Despite the chilly conditions this evening, a large crowd showed up at the Grinter Barn to listen to classic country music provided by the Stranger Creek Band and guest artist Larry Smith. Included with the price of admission was a delicious dinner of chicken and rice cassarole, green beans, bread & butter and the ladies passed around chocolate brownies and cookies a little later. All profits from these affairs go help preserve and maintain the Grinter House & Barn, one of our area's truly historical sites, located at 1400 S. 78th St., Kansas City, KS.
After the band opened the evening in the obligatory manner, playing a boogie written by lead guitarist Gordon Riley, tonight's guest artist Larry Smith kicked things off with Webb Pierce's "Pick Me Up On Your Way Down," Merle Haggard's "Somewhere Between," Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues" and Ernest Tubbs' "Waltz Across Texas." After the band including Gordon Riley on lead and John Malone on drums played "Honky Tonk" and "Marvelous" Marvin Bredemeier, Annie's Country Jubilee's resident fiddle player played and sang the Bob Wills' classic "Milk Cow Blues," Larry returned with Eddie Arnold's "Make The World Go Away," Johnny Rivers' "Memphis," "Swinging Doors," "Wabash Cannonball" (w/Gordon on Dobro). a song he composed, "Little Red Car" and a couple of Jim Reeves classics, "Four Walls" and "He'll Have To Go." Garry Bichelmeyer, who's a clever songwriter as well as a great singer, tonight sang one of his original tunes, "Northern Star" before singing "Jamacian Farewell" in rememberance of the cruise he and others just returned from. Garry returned a bit later with another original, "Nodaway River" and the Civil War era song, "Rebel Soldier."
Mary Bichelmeyer, the group's bass player did a marvelous job as well singing "Crazy Arms" and "Your Cheating Heart" before Marvin returned, fiddle in hand to play our favorite fiddle tune, "Ragtime Annie" and the Bill Mack written "Drinkin' Champagne." Annie Little, who was in the audience tonight, joined Larry Smith for a duet of Jack Greene's "There Goes My Everything" before Ron Fine got a nice hand as he sang "Now And Then There's A Fool Such As I" and "Frauline." Gordon Riley returned to play "Bells Of St. Mary" Chet Atkins style and sing Hank Thompson's "Six Pack To Go." Larry Smith closed this terrific evening singing a beautiful gospel number he wrote some years ago, "I Was There." (Below) top - Larry Smith (w/Marvin Bredemeier) sings "Wabash Cannonball" bottom - Gordon Riley hits some hot licks on his Dobro