The Rutlader Outpost which contains the Middle Creek Theatre, a spaceous RV park, an antique business, the Cowboy Chapel (which holds services that feature great music every Tuesday night) and assorted shops is located just east of the junction of US 69 and 335th St. on Metcalf Rd. We arrived early (around 6 PM) for tonight's second show which started at 7:30 PM as did many others to take advantage of and enjoy the great full service snack bar and visit with friends and acquaintances in the large dining area. As show time approached, we found our seats and settled back to watch the first half of tonight's show which featured Elijah Chastain and the Middle Creek Band.
As the lights dimmed, Elijah, who is Middle Creek's musical director and lead guitarist, stepped forward and welcomed everyone to tonight's performance before joining the rest of the band including Bobby DeMoss on steel guitar and Brad Meadows on drums, picking and singing Ricky Skaggs' "Hummingbird" and our favorite Johnny Bush song "What A Way To Live." Angie Larson, who almost everyone in attendance was familiar with (she used to be a band member) used her super vocal talents tonight to sing Dolly Parton's "Jolene," Miranda Lambert's "White Liar" and joined Elijah in a Gene Watson/Rhonda Vincent duet of "Staying Together." Our friend, bass player Carl Butler was in fine voice himself tonight, getting the feet a'pattin with "Louisiana Saturday Night" followed closely by Glen Campbell's "By The Time I Get To Phoenix." Jodi Austin, who plays a great keyboard showed her vocal talents singing "Kansas City" and Crystal Gayle's "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" while Barbara Walker greeted everyone with another Crystal Gayle tune "Why Did You Leave The One You Left Me For?" Barb was joined by Angie & Jamie 'Gumm' Ogle for some great harmonizing on Dolly's "Those Memories" and "My Baby's Gone," an old Louvin Brother's number. Jamie returned to close out this first half of super entertainment with Connie Smith's "Ain't Had No Lovin'" and Dolly's "Put It Off Until Tomorrow."
After a short intermission, it was time for the evening's main event which, of course featured two great country superstars: Jim Ed Brown and Helen Cornelius. Helen Cornelius grew up on a farm not far from Hannibal, MO and listened to the Grand Ole Opry and sang with her sisters accompanied by her brothers who played in country bands. Since her musical debut at the age of five, Helen won numerous contests including three winning appearances on the Ted Mack Amateur Hour in 1970. Her songwriting first got her foot in the door of Music Row, but her singing landed her her first contract at RCA records in 1975. Although she is best know for her teaming with Jim Ed, which resulted in the CMA Award for "Vocal Duo Of The Year," "Single Of The Year" and "Album Of The Year" in 1977, she has achieved notoriety and success as a single artist as well. Music City News named her the "Most Promising Female Artist" also in 1977, while the Academy Of Country Music named her "Best New Female Vocalist" that same year. Elijah recalled seeing her perform at the old Englewood Theatre in Independence, MO (home of the KC Opry) in 1984 when she was playing the lead in Irving Berlin's "Annie Get Your Gun." In May of 2005, Helen was inducted into the Missouri Country Music Hall Of Fame" during a ceremony in Springfield, MO. Helen told us that she and Jim Ed had just finished appearing at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia last night, along with many other major performers and when she awoke this morning, to her horror, she had a case of acute laryngitis, which she attributed to her allergies and the high pollen and ragweed count. She proved to be quite a trooper and we personlly thought she sounded terrific, singing Faron Young's "Pick Me Up On Your Way Down," Hank Sr.'s "Lonesome Blues," Jesse Coulter's "I'm Not Lisa" and LeAnn Rimes' "Some Say Love." "I've been happily divorced for the past 15 years," she told us. "We split over religious differences, he thought he was God and I didn't!"
Jim Ed Brown has firmly established himself as a presence in every aspect of the Country Music Industry for the past 40 years. One of five children growing up in Sparkman, AR, some of his earliest memories are listening to the Grand Ole Opry on an old battery powered radio. Jim Ed and his older sister Maxine began harmonizing together and a few years later began performing occasionally on local radio shows. By Jim Ed's second year in college, he and Maxine were regular members of the "Barnyard Frolic" in Little Rock and together they penned what was to become their first hit record "Looking Back To See." They became members of the Louisiana Hayride and in 1955 joined Red Foley on the Ozark Jubilee. It was later that year they were joined by sister Bonnie and became known as "The Browns." The group had great success including a couple of number one hits, but it was when Jim Ed returned from a two-year stint in the service to rejoin his sisters and record the song which would leave an indelible mark in musical history." Released in 1959, "The Three Bells" sold over a million copies and was the first number one country record to cross over to number one on the pop and rhythm and blues charts as well. Other chart-busters followed, but by the mid-60's the rigors of combining busy careers and caring for their growing families brought both girls to the decision to retire, to leave Jim Ed to carry on alone. Jim Ed began a six-season run as co-host of the syndicated TV series "Nashville On The Road" in 1975 and in 1976 teamed up with Helen Cornelius to form one of the most successful duos of all time. In 1983, he began working with TNN, the Nashville Network's "You Can Be A Star" for six years and co-hosted a show with his wife Becky, "Going Our Way." Jim Ed still hosts and performs on about 30 shows a year on the Opry and continues to tour throughout the nation.
There was no missing Jim Ed Brown as he stepped front and center in his regal bright red w/black piping blazer, opening his set with the song that started everything -- "Looking Back To See." We know it was a real thrill for Barb, Angie and Jamie to sing backup harmony here tonight as well as the entire band which backed them. Next up was 1970's "Morning" followed by "Southern Lovin," "Pop A Top," "Family Bible," "Old Lamplighter" and of course "Three Bells," the story of Little Jimmy Brown. Joined by Helen Cornelius, it was time for some of those great duets and they were great, believe us. "Fools" was followed by "Leavin' It Up To You," "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You," "Rockin Years," "Lying In Love" and their blockbuster hit "I Don't Want To Have To Marry You." We had an absolutely marvelous time including the opportunity to visit with both of these friendly down-to-earth folks after the festivities. Middle Creek has plenty of great shows still ahead this year. Check out their website for more information: http://www.rutladeroutpost.com/opry.htm (Below) Miss Jean (c.) poses with Jim Ed Brown (l.) and Helen Cornelius (r.)
