in our East Dance Hall. She and her four piece band play clarinets, saxes, trumpet, keyboards and the accordion. They play a variety of music from 50's and60's, big band, country, polka, waltzes and more. Their focus is to play good dance music and they sure do. Julie Lee and her band always pack in a crowd. Some of her albums are shown below.
Our customers from the upper Midwest are very familiar with her music, particularly if they hail from the Dakotas, Minnesota or Wisconsin. She is consistently voted one of the most popular entertainers who visit the Rio Grande Valley. They were the 2009 Minnesota Ballroom Operators Association "Band of the Year." Julie has a huge following and draws a big crowd. We expect a lot of people for this; so get your tickets early for this event and plan to arrive early to get your parking space and grab a drink or snack from the concession so you are ready to go for this show.
This group is one of our most popular. They are stellar musicians and are a pleasure to listen to. They play all around the Rio Grande Valley in the season. They have been entertaining you for several years and have a huge Rio Grande Valley following. Freddi is a master guitarist and musician. He and son, Clint, also give free guitar lessons to our resort residents. We are pleased to have them back again for another year playing and staying with us.
Jerry Bennett
January 29, 2012
Jerry Bennett is a national recording artist. He is a talented singer, songwriter and pianist who recently won two top honors in the February 2010 People’s Choice Awards in the Rio Grande Valley. He has a fabulous voice and the piano skills to match. He really puts on a great show. He plays a variety of music which includes gospel, ragtime, patriotic and jazz. Jerry has been playing music since the age of 9. Jerry has toured with the likes of the well-known gospel performer, "Donnie Seabolt (a former member of the Blue Ridge Quartet), Laverne Tripp and the nationally known Freemans.
In 1994, Jerry recorded his first solo project "The Heart of Things". In later part of 1994 Jerry co-wrote a song with April Nye called "My God Forgets," which was recorded by the Kingsmen in 1995. This song shot up the charts and received several nominations in the Diamond Awards in 1996 for Song of the Year. Jerry was also the former program director for the Satellite Network "Gospel Music Television" (GMT). He was featured on the program along with many of the other top 40 gospel artists. Jerry continued on with this network until it was sold in the fall of 1996.
Bernie and Red (Comedians)
Gary Crain has appeared on stage with many of the original stars from the Andy Griffith Show. He has also performed the voice of Pat Buttram at the Annual Memphis Film Festival in Olive Branch Mississippi honoring Gene Autry and John Wayne where he appeared along with actors from the films of Autry and Wayne.
In the past five years, Gary has appeared with many other Mayberry tribute artists aboard Carnival Cruise Lines in a cruise event: Cruise to Mayberry. He also performed at Mayberry Days in Mount Airy NC and many other special Mayberry events. He appeared in the PBS production of The Mountain’s Bluegrass Show and at The Lincoln Theater in Marion VA. His expertise in impersonations of celebrities has been compared to the infamous Rich Little. He delivers personalities such as Gomer, Barney Fife, Floyd the Barber, Bill Clinton, Mr. Haney from Green Acres and many others. He also impersonates signers such as Elvis, Dean Martin and others.
His wife Patsy, equally talented, joined him last year performing Patsy Cline hits such as Crazy, Imagine That, Walking After Midnight and other hits. . Both Gary and Patsy sing many of the old hits from the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s. They form a talented due that will leave you in stitches performing their show “Gomer Hears Voices.” They have performed in Branson, Mt. View Arkansas and many church functions and private parties.
The Punches Family is an award winning group who has been singing together for 5 years. They are based out of Fredericktown, MO. Each member contributes vocally and instrumentally to the unique blend of bluegrass gospel music which appeals to a variety of audiences.
The Punches Family won first place in Silver Dollar City's Youth & Bluegrass band contest in 2007 and SPBGMA's Entertaining Group of the Year in 2010 & 2011. The family was also nominated for Contemporary Group of the Year in 2009 and Gospel Band of the Year in 2010. The Punches Family contains a group of talented musicians who are addictive, sweet, charming, cute and full of spirit. They are a real American family you will want to hear again and again.
This group has a lot of great followers:
Ed O'Neal, host of the Award-Winning Great American Gospel Television Show, writes: "The Punches Family is one of the most talented music families I've seen in a long, long time. Once you experience them in concert, you're going to want to take them home and call them your own."
Barbara Huffman, of Singing News Magazine writes: "Talent, personality, and a true heart for souls - what a winning combination!"
President Bill Clinton's Kudos to Bobby Layne: "I am delighted to commend you for providing forty years of musical entertainment to appreciative audiences. Under your leadership, the Bobby Layne Orchestra has become one of the premier Big Bands in America today, performing with many distinguished artists. You can take great pride in your contribution to our nation's rich musical heritage. Congratulations on your accomplishment and best wishes for your future endeavors."
- Bill Clinton, President of the United States
