All Things Branson Blogger Loses Battle with Cancer

 
"All Things Branson" blogger, Arline Chandler, died January 12, 2016, at her home in Heber Springs, Arkansas.  Arline had been diagnosed with late-stage ovarian cancer near the end of September 2015.

Arline Ramsey Chandler Smith was born April 19, 1939, in Searcy, Arkansas, to the late Homer Arlie and Sallie Loree Hassell Ramsey.  Arline was reared in Heber Springs, where she excelled in all things, especially music – particularly voice and piano. Arline liked to tell that she was on the “Cradle Roll Call” at First Baptist Church, where she has been a faithful member since her infancy. If Arline wasn’t involved in something musical or church-related as a child or young teen, she was probably on a horse.  Arline and her first husband, James Paul Chandler, even dated on horseback.
 
Arline married James Paul Chandler on August 17, 1956, and they headed for Arkansas Tech, where she planned to study home economics while James Paul pursued veterinary medicine.  By the end of their second semester, the couple was back in Heber Springs, anticipating the birth of their first child… Debbie.  Eleven months later, they would welcome Suzanne…and three years afterward, Timothy Paul joined the family.  James Paul and Arline built a home at 210 South 9^th Street in 1959, and this has been Arline’s primary residence ever since.
 

Arline spent the next several years teaching piano, organ and voice students in her home before and after school, while rearing the three children.  Countless music students went on to pursue professions as musicians or music educators – and many attribute this inclination to their early encouragement from “Mrs. Chandler.” Arline attended summer school sessions at what was then known as Arkansas State Teachers College – now UCA.
 
In 1964, Arline and her friend, Georgia Ann Beasley, opened Wee Wisdom Kindergarten in the basement of the Chandler home on Ninth Street.  For nearly a decade, the five-year-olds of Heber Springs and the surrounding area were given their educational “start” under the tutelage of “Miss Arline.”

When then-governor of Arkansas, Dale Bumpers, signed public school kindergarten into law in the early 70’s, Arline returned to UCA as a fulltime student and acquired her Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education.  She then became a kindergarten teacher at the Heber Springs Elementary School.  Arline taught public school kindergarten until 1984.  Many former students have commented in recent days that Arline gave them a firm foundation for learning…and several even went on to become teachers themselves.

Arline left teaching to pursue a fulltime writing career. She and James Paul had plans to travel across America in their RV, while she wrote children’s books, travel articles, and features on interesting “faces and places.”  And they did travel extensively throughout the United States and into Canada.

In 1987, Arline wrote the first feature article for Workamper News.  She became a staff writer for the publication, and subsequently authored three books on RVing and Workamping…Road Work, Road Work II, and she co-authored Workamper News’ Guide to Recruiting and Retaining the Right Workampers with her son-in-law, Greg Robus. Arline became a respected expert on RV travel and Workamping options, as well as “How to Write Your Life Experiences,” which became the name of one of several classes she taught to would-be writers.  She also taught classes in Workamping and creative writing for ten consecutive summers in Moscow, Idaho, at the Life on Wheels conference held annually on the University of Idaho campus.

Arline’s favorite place to visit was Branson, Missouri.  She and James Paul purchased an RV resort membership there, and they frequently made the 3½ hour trek north to spend anywhere from a few days to a week or more enjoying the sights and sounds of Branson and its surrounding area.  Arline wrote numerous articles about the entertainment and attractions of Branson, and she interviewed everyone from Dolly Parton, Tony Orlando, Kenny Rogers, Yakov Smirnoff, Todd Oliver and his talking dog Irving, to Lee Greenwood, Brenda Lee, and the Mandrell sisters, Andy Williams and Shoji Tabuchi, who became a good friend.  The Haygoods – a musical family who performed at Silver Dollar City and in the Branson area - were practically part of the family.  

Arline became one of the best ambassadors ever to the Branson Convention and Visitors Bureau and the staff at Silver Dollar City, who all treated her like one of their own.  In 2010, Arline wrote The Heart of Branson…The Entertaining Families of America's Live Music Show Capital.”  Friends who knew Arline well dubbed her “The Belle of Branson,” and indeed, she truly was one of its biggest fans.

Arline was a charter member of the Athena Club in Heber Springs.  She was a member of the Ozarks Writers League.  For many years, she was a member of the choir at the First Baptist Church, and the Strings and Things Dulcimer group.  She served from time to time as pianist and organist at First Baptist Church – and other area churches when someone was needed to fill in for a short period of time. Arline was always willing to serve wherever and whenever she was needed in her church.  Even this past summer, she taught the preschoolers in Vacation Bible School.

