Lee Mace's Ozark Opry; Lee Mace's Ozark Opry: Celebrating 50 Years

I. Know I guess those are. My. Faults. I want to welcome you to Oprah's show. We got Perkins saying that some comedy and country music coming your way. So stay tuned. Yes. You see I. Use.

To. I. Do. I. Knew. I. Want to leave my

show. Oh my God. What did you make it. So many people walked across the stage. I mean that was a huge undertaking just to try to find a lot of a lot of those people. But he called me and asked if I would help out. And I said I'm willing to be there in whatever capacity you should have me in. You mentioned that he would like to put me into. You know an emcee type role. Certainly sharing that role with Larry Liebling who is also an emcee on the show for years and a friend of our family from way back in Iowa days said the governor was coming back. Bill Schneider keep in mind when you mention these names this is like a big family reunion. So I told them whatever you needed from me I'm there because I really wanted to be a part of this. I enjoyed

it from start to finish. I was one of the lucky ones I got to kind of work as a house band out there so I got to sit there and do my part when it when it fit in. And and it was just great seeing all the kids again and it was surprising. Most hadn't acted like it never left stage. You know they walked back out here and it was just as good and just as as professional as I was. The day they left you know 30 years ago the Ozark Opry has always been about its audience too. And to see some of those audience members that you remember coming to the show time after time after time they were as big a part of that reunion as it was getting back together with the players. So even to see some of those audience members that used to come all the time that was kind of fun hooking up with them again as well. A lot of the people that I had met. When I was in the MC here were here that night of the reunion shows and that was nice to see those people. One couple in particular I think they're from up around

Iowa City. I hadn't seen them and their girls were grown up and they've got children now and they were they were here that night and it was just great to see them you know and and renew old friendships that way. That was the highlight of it for me. A lot of these guys that I worked with here on the Opry in the early 70s I hadn't seen him since we all went are different ways you know. And it was really fun to see everybody again. I didn't realize how the rest of them got old. I probably had changed much but boy I tell them guys really went downhill. But now it was fun to see all all the guys again and the girls and. We had some great visits and a lot of stories and just kind of caught up with everybody what had happened in their lives. You know we've all we was kids you know 20 years old and now we're in the mid 50s

and all of a sudden Well we're we're the older generation. I was in a in a sense a behind the scenes person and and some of the people that were coming back from when I was 14 15 16 years old you know and being here. They knew my face but maybe they didn't remember my name which is understandable you know because we were we were doing different things but it was it was fun to be remembered and for them to know. Are you still here. You know it was wonderful. I had been doing it well since I left I think it meant something like 12 years 11 years since I'd been here and so it was great. It was great to see people that I had seen on the show 20 years ago 25 years ago. I of course become friends with them now that I know that it was just a great feeling. We had a great camaraderie backstage and everybody was so enthused. I was saying hey we got to do this again next year you know meet and

let's have another one. So I would be surprised to see us all try to get together to do something again. You know I'm standing back telling stories and listening to stories with these same guys that I remember seeing when I was a kid. That was a thrill for me to be on the same show. Would have been great if my father was still around and I could have shared the stage with him. But. In a way. I think I did. My dad was on the Ozark Opry. I was on the Ozark Opry and they used to do their shows up at Channel 13 city. I currently work does channel 13 Jeff City and of course he was an incredible guitar player. And that's pretty much we're similar. Stop right there but we're. Going to do one here for him and my kids out there. They want to hear this was kind of to be to my dad just called life and I hope you like. It. I love you my daddy.

Once again. All those songs that he taught me now just. Now. Oh shit. We the good. That was what you do in the shower man is me. Right. Practice got it right. Back to pivot lane. Just to go. Well maybe from the dance hall to opportunity do what you get. He never can never find my name. No no no.

They say he's the love you. Want. Hey we've got some. Common sense to be majors right. I'd love to hear that. Good. I'm. With my father with these words right now. I remember you love with me. Those kids like to read my letter you cover don't get that. You

know it was in here last night. Don't forget that. I went to work at a local radio station here and we started as a promotion for the radio station it was the first radio station in three counties are here. And my. Friend Bob Smith from Kansas City built station and I just got out of the Army in 1953. But we did the square dance groups and it had little national attention and