The Worthington Opry

03/09/2020

The 1st Worthington Opry was a huge success and I couldn't be prouder of the singers and the band! Special thanks to Cindy Elsing for doing such a great job as stage manager and Vance Tuffs (VT Productions) for providing sound, the Dance Academy with Kay Prunty for the adorable dancers and Barry Roberts for being our MC!! Great effort by all!! Thank you, John!!

03/06/2020

Our next featured member of the No Name All Star Band is the steel guitarist - Don Saxton.
In his words..."Don Saxton - (In his own words) "My interest in country music, and steel guitar began when my rock and roll station switched to country. They played Lloyd Green instrumentals leading up to the news, because it’s ok to cut off an instrumental, but not a “real” song!
My dad bought me a steel guitar, and I set out to learn the Charlie Pride at Panther Hall album. I failed, but I learned a lot.
Since coming to the Sioux Falls area, I have played in I-90 West, Night Raiders, Ricochet (I wish we would have registered that name. Lol), Chute Rooster, Midnight Crossing...which evolved into Slackwater Jack, and now I’m with the Dakota Opry. I’ve been blessed to work with some fantastic musicians over the years, and plan to continue to play until I can’t carry the guitar!"
Tickets Still Available at the Memorial Auditorium
http://www.friendsoftheauditorium.com/tickets.html

03/06/2020

Our next featured No Name All Star Band member is Howard Hedger! Howard is a multi-instrumentalist immigrant, hailing from Newcastle upon Tyne in the the frozen North of England, UK, currently living in Brandon South Dakota. Howard has been playing violin since he was 7yrs old, picking up guitar, piano and singing somewhere along the way. While his accent makes him difficult to understand, his non-stop fiddling, guitar strums and melodic yelling in words that sound vaguely familiar, break down the language barrier for what Forbes magazine describes as an evening of music that was "... somewhere between ok and fine". He's recorded with various musicians over the years, and even gets asked to "comeback"... however that's usually followed by "pay your tab" or "return the silverware". Howard currently jams with Just Duet and on occasion, Dustin Evans and the Good Times Band. Feel free to say hi, and when he answers please keep in mind he's foreign not slow.
Don't miss him at the Worthington Opry!!
http://www.friendsoftheauditorium.com/tickets.html

03/05/2020

From the "No Name All Star Band" which is performing their 5th country show at the Memorial Auditorium this weekend for "The Worthington Opry" .... we would like to introduce you to member's of the band... One of the finest keyboard players and vocalists in the region... Ron Alley has played the Sioux Falls area for years with such bands as Enterprise, American Made, and the Regulators. Ron had a successful writing and studio career in Nashville TN where he also wrote with his brother Dak Alley. Ron spent several years working in Branson Missouri with Mel Tillus and Moe Bandy as well as performed with over 100 national headlining acts.
More recently Ron came back to South Dakota to again pursue a family band with his mother and sister where they play monthly at the "Dakota Opry" in Tea, South Dakota.
Tickets still available for the Worthington Opry!
http://www.friendsoftheauditorium.com/tickets.html

03/05/2020

Today's featured performer is Ty Schultz... Ty and his wife Kari live near Melvin Ia and work on their family farm. They have two children and one grandson. This is Ty's 3rd appearance at the Auditorium for a country show and we are glad to have him!!
If you're looking for tickets they are still available at:
http://www.friendsoftheauditorium.com/tickets.html

03/04/2020

Our last featured performer is Judy Johnson!! In her words..."My country music career began at age 14 when I answered an ad for a lead singer with a local country band, The Westernaires. I loved listening to country when as Barbara Mandrell sang, "when country wasn't cool.".
I have been invited to go to Nashville twice, but country music is my hobby not a career for me.
Randy Travis, Don Williams, Glen Campbell, Loretta Lynn, The Judds, Alan Jackson, Anne Murray, Reba have all been favorite artists who have shaped my country favorites playlists through the years.
I have performed songs such as; Your Cheatin Heart, Suds in the Bucket, Down at the Twist and Shout, Grandpa.
This year I will perform a song by Lorrie Morgan."
You don't want to miss Judy and all our talented performers Saturday night March 7th

03/04/2020

Great article today by the Worthington Globe! Thank you!
Still good seats left for the 2pm or 7 pm performance of the "Worthington Opry" Saturday March 7th at the Memorial Auditorium in Worthington Memorial Auditorium.
We will be featuring current country music all the way back to classic country so there will be something for everybody all done with local and regional singers! Come see your friends and neighbors perform!!