Arline’s first husband, James Paul Chandler, died on October 9, 1999.  She continued traveling and writing for the next two years – both on solo adventures and with two dear friends, Jo-Ann Carmack and Johnie Stark.  On February 9, 2002, Arline married Lee Smith. They “hit the road” in Arline’s motorhome for a six-week honeymoon trip to the East Coast and New York…and they pretty well never looked back.  Arline and Lee Workamped and traveled from Maine to Alaska to Mexico – and dozens of destinations in between.  They enjoyed several winters in Arizona, and they spent the summer of 2014 in West Yellowstone, Montana.  Arline’s childhood dream was to see as much of this country as she could – and to absorb its history and beauty…and she did a very good job of accomplishing her goal.  She went horseback riding in South Dakota and river rafting on the Snake River in Idaho.  She took bicycle rides along the carriage road system of Acadia National Park in Maine, and she endured a miserable-for-her flight to Barrow, Alaska, the 11^th northernmost city in the world – located above the Arctic Circle.
 
Besides her first husband and her parents, Arline was preceded in death by her son, Tim, and her in-laws, Truman and Polly Chandler.  In addition to her husband, Lee, she is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Debbie and Greg Robus of Heber Springs;  daughter and son-in-law Suzanne and Mike Linn, of Heber Springs; grand-daughter and her husband, Jasmine and Jamison Gary, of Heber Springs and their three children – Timothy, Zola and Nathan Gary of Heber Springs; step-daughter Glynne Marie Smith-Greene of Baltimore, Maryland, and her children Reuben, Kathryn, Denise and Eli; step-daughter Janet Daily and her husband Craig, of Lebanon, Tennessee, and their daughters Kelsey and Sara; step-daughter Suzanne Wilson and her fiancé Ben Moyer of Olive Branch, Mississippi, and her sons John, Brandon, and Tristan; step-son Eric Smith of Hernando, Mississippi, and his sons, Gowyn and Hagyn;  four step-great-grandchildren; one sister, Diane Williams, of Fayetteville, Arkansas; two nephews, Brent Warren of Farmington, Arkansas, and Byron Warren of Gravette, Arkansas;  and many other dear relatives and friends. 

Funeral services were held  Thursday, January 14, 2016, at First Baptist Church in Heber Springs, with the Rev. JR DeBusk officiating.  Interment was in Magness Cemetery.  Pallbearers were BJ Stracener, Mike Moore, Charlie Johnson, Stephen Choate, Joe Welborn, Chris Foster, and Lane Keeter.  Honorary pallbearers were the members of Strings & Things Dulcimer Group.

Memorials may be made to the Cleburne County Historical Society, the Cleburne County Library, Cleburne County Hospice, or the charity of your choice. 

Geyser Gulch Came Down...Fireman’s Landing Went Up!

Silver Dollar City, near Branson, Missouri, has a new play area for 2015—Fireman’s Landing. But first, Geyser Gulch, a tree-top village stretching over Silver Lake, had to come down. The 1890s-themed park—and the razing of the eighteen-year-old area—are featured on two episodes of “Salvage Dawgs” on the DIY Channel. The first episode aired June 14; the second episode is scheduled for Sunday, July 26, at 9:00 p.m. CST. Both segments, part of the fourth season of Black Dog Salvage Company’s reality television show, focus on salvaging the Geyser Gulch attraction and building a unique new icon that memorializes the former playhouse in the sky. 

Created especially for Silver Dollar City by Black Dog Salvage, a sign bears the Firefighter’s Pledge, topped with a bell from Geyser Gulch. The new marker salutes firefighters who serve their communities. Both episodes include footage shot at the Branson theme park. Standing on the spot where Geyser Gulch provided hours of entertainment to children of all ages, Fireman’s Landing offers ten fun-filled rides and activities in the new children’s play area.

Robert Kulp and Mike Whiteside, co-owners of Black Dog Salvage, a company that specializes in the reclamation, repurposing, and resale of architectural, commercial, and industrial elements and fixtures, traveled with their salvage team to Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri, to “upcycle” a piece of theme park history. Disassembling the Geyser Gulch water attraction to make room for Fireman’s Landing proved to be a challenge and a whimsical roller-coaster ride that only a team trained to salvage and repurpose items and materials can imagine..

