Chief Sarcoxie Days-saturday evening

Bill Myrick · From: Pea Ridge, Ar. (deceased)

What a special and memorable evening for my wife and I !!! We arrived early enough that we could look over the grounds and see the sites. 4-H kids there with their exhibit animals keeping them washed and fresh, all the bells and whistles that used to go with small town get-togethers from our past that we have missed so very much !
As music lovers and past performers in Iowa, this evening will be very special for us. We will be blessed with meeting two more wonderful people that we can now count amoung our friends.
As promised by Larry, Laney and Russ Hicks from Nashville came to entertain about 2,000 very appreciative rural people in grand country fashion!
Lest I forget, I'll mention here how country music folks often help each other in ways that are rare today -- Steve Matlock and family made the trip back from Branson to loan Russ his equipment as Laney and Russ were enroute to Los Angeles taking a car out to their daughter and flying back to Nashville, thus saving them lugging his equipment all that way. Steve has a double ten Zum and a new Webb amp and you'd never have known but what Russ had been playing it all his life ! Who do you compliment first in this duo ? I have had the pleasure of hearing Russ before a time or two so I was well aware of his abilities but this was the first time I have heard Laney and him perform together. How do I put this into words ?? My wife is one heck of a country singer in her own right (although hard to get her to sing much anymore) still sounds more like Loretta than Loretta does--she did most of Loretta and Connie's songs in the Iowa days and she's a darned good judge of their music ; more so than the average person. Well, she sat there beside me not saying a word, listening to Laney and hearing shades of Weldon behind her -- after a couple or three numbers, she looked at me and couldn't say anything--too choked up !!
We both sat there with lumps in our throats, remembering, enjoying and basking in the relief of present day "hurry" with nostalgia of our earlier, simpler, younger days and enjoying this wonderful young American couple share their gift with this small town rural people who rarely see this anymore !
Our friend John Terry did some wonderful instrumental work on both fiddle and lead guitar as usual. Russ and him ended the evening with a fireball version of Orange Blossum and to borrow a phrase from my friend Larry King-- it was plumb scarey !!!
What can I say about Laney and Russ that hasn't been said on here a thousand times before ?
Maybe just my wife and my's impression --friendly, humble, down to earth, warm, sincerely friendly, very, very talented and entertaining American couple who honestly care about people.
I can tell you this much first hand --those rural people of southwest Missouri loved them and their music and that tells it all ; after all,, those people have impeccable taste -- they are the corner stones of this great country and too often we forget that until something like this wonderful week end jumps up and reminds us !!
I would encourage all country music fans to obtain a copy of of Laney's two CD's ; "A Tribute To Connie" and "Matters of the Heart" which features Buddy on "A Love Like This/Nameless Shuffle"
What a wonderful weekend !! Thank you Laney and Russ--Thank you Larry King and The Stage Hands band--thank you people of Sarcoxie community and thank you God for reminding us that we still live in the greatest land in the world where good still does indeed prevail over evil---you just have to get off the beaten path sometimes to find it !!! -

[This message was edited by Bill Myrick on 12 September 2004 at 09:07 AM.]

[This message was edited by Bill Myrick on 12 September 2004 at 09:20 AM.]

Larry King · From: Watts, Oklahoma, USA

Gosh dang....how do you follow up on a post like this..except to say that NOTHING our friend Bill had to say was understated...they were/are an amazing couple and the easiest to work with at that level of talent. I've been encouraging folks to make this show and it surpassed my expectations....I'm gonna do it again..next year if not sooner. Let me add my thanks to Steve Matlock..I've known Steve since 1988 and know how particular he is with his equipment(that's why it's nice) and without any reluctance he brought his gear down to accomodate Russ' situation..thanks buddy..just a Zum and a Webb...nada mas. Bill is correct...we experienced "small town USA" with all the simplicity that we have somehow gotten away from...progress, in this case, is not a good thing. Thanks Bill, for your observations...you are right on. Finally, all you players should make it a point to get Russ' "On the 'C' Side"..this lad is incredible.

Bill Myrick · From: Pea Ridge, Ar. (deceased)

'Welcome Larry and I'd be remiss if not to mention and thank Larry on behalf of all the performers and spectators alike for the huge amount of effort he put into organizing the music he had part in. I have done enough of this in years past to know the amount of headaches and efforts that go into making everything happen in the fashion he accomplished at this event ! He also helped with the last group on saturday night--Larry Tatum and Palomino Moon. You just can't hook Larry wrong !! Great job man--thanks so much for all your time and efforts !!! -

Steve Matlock · From: Bentonville, AR USA

Bill, so glad you and your wife had a great time at Sarcoxie. It really was like stepping back in time. I've been able to play that gig several times and have enjoyed it every time. My wife and four girls enjoyed it as much as I did. That nostalgic small town square with 100+ year old tree's overhead makes a great backdrop to play under. Larry King and Jeff Tatum really put together an entertaining line up for this hardcore country fan. They also had a really good bluegrass band that played on Saturday prior to Russ and Laney's super show. That Laney really knows how to milk a country song for all its worth, and Russ played some great steel!

Steve

Bill Myrick · From: Pea Ridge, Ar. (deceased)

It was indeed a memory trip huh Steve ? Your new Webb sounded great both with your playing and Russ'. Folks make no mistake about it, this young Branson lad can flat play a country steel the way you enjoy it !! He was putting that Zum through it's paces the way it was built for and of coarse the excellant fiddle playing and vocals of John Terry and Larry King with vocals and a great bass rounded out the evening friday night with some wonderful country entertainment !! Can John Terry sing a country song ?????? OH yeah !!!!-

Russ Hicks · From: Pegram, Tennessee, USA

Hey Bill...thanks for all the kind words...we did meet some great people that night as well as seeing some old friends...many thanks to Larry and Jeff for having us and especially to Steve Matlock for the use of his great equipment....not only did he bring it to the show for me but he also set it up and took it down without my help (cad that I am)...I won't soon forget that favor, Steve, and look forward to the opportunity to return it.
Hey Bill, this is Laney.
We're finally back home from what has been a long, but most enjoyable, trip across country. I'm so glad you put into words how we all felt about the "setting" for our show. "Our show"- it would be much more accurate to refer to that special evening as "our trip to the fair in Sarcoxie", because really we found ourselves more emersed in the down-home atmosphere of the townspeople and their obvious love of country music than the usual "show" atmosphere. Larry King, who goes down in our book forever as a no. 1 conscientious band leader (no rehearsals, he just made sure he called the right guys to play, and he, himself, as the all important bass player had obviously done his homework and has a "veteran musician's" ear)deserves much praise and our thanks for inviting us to Sarcoxie. It felt like we were at a huge picnic with old friends reviving songs we all love, one after another. It was personal standing in that charming old town-square gazebo surrounded by people who "knew the words", and were there for the music and the traditional American way of gathering together. And yes, I capped off a perfect evening by sharing a sinfully sweet and delicious funnel cake with Larry's amazingly youthful (eighty year old) Mama.
Hope we get to go back and do that again sometime.

Larry King · From: Watts, Oklahoma, USA

Russ and Laney....me and 'ol Jeff are sitting here reading your kind words... thank you very much..glad you're back home. FYI, the "commitee" have already met and you are a definite for the '05 schedule...they loved 'ya and DEMANDED that we bring you back next year...cain't ( that's different from can't) wait for y'all to return. Miss Laney, I'll be calling you soon...right now gotta leave for Louisiana. Russ, loved your "C" side instrumental C D....got sumpin really funny to tell you when I can.

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