This bright, sunny Sunday afternoon found us traveling to the Clinton County Youth Building for the first ever Plattsburg Opry. The building, which is located on MO Hwy. 116 between Lathrop & Plattsburg, MO is home to many county youth programs including 4H and used to feature another Sunday country show featuring the Heartland Express a few years ago. The new Opry features the Take 5 Band which is composed of our friends, Bill (lead guitar, fiddle, steel & vocals) & Lisa (vocals) Bennett, John Lowe (guitar, vocals) plus John (bass) & Joy (drums) Bennett. Plans are for the Opry to have shows every 2nd & 4th Sundays from 2PM to 5PM. They feature a large dance floor and a full service snack bar with hot dogs, brats, (w/ or w/o chili), chips, popcorn, candy bars, strawberry cheesecake, coffee & soft drinks & more! Despite the freezing temps outside, a nice-sized crowd showed up to eat, dance and listen to some good 'ol classic country music.
Bill Bennett opened this afternoon's festivities, fiddling the "Orange Blossom Special and somewhat later, "Wheels" and "Faded Love." Bill also showed his versatility, playing "Steel Guitar Rag" on his steel and picked and sang Brooks & Dunn's "Boot Scootin' Boogie, joined wife Lisa on George & Tammy's "Golden Rings," the Bellamy's "Margarittaville," "Keys In The Mailbox" and Dwight Yoakum's "Guitars & Cadillacs." It was Bill starting the second half with an old fiddle tune, "Black Mountain Rag" then singing "Bubba Can Dance." The dance floor filled up as Lisa sang Patsy Cline's "Crazy Arms" & "Pick Me Up On Your Way Down," Ray Charles' "Take These Chains," Del Reeves' "Don't Come Crying To Me," Ricky Van Shelton's "I Cried My Last Tear For You," Gretchen Wilson's "Red Neck Woman," Tanya Tucker's "Let Me Be There," Highway 101's "Walkin, Talkin, Cryin" and Janie Fricke's "I Need Someone To Hold Me."
John Lowe started his set with a great George Strait classic "The Cowboy Rides Away" followed by Hank Williams Jr.'s "Eleven Roses" and "All For The Love Of Sunshine," Hank Sr.'s "Honky Tonk Blues," Chuck Berry's "Memphis" and Billy Currington's "People Are Crazy." Later it was George Jones' "Walk Through This World With Me," Merle Haggard's "Ramblin Fever," Gene Watson's "Got No Reason Now For Going Home" and Micky Gilley's "There's A Song On The Jukebox." Great stuff! Walk-ons this afternoon included Elmer Clark ("All My Ex's Live In Texas," "Your Cheatin Heart"), Larry Roberts ("Candy Kisses," "Wabash Cannonball"), Bill Boswell (his uncle Buddy Boswell used to operate the Union Mill Opry in Edgerton, MO) ("Silver Wings," "Farewell Party"), Art Damgar ("Just Walk On By", "Swinging Doors"), Jordan Wallace ("Last Kiss," "Sweet Home Alabama") and our pal Wayne Hoover, who operates the Countryside Jamboree in Cameron, MO each Friday night ("Washed My Hands In Muddy Water," "Unwound"). John Lowe closed the show with a gospel number - "I Saw The Light." (Below) The Take 5 Band plays here at the Clinton County Youth Building the 2nd & 4th Sundays from 2-5 PM