Salvage Dawgs team members wrestled with well-worn fasteners on the Geyser Gulch project while Mike Whiteside and another team member balanced on high wire rigging to remove a giant water tower and a colorful working windmill. “I had always wanted a water tower,” said Mike, “…but this one was five stories off the ground!” The team also salvaged 30 giant air guns from the attraction. And those former Navy men could not resist the urge for a classic ‘Dawg fight.’

“There was no way I was going to leave those air guns behind,” a smiling Robert Kulp said. “Anyone who has ever seen those things and what they can do is going to have an interest.”

Black Dog Salvage Company, based in Roanoke, Virginia, pulls down structures from farm houses and Victorian “painted ladies” to bungalows and mid-century dwellings. They salvage pieces such as mantels, doors, stained glass, wrought iron, vintage plumbing and hardware, period light fixtures, antique store counters, and obviously, theme park windmills. And then, they bring things back. Won’t it be fun to discover where Geyser Gulch’s water tower turns up? The company serves a wide range of clients, including home dwellers, interior designers, general contractors, theatrical stage designers, restaurants, resorts, and evidently theme parks such as Silver Dollar City.

Since 1997, Geyser Gulch, had teased children’s imaginations with windmills, whirligigs, and air guns aimed at moving targets. Kids loved the sirens, slides, and swinging bridges. At the time Geyser Gulch was built, Silver Dollar City’s general manager, Brad Thomas, called the multi-million dollar kids’ adventure: “… the polestar of a focused children’s area.” He added that the entertainment and sky-level playground mesmerized children from toddlers to teenagers. However, after eighteen years of exciting playtime, Geyser Gulch showed nearly two decades of footsteps and hand prints. The City determined the time was right for something innovative and fresh—like Fireman’s Landing.

The new play area centers around Fire Station #3 and features rides and attractions with the theme of an 1880’s volunteer firefighter recruitment event. For instance, there’s Firefall, an eight-story fire tower free-fall drop ride. And Fire Spotter with kids flying high in balloons to spot fire dangers. There’s Lucky’s Dizzy Dogs, a bouncy ride on Dalmatians racing around a fire hydrant. And Fire Wagon Frenzy, a playful ride for bucket brigade volunteers.

Inside and around Fire Station #3, which is enclosed and temperature controlled for season-long comfortable play, the attractions include buckets, pumpers, foam ball cannons, and targets for showering pretend fires. Children are mesmerized by foam balls—sometimes spending hours, picking them up and dumping them into a mechanical tube that races the balls to the second level. Some kids sit on the carpeted floor and “vacuum” up the colored balls.

Lucky the Rescue Dog, a costumed character representing the tradition of firehouse dogs, moves about the Landing with his trainer. He is always ready to shake hands or pose for a photo.

Modeled after a community fair of a century ago, Fireman’s Landing salutes the spirit and training activities of volunteer firefighters. The storyline comes from past history. The real 1880-town of Marmaros, located on the site of Silver Dollar City’s Town Square, burned to the ground over eight decades before the theme park’s buildings rose on the old foundations. The fictional story for Fireman’s Landing revolves around citizens who band together to train and recruit volunteers to prevent such a fire from ever occurring again.

Geyser  Gulch was fun, but Fireman’s Landing opens fresh new play areas the whole family can enjoy. And thanks to “Salvage Dawgs,” pieces of Geyser Gulch live on—possibly in places one never expects.

Silver Dollar City, an 1890s reproduction theme park near Branson, Missouri, features over 40 rides and attractions, 100 craftsmen demonstrating America’s heritage crafts, and seven world-class festivals and events. Open March through December. 

For more information: 800-831-4FUN or www.silverdollarcity.com.

Silver Dollar City’s New Fireman’s Landing Honors Firefighters With Family Fun

Silver Dollar City, an internationally-awarded theme park near Branson, Missouri, is built on history. The “City,” as many fondly call the 1880s-styled theme park, bases every ride, attraction, and festival on Ozarks history and culture. Hours of thought, research, and planning by Silver Dollar City staff go into a story line that envelops each state-of-the-art ride, show, or attraction introduced to the park. The Grand Exposition, a family and children’s area with an old fashioned carousel and a child-sized roller coaster, is themed around the great world fairs and expositions of the 1800s. Red-Gold Heritage Hall, a large theater and exhibition floor, copies the tomato canning factories that once boosted Ozarks economy. Homestead Ridge steps back into history with McHaffie’s Homestead, the Oak Trail School, and Wilderness Church.

