Now Playing: Now Playing: Larry Smith - Shirley Smith & Mike Bowman & a great supporting cast
It was classic country night at the Big Creek Country Show and the theatre on the square at Pleasant Hill, MO was packed wall to wall with folks just like us, who love their old-time country music. As the curtain opened, the band featuring Larry Ellis on fiddle and including Kevin Hoff on drums and Carl Cook on bass were playing "Mountain Horn Pipe" followed by Mike Campbell's treatment of "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" on his 5-string banjo. Larry was to return a little later with a supply of his signature corny jokes (aren't they the best kind?) and a couple of great fiddle funes, "Foolin' Around" & "Leaving Rozine" while Mike played "Rawhide" and "Sled Ride" to the audience's delight.
Emcee, show operator and possessor of one of the finest male voices around, Dennis Dittemore stepped front and center to sing a couple of Jim Reeves classics, "Billy Billy Bayou" and "Blue Boy," then returned the second half with "Please Help Me I'm Falling" and the beautiful gospel number "Just A Closer Walk With Thee." Debbie Martin, sporting a new baby-blue guitar got a big ovation as she sang "I'm Falling In Love," "I Thought He Walked On Water" and Johnny Cash's "Tennessee Flattop Box." Phil Hilton was just awesome on the keyboard tonight with Charlie Rich's "Behind Closed Doors" and "Canon in C" as was Jim Lower, one of the most innovative lead guitarists around, playing "Avalon" and "Who's Sorry Now."
The first of tonight's guest artists, Larry Smith is certainly a crowd favorite here at Big Creek and once you hear his patent smooth mellow delivery of a country tune, it's not hard to see why. Tonight he treated the enthusastic house to Johnny Horton's "Waterloo," Steve Wariner's "I Held You Right On The Tips Of My Fingers," Hag's "Okie From Muskogee," Johnny Rivers' "Memphis Tennessee," "Help Me Make It Through The Night" and a classic hymn "Uncloudy Sky." Shirley Smith (no relation to Larry) is one of our favorite female singers who put her God-given talents to good use here tonight with "Cry Cry Cry," Dottie West's "Here Comes My Baby Back Again," Patty Loveless' "Timber I'm Falling In Love" and "My Heart Has A Mind Of It's Own." After Donnie Pitts fulfilled an audience request and sang George Jones' "Love Bug," he joined Shirley and Howard Ingalsbe to sing the beautiful gospel number, "The Sweetest Gift." This trio, known as Downhome Harmony will be appearing at the Calvary Baptist Church, 900 NW 22nd St., Blue Springs, MO 64015, tomorrow, May 31st from 6:00-7:00 PM. (For more information call 816-228-5540.)
We have always enjoyed Pleasant Hill native Mike Bowman's deep mellow voice since we first heard him at Laredo, MO years ago. As a matter of fact, he along with Ann Brock were the very first photo we took for our Artist Pages and still occupy that space today. As well as a stellar performance each time he appears here at Big Creek, Mike also likes to stump the audience with a trivia question; the first person to come up with the answer wins a free coke and popcorn ...... (HOORAY!!). Tonight's question was: what person of note passed away 75 years ago last Saturday? Mike then turned back the clock, singing Faron Young's "Four In The Morning," "My House Of Memories," "Heartaches By The Number," "The Legend Of Bonnie & Clyde" (answer to trivia question) and Ernest Tubbs' "Walking The Floor Over You." This fun-packed evening came to a close with Larry Ellis and the band playing "The Flop-Eared Mule." Thanks to Dennis & Cindy for their kindness & hospitality. (Below) Downhome Harmony - Donnie Pitts, Shirley Smith, Howard Ingalsbe