Branson's Entertainment Pioneers

In 1960 in the small, riverfront Ozark town, Branson, the makings of one of the most unusual towns in America were just barely discernible. Indeed, those at the time involved in the endeavor were simply trying to make a living, pay their bills, and support their families. They had absolutely no idea of the magnitude to which their early efforts would grow. This is the story of those first Branson entertainers as they traveled an uncharted course in a most unlikely place. In 1960 a few thousand visitors vacationed in Branson; in 2010 its estimated about eight million visitors will visit the town. It s a success story with few equals and the achievement rests on the efforts of these first entertainment pioneers. Acknowledgements One of the joys of my childhood growing up in the Ozarks was to visit Branson and Silver Dollar City on family outing. These visits spurred my lifelong fascination with the area. Later, in the mid 1970 s, I was employed at Galena, Missouri, a distance of forty miles from Branson. At that time, with a family of my own, we attempted to attend every show in Branson as well as Silver Dollar City the Shepherd of the Hills Outdoor Drama, the Baldknobbers, the Presley s Country Jubilee, the Foggy River Boys, the Bob-O-Link s, and on and on it went, for several years. We watched the town develop and often heard the skeptical question so common throughout the Ozarks Branson s doing fine, but it sure won t last, will it? I wrote my first article about Branson in the late 1980s for a book that I published, In the Heart of Ozark Mountain Country, and for that article conducted my first interview with several people who are a part of this book, Peter Herschend, Peter Engler, Bill, Bob, and Lyle Mabe, Lloyd and Bessie Mae Presley, and Bob Hubbard. All told stories about their participation in the development of Branson. Twenty years later, in the early 2000 s, I was the director of Ozark Adventures, a not-for-profit organization in Branson, that decided to archive the stories of the men and families who created the entertainment industry. Thus, I was able, again, to interview many of the same people that I had interviewed twenty years earlier Bob Mabe, Randy Plummer and, in a second separate interview, Randy, Darrell and Rosie Plummer, Peter Engler, Jack Herschend, Lloyd, Steve, and Gary Presley, Bob Dixon, and Bob Hubbard. Sarah Klinefelter, took the lead in interviewing Mark Trimble. Dick Erickson conducted the second interview with the Plummer family and was a tremendous help throughout the whole process of conducting these interviews. In follow up conversations, at least one member of each of the venues has generously given time and encouragement to this project. In particular, I want to acknowledge the story Kathy Van Buskirk wrote on the Shepherd of the Hills for the book, In the Heart of Ozark Mountain Country. Kathy was a very careful historian and good storyteller,. Many have contributed to the content of this book. In particular, I want to thank a former officemate, Karen Pugh, for her several suggestions and Beverly and Keith O Neil for their insights into Branson. The newspaper articles and book, Branson, the Music Show Capitol of the World, by Jimmy Lancaster, the tenacious entertainment reporter for the Branson Daily News during the 1990 s were also most helpful. Dan Lennon has provided information and Evelyn Fullerton, Keith Thurman, and Jean Babcock have supplied photographs as well as Martha Hoy Bohner and Lisa Rau from Silver Dollar City. My heart felt thanks to all who have made a contribution.