The Giant Barn Swing is set inside—well, a red barn. Powder Keg roller coaster blasts off like a stick of dynamite, reminiscent of the mining days in Marvel Cave, the natural cave beneath the sidewalks, theaters, rides, and restaurants of Silver Dollar City. In fact, the Town Square is built on the site of the old mining town, Marmaros—a once bustling community filled with men mining bat guano from the cavern’s depths.

Naturally, the same planning and consideration went into Silver Dollar City’s 2015 launch of “Fireman’s Landing,” an $8 million all-new area with six new family rides and four interactive play zones. Themed as an 1880s volunteer recruitment fair with firefighter training activities, the ten new adventures recognize the contributions of community heroes who serve as firefighters. The theme has historical background in the fiery blaze that gobbled up the town of Marmaros over 100 years ago. In creating a story line for the new area, Brad Thomas, General Manager of Silver Dollar City, says: “We fast forward to the fictional story of Fireman’s Landing—a place where the citizens share a desire to band together to prevent such an event (as the fire that destroyed an entire community)—to be ready with volunteer recruits who have trained to test their preparedness. (The training happens in fun on the rides!) The message carries that everyone can give back through volunteerism and community spirit.”

Kids love to meet Fireman’s Landing official chief rescue dog Lucky, a costumed character that encourages new recruits to have fun and be ready in the firefighter’s tradition of neighbors helping neighbors. He starts each day leading the Fireman’s Pledge.

Fireman’s Landing expands into a previously undeveloped region of the park. The new addition brings the number of park rides and attractions to more than 40 and increases capacity to the possibility of 21,000 total rides per hour—21,000 people riding one time, or fewer people riding multiple times. With this new area of play and entertainment, Silver Dollar City launches its biggest family year ever.

Centered around the headquarters of Fire Station #3, rides feature Firefall, an eight-story fire tower free-fall drop ride for the more daring “recruits.” Other rides include, Fire Spotter with soaring balloons for spotting fire dangers; Fire Wagon Frenzy, a bouncing ride for bucket brigade volunteers; Lucky’s Dizzy Dogs, a bouncy ride on Dalmatians racing around a fire hydrant; Up The Ladder, a smaller tower drop ride for junior recruits; and Fireman’s Flyer, a low-flying swing ride for little firefighters.

Attractions include Firehouse Splash Yard with squirting water jets and pump hoses for outdoor play. Inside Fire Station #3, which is enclosed and temperature controlled for season-long comfortable play, youngsters are outfitted with buckets, pumpers, foam ball cannons and targets for showering mock fires. (The foam ball cannons have been personally kid-tested by our great-grandson, Timothy!) Firefighter’s Fire Escape is an obstacle course of tubes, mazes, climbing structures and slides. And Firefighter’s Junior Fire Escape is a soft play area for toddlers. Fireman’s Landing has something for every age in every family.

 “As we open a new area that salutes the spirit of community firefighters, we want to celebrate the real heroes who serve and invite them to make memories with their families,” continues General Manager Brad Thomas. “From the March 14 opening through May 3, the park is offering free admission to firefighters, and discounted admission available for their families.”

Fireman’s Landing Five-Alarm Grand Opening, with firefighters from around the country participating in the event, happens on April 11. The Showboat Branson Belle, a property of Herschend Family Entertainment, parent company of Silver Dollar City, is also honoring firefighters, offering a free lunch or dinner cruise, plus discounted family admission. Showboat Branson Belle launched its 20th Anniversary season on March 7. Details on how to obtain these tickets and offers are at www.silverdollarcity.com, under the special offers section, or by calling 800-831-4FUN(386).

Silver Dollar City hosts seven world-class festivals and events throughout its season, opening in 2015 on March 14 for select dates and for its regular season on April 9 and running through December 30. Throughout the year, 100 resident craftsmen demonstrate America’s heritage crafts—many still practiced in the Ozarks. Rides range from high speed roller coasters with names such as Wildfire, Thunderation, Outlaw Run, and previously mentioned, Powder Keg, to an authentic steam train ride. Music and entertainment with state-of-the-art sound and special effects happen in both indoor and outdoor venues. In a wooded, park-like setting, Silver Dollar City is a place for families and individuals to create memories worth repeating.

~ Showboat Branson Belle ~ 20th Anniversary Limited Engagement ~ Presenting the BIGGEST CAST Ever in...CELEBRATE!