WORTHINGTON — Fans of Worthington's former "Gone Country" showcase will want to support a new tradition: "Worthington Opry," featuring a similar cast of performers.

03/03/2020

Happy Birthday honey!!

So today's featured performer is also having a birthday today!! Happy Birthday Janene Winters!
In her own words..."I have been singing most all my life and was encouraged by my parents and grandparents to participate in music. I took piano lessons and played cornet in the band in addition to singing. As a freshman in high school I was told, "you're an alto"...and from then, on I learned to sing harmonies in choirs. As the box office manager at Memorial Auditorium in Worthington I was able to participate in many shows and met John, Don, Royce and Ron when they were the band for a country music show there. And that's how I got to sing with professional musicians!"
A familiar face to many as she was the box office manager at the Memorial Auditorium for 8 years and currently works as assistant food and Beverage manager at Duffer's at the Greatlife golf course.
Janene has 4 children who all love to sing. Both her daughters have performed in Gone country in the past!
Janene will be doing Tanya Tucker's "It's A Little Too Late" at the Worthington Opry!! Get your tickets and come out and wish her a "Happy Belated Birthday!"
http://www.friendsoftheauditorium.com/tickets.html

03/03/2020

So today's featured performer is also having a birthday today!! Happy Birthday Janene Winters!
In her own words..."I have been singing most all my life and was encouraged by my parents and grandparents to participate in music. I took piano lessons and played cornet in the band in addition to singing. As a freshman in high school I was told, "you're an alto"...and from then, on I learned to sing harmonies in choirs. As the box office manager at Memorial Auditorium in Worthington I was able to participate in many shows and met John, Don, Royce and Ron when they were the band for a country music show there. And that's how I got to sing with professional musicians!"
A familiar face to many as she was the box office manager at the Memorial Auditorium for 8 years and currently works as assistant food and Beverage manager at Duffer's at the Greatlife golf course.
Janene has 4 children who all love to sing. Both her daughters have performed in Gone country in the past!
Janene will be doing Tanya Tucker's "It's A Little Too Late" at the Worthington Opry!! Get your tickets and come out and wish her a "Happy Belated Birthday!"
http://www.friendsoftheauditorium.com/tickets.html

03/03/2020

Our next featured performer is Laura Koepsell!!
Laura grew up in Worthington, MN and has performed in many shows at the auditorium like “Gone Country” and dance recitals with “Kay’s Dance Academy”! Most of Laura’s time is spent working as a hairstylist at Salon Seven and running her online boutique. In her spare time she enjoys hanging out with her family, especially her dog Arrow. One of Laura’s favorite memories of performing is singing at the country music festival Country Jam two years in a row!
Just one of the performers you don't want to miss at the "Worthington Opry" this Saturday March 7th!
Get your tickets online here:
http://www.friendsoftheauditorium.com/tickets.html

03/03/2020

Our next featured performer is Jeff Meyer!! Jeff grew up listening to country and southern gospel music. He is an avid Oak Ridge Boys fan along with all Minnesota sports. He had the opportunity to record his favorite Merle Haggard song “Mama Tried” at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville TN.
Jeff is a home town guy who has worked at JBS for 35 years. Over the years he has had the opportunity to perform at weddings and home town events like Gone Country. He loves the opportunity to sing with a live band.
One fo the songs Jeff will be singing is a very unique song. Irving Berlin wrote this song in 1926 and in 1928 Willie Nelson recorded a really cool country version of this classic!!
Get your tickets now!
http://www.friendsoftheauditorium.com/tickets.html

03/02/2020

Our next featured performer is truly an honor to recognize.... Harold VanDerSloot comes to us from Sibley Ia. Retired now, Harold worked as an electrician. Married to wife Shelia for 55 years with 6 grown children, 17 grandchildren and 6 great- grandchildren. Has participated in 12 of the 14 Gone Country shows at the Auditorium and 6 country shows in Spirit Lake. Harold was inducted in Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015. He played with numerous country and rock and roll bands for many years. He enjoys hunting, fishing and music.
Harold will be performing 2 classic country songs at the Worthington Opry! You won't want to miss Harold!!
Tickets available at:
http://www.friendsoftheauditorium.com/tickets.html