Great Shows!

This morning we went to the Doug Gabriel Show at 10, and then after a quick lunch took in the Rankin Brothers Show. Both were extremely entertaining. Doug Gabriel is a really multi-talented musician. His singing voice is spectacular, he plays guitar, and is a gifted keyboardist. He played a rousing version of the William Tell Overture on the "mufftar" his father made for him when he was young. "Mufftar" is his term for a guitar made from a muffler off a 1957 Thunderbird. It made much better music than you would expect. His show spans quite a variety and includes his wife, who sings, his two older boys who play drums, and his 10-year-old daughter who dances and sings. We cheered, clapped, laughed and cried (Lee) in turns.

The Rankin Brothers had a more traditional musical review of songs mainly from the 50s and 60s. We had heard a couple of positive comments from people who had seen the show, but we didn't know exactly what to expect. The show turned out to be a wonderful treat. The brothers, Matt and Mark, have a wealth of talent. Matt did an outstanding impression of Buddy Holly's singing, looks, and mannerisms. He also does some fast-paced wizardry on the guitar. Mark's vocals were impressive; he did amazing things with a variety of music. He also did an outstanding impression of Elvis, complete with a replica of the King's eagle suit. Individually and together, the brothers delivered excellent music.





The show also featured the "Rankinettes"--three wonderful singers who performed classic girl group songs. One is the daughter of Peggy Lennon.




We lucked out on seats for both of these shows. Because of deals set up through the Escapees RV park where we're staying, we got great seats in the middle of the second row and paid no more than $10 per ticket.

Between shows we took a drive to the west of Branson to get to know a state park (Table Rock State Park) and Corps of Engineers campgrounds on Table Rock Lake. The drive was along ridge with a magnificent view of Branson, the White River, and the lake.









After dinner we went to the RV park's clubhouse for an informal jam session. Nine or ten guys showed up to sing and play their instruments, which included guitars plus a harmonica and a bass.


Yesterday we took in a show called Baldknobbers. It was enjoyable, but we didn't see it as special enough that we would want to see it again sometime.