The much-anticipated announcement of the 2015 show for the Showboat Branson Belle includes the biggest cast and show ever in the ship’s two-decade history of sailing Table Rock Lake. In honor of this timeline distinction, the cast and crew are preparing to feature a 20th Anniversary Limited Engagement show with new acts and returning favorites in CELEBRATE!  The stage of the authentic 1880s-style paddlewheeler will come dynamically to life through live music and more than a dozen performers presenting an eclectic array of entertainment from rhythmic dance to America’s long-time favorite vocal performances, from fresh and contemporary to musical classics.

The new show CELEBRATE!, featuring four complete acts, will be presented onboard America’s Most Entertaining Dinner Cruise beginning March 7, 2015 at 4:00 p.m. Most cruises in March are scheduled for a 4:00 p.m. launch. Some weekends in March offer a 12:00 p.m. and a 4:00 p.m. cruise. The Showboat Branson Belle maintains a more extensive schedule April through December. Check www.ShowboatBransonBelle.com for definite departures. 

First in the lineup of CELEBRATE! will be the all-new four-man dance troupe, The Rhythmics! presenting contemporary dance and bold footwork, billed as “The Fastest Feet West of the Mississippi.” Additionally featured will be one of Branson’s own, the beautiful Cassandré Faimon-Haygood, who has become a star on Branson stages, known for a voice pitch-perfect and powerful.

The ShowMen return with each of their five members bringing his own big personality, vocal talent and dancing abilities. The lineup is topped off with the returning Christopher James, one of the funniest, most memorable comedian magician emcees in Branson’s history. The cast is accompanied by the live band, The Rockin’ Dockers.

Starting May 23 on Memorial Day Weekend, a second cast will present the noon and Sunday CELEBRATE! Cruises, starring the world’s only aerial violinist, multi-talented Janice Martin. Classically trained and remarkably gifted as a musician equally skilled in piano, violin, and vocals, Janice combines gymnastics and aerial dance into her one-of-a-kind performance.

Janice will be joined by a new funnyman, the world-traveled ventriloquist Phil Hughes. Returning will be the clever magician and emcee Aaron Radatz and the live band, The Castaways.

The 700-passenger Showboat Branson Belle is the largest ship known to be built on an American land-locked lake. The football field-sized vessel was launched in April 1995 from the shoreline shipyard at White River Landing, located on the 800-mile shoreline of Table Rock Lake. Of historical significance, and in respect to the environment, her launching into the water was accomplished through the use of biodegradable bananas, rather than harmful lubricants.

The Showboat Branson Belle is a Silver Dollar City Attraction, part of America’s largest family-owned theme park corporation, Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation.

Tickets go on sale January 26.  
Information: www.ShowboatBransonBelle.com 
or  800-775-BOAT (2628).

Showboat Branson Belle Showcases "Made in the USA"

For 2014, the Showboat Branson Belle sets sail with its popular show Made in the USA, featuring Janice Martin, the world’s only violin-playing aerialist, and the male vocal group the ShowMen. In a celebration of all-American music, the 2014 show highlights American regional songs and the best of Motown.

On the Showboat stage, Janice Martin performs on piano and violin, as well in vocal selections, before soaring overhead in a spellbinding acrobatic aerial act—as she plays her violin. Her unique artistry, which has been highlighted in The New York Times, Miami Herald and Washington Post, brings a riveting five-star act to the Branson entertainment scene.

From rich harmonies to standout solos, The ShowMen, five talented male vocalists and dancers, fill the Showboat stage with clap-along fun, showcasing American musical styles. Performers are accompanied by the Showboat’s signature live band Rockin’ Dockers, who fill the atrium-style dinner theater with surround-sound live music. Comedian and magician Christopher James is the super-funny master of ceremonies who performs spontaneous comedy along with original magic stunts.

 

Beginning in late May, a second Made in the USA show comes on board for noon and Sunday cruises, featuring master pianist Julie McClarey-Davis and talented fiddler Dean Church, plus the female quartet The ShowBelles, along with the Showboat’s live band The Castaways.

Special event offerings include Southern Gospel Cruises featuring Southern Gospel artists, presented on noon cruises August 24 – 31, and Carols on the Belle cruises, featuring gospel groups and area show choirs, presented Sundays in late November and early December. Check the website for a schedule of performers.

 

 

The menu from the Showboat’s chef includes slow simmered Beef Roast and Honey-Dijon Glazed Chicken, and the chef’s own Golden Brittle Lemon-Berry Torte, all prepared onboard in the ship’s galley. Premium dining options where guests choose from a specialty menu include the Captain’s Row on first row balcony and the Paddle Wheel Club Room, offering a private dining area overlooking the ship’s paddlewheels. Menu options include Captain’s Special-Cut Rib Eye Steak, Pan-seared Chicken with Lemon & Rosemary Beurre Blanc Sauce, the fresh catch such as Grilled Mahi Mahi, and a choice of desserts.  

The show and a three-course meal are featured on all cruises aboard the authentic 700-seat paddlewheeler, which cruises Table Rock Lake, March 8 through December 31, 2014.

Details and schedules: www.showboatbransonbelle.com

 or 800-775-BOAT(2628)
 

The Haygoods are Good!

 

 

In mid-February, 2014, the Haygoods kicked off their 21st season in Branson at The Clay Cooper Theatre. Starting their musical careers at Branson’s Silver Dollar City back in 1993, the family honed their talents for numerous instruments, choreography, and sweet harmonies. They took a chance—eight children and Mom and Dad Haygood—moving from their home in Boerne, Texas, to accept a summer contract performing daily shows at Silver Dollar City. Their “gig” extended through Christmas. Each year, Mom Haygood said they sat down as a family and decided if they were going to commit to make music for another season—or catch the big yellow school bus as it passed each morning. The decision was unanimous for the life of musicians. For the next eight years, the family grew up in the theme park, performing five shows a day, five days a week while squeezing in instrument and dance lessons, as well as completing schoolwork. The drive and persistence of oldest brother Timothy resulted in the family show become the most successful, highest rated show in the history of Silver Dollar City. Youngest brother Aaron Haygood, who arrived in Branson as an infant, summed up the experience. "I started on stage when I was two years old, so my earliest memories are of applause and hard work. Oh, and getting to ride the roller coasters every day!" The Haygoods completed over 10,000 shows during their time at Silver Dollar City.

With a generous loan from their grandmother, the Haygoods took a giant risk and opened their own show on the Branson strip in 2001. The move from a theme park to the entertainment town was more than a location change. The three oldest Haygoods also took creative and financial control of the show and began to make their mark on the show’s presentation and on Branson’s music scene. The Haygoods became the youngest performing family to ever open their own show on the Branson strip.

Dominic & Catherine Haygood

At the end of their first full season, the Haygoods reached a crossroads; they had to decide to push ahead despite financial hardships or to give up the music business and seek so-called normal lives. But music was in their blood. The siblings had known since they first played fiddles and sang at nursing homes and fairs back in Texas that they were destined to make music. They set about making their “town” show the most exciting on the Branson strip. With Dominic as music director, they began to take classic songs like "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" and "Eleanor Rigby" and add their own musical twists. Familiar songs from Motown were updated with modern dance moves and unique harmonies. At the same time, the energetic Haygoods began reclaiming their childhood by filming their wild BMX and paraplane stunts, which made them a You Tube sensation. "We finally started to realize everything was going to be OK. We loved playing our music together and we felt like we had achieved a measure of success," said Shawn Haygood.

Michael warms up
the audience.

In 2009, the Haygoods took yet another chance on themselves and their music, staking everything they had in their own theater on the Branson strip. By this time, the Haygood boys had become men and the decision to buy the Americana Theatre was an investment in their musical future.

At the same time, the Haygoods set about creating their own original music with the hope of reaching a national audience. Daily jam sessions and boxing matches led to recording studios and bringing in producers to help refine their music. Their first album "Leaving It All Behind" was released in 2010. Without any radio support, record label support or even digital downloads, the album sold over 10,000 physical copies in its first two months of release.

In the fall of 2011, The Haygoods teamed up with the RFDTV network, a cable channel distributed in over 50 million homes in the United States, and many more worldwide, to create a reality/music television show. In addition, The Haygoods moved their live show to the RFDTV Theatre on the corner of Shepherd of the Hills Boulevard and the famous Highway 76 Strip. At the same time, they retained the Americana Theatre and booked morning, matinee, and evening shows on its stage. Cassandre’, Voice of an Angel, continues to anchor the Americana’s line-up.

The television show called “Adventures of The Haygoods” did well on the RFDTV network and garnered good Nielson ratings, especially for a completely unknown group. New seasons developed, and re-runs continue to air.

The Haygoods opening Outlaw Run
at Silver Dollar City ~ April 2013

The Haygoods completed their 2012 and 2013 seasons at the RFDTV Theatre. In announcing their move to the Clay Cooper Theatre, Catherine Haygood said: “We have been looking at investing in new technology and production equipment to take our show to the next level. We needed a long term commitment to make sense financially, longer than the year-to-year lease we had at the RFDTV Theatre. Clay Copper has our vision for the future, and he gave us the commitment we were looking for. Also, our fans know we have been experimenting with new music for fun. We wanted to try out that music on the road on Fridays and Wednesdays. Again, the schedule at Clay’s theatre worked out great for us to do that.”

“We have invested in new lights, sets, and special effects and this year’s show will be our best ever,” said Michael Haygood, lighting designer and guitarist for The Haygoods. To be even better is a huge boast since the Haygoods are already one of Branson’s longest running and most successful shows. The group, now five brothers and one sister, is known throughout the Midwest for their incredible high energy productions. Combining their talents, they play over 20 instruments, sing with harmony, both powerful and pure at the same time, tap dance like they are on fire, and entertain crowds with a state of the art show featuring all styles of music from the 60s through today.

The Haygoods performing at Silver Dollar City.
(Photo by Arline Chandler)

“These guys know how to put on a super exciting, high energy show and that’s why they draw large crowds year after year,” said Clay Cooper, owner of the Clay Cooper Theatre. “I’m turning them loose in my theatre, so audiences, hang on to your seats. It’s gonna be a wild ride.”

When asked what audiences could expect out of The Haygoods this year, Dominic Haygood replied with a huge grin, “New routines, new music, a bigger production, and lots of surprises. Our lasers and new special effects will put it over the top, but the new music is what excites me.”

For information and tickets call the box office at 417-339-4663 or go to: http://www.thehaygoods.com/

"Behind the Thrills" Honors Silver Dollar City as "2013 Theme Park of the Year" and "2013 Best Theme Park Food"

Behind the Thrills is an official theme park and haunt-based website relating to the amusement industry and theme parks around the world. Established in 2008 as a source for theme park news, rumors, and trip planning, the website rolled out in October its Fourth Annual Series of weekly polls for eleven different categories in theme parks, ranging from Best Family-Friendly Theme Park to King of Halloween to Best Christmas Event.

Each category, except for Editor’s Choice, opened for one week allowing readers, fans, guests, and geeks to vote for their favorite park in each category. When the votes were tabulated, the web site named Silver Dollar City as 2013 Theme Park of the Year and Best Theme Park Food Destination.

Silver Dollar City has long been a family destination in Missouri. The park, known for creating memories worth repeating, is fast becoming a national destination park. Known for its family-oriented rides and attractions, Silver Dollar City keeps the Ozark Mountain culture and history alive, while providing the highest quality of family entertainment.

For information about Behind the Thrills, go to http://www.behindthethrills.com.

Herschend Family Entertainment Jumps Through Hoops With Acquisition of Harlem Globetrotters International, Inc.

 
Basketball fans love the Harlem Globetrotters. Even folks who are not basketball enthusiasts love the Harlem Globetrotters. Recently, ownership of the traveling team went to Herschend Family Entertainment (HFE), known for their management of Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri, and Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The Globetrotters is the 27th property in ten states owned by the largest family-owned themed attractions corporation in the United States.

Basing their basketball skills on a combination of athleticism, theatrics, competition, and comedy, the Globetrotters have been an American institution for almost nine decades, endearing themselves to audiences around the world. Their smiling faces and friendly interaction with fans, especially children, fits well with Herschend Family Entertainment’s image of “…bringing families closer together and creating memories worth repeating.”

 

Going back to its beginnings in Chicago in 1926, the team’s official history is a bit murky. However, one fact is clear: the nucleus of the Globetrotters formed in the 1920s on the south side of Chicago where all the original players grew up. When the Savoy Ballroom opened in November 1927, the team known as the Savoy Big Five played exhibitions before the dances. However, Hinckley, Illinois, claims to have hosted the first Harlem Globetrotters game on January 7, 1927, despite the fact that the team did not have its official name at that time. The name came along later when Abe Saperstein toured Southern Illinois with a basketball team he called the New York Harlem Globe Trotters, separating the two words. Saperstein had decided to pick Harlem as the team’s home since Harlem was considered the center of African-American culture and all the team members claimed African-American heritage. At that time, an out-of-town—even more, an out-of-state—name gave the team a certain mystique. Yet four decades passed before the Globetrotters, by then one word, played their first “home” game in Harlem in 1968.

Over 88 seasons, team members have changed, owners have changed, and locations for games have changed. However, the team lived up to their name by literally trotting the globe. The Globetrotters were returning participants in the World Professional Basketball Tournament, winning it in 1940. Once considered one of the best teams in the country, the Globetrotters were surpassed by the rise of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Globetrotters stepped back and gradually built their reputation for exhibition games on comical moves, fancy footwork, basketballs twirling on the tips of fingers, skillful dribbles and dodges, and basketballs sinking in hoops from 35-feet down the court.

In 1959, they traveled to Moscow, Russia, playing nine games in the Lenin Central Stadium against their own opponent, as they often did, the San Francisco Chinese Basketeers. On January 5, 1971, they lost to the New Jersey Reds and ended an alleged 2,495-game winning streak. Up to that date, the Globetrotters were playing 277 games per year. In addition to their hundreds of exhibition games, the Globetrotters slowly returned to competitive basketball after 1993.

Between 1971 and 1995, they claimed an alleged run of 8,829 straight victories. The 8,829 games in twenty-four years means the Globetrotters were playing nearly 368 games per year or often more than one game a day. This is possible because multiple team lineups tour as the Globetrotters to allow for a greater number of exhibitions. In 1997, the team set aside their trademark tricks and showmanship for a three-week, no-nonsense tour against college teams from men's Division One. During those games there were no twirling balls or hand-off displays to the tune of "Sweet Georgia Brown," no buckets of water or confetti thrown on the court, and no teams such as the Washington Generals to act as their opponents.

Although they lost close games to Vanderbilt University and the University of Maryland, the tour marked a decade of improvement as a competitive team. According to their records, on November 3, 2003, the Globetrotters’ parade of 288 consecutive victories screeched to a halt with a one-point loss to the Miners of the University of Texas at El Paso. It was their only loss during an eight-game college tour. The Globetrotters had defeated Michigan State, University of Massachusetts, and defending national champion Syracuse University. On February 27, 2006, the Globetrotters extended their overall record to exactly 22,000 wins.

Today’s teams include three female players. TNT Maddox and one line-up of players is pictured with Herschend Family Entertainment President & CEO Joel Manby (left, holding jersey) and Harlem Globetrotters CEO Kurt Schneider (right, holding jersey) following the announcement of HFE's acquisition of the legendary team.TNT joined the elite Globetrotters in 2011, becoming the first woman to don the legendary red, white, and blue uniforms since 1993.  Her success opened the door for T-Time Brawner and Sweet J Ekworomadu to join the team over the following seasons.

The Globetrotters are like a family, another aspect that matches the philosophy of Herschend Family Entertainment. On the Globetrotters’ web site, TNT talks about the honor of becoming a part of the Globetrotters’ family. “This team incorporates everything I love about basketball,” she says. “…not only to play it, but to entertain and to give back to the community. I've always dreamed of leaving a positive mark in basketball history, and this is the perfect opportunity to do so.” Part of that positive mark came when TNT registered as an Adult Girl Scout, just another way she and her female teammates have found to inspire young girls to achieve great things.

TNT joined teammates Bucket Blakes and Special K Daley on a trip to Honduras as the Globetrotters partnered with World Vision, one of the world’s largest humanitarian organizations endeavoring to improve the lives of children around the world. During the “Fans Rule” tour, supporters will have the opportunity to learn more about World Vision, meet volunteers and staff, make donations, or even sponsor a child. As its official tour partner, World Vision will have a presence at all of the Harlem Globetrotters games during the “Fans Rule” tour.

The Globetrotters play competitive basketball, but they also create fun wherever they toss a ball onto a court. Their “Fans Rule” Tour is simply that—a fun way for fans to interact by voting on a wacky rule to be added to their game. One such rule is “Hot Hand Jersey,” which involves a special jersey that members of both teams can pass around during one quarter. The player wearing that jersey receives double points on his or her score.

Another choice on which fans can vote is starting a quarter with two players from each team. As each team scores, an additional player may enter the court. However, on the down side, for every shot missed, the team loses a player. Or another possible rule throws two basketballs on the court at the same time. Only such wacky antics happen in a Harlem Globetrotters game.

Now in progress, the Globetrotters are on the move with the “Fans Rule” Tour, playing 300 games in over 250 cities in 48 United States, six Canadian provinces and Puerto Rico through April 2014. With three teams on the road, their schedule often includes a game in San Antonio, Texas, on the same day as a game in Humacao, Puerto Rico. In February, the team plays in cities such as Prescott Valley, Arizona, Las Cruces, New Mexico, and Ithaca, New York. March takes the team to Duluth, Minnesota, Fairfax, Virginia, Rome, Georgia, and Toms River, New Jersey, to name only a few locations. (For a full detailed schedule, go to Harlem Globetrotters Full Schedule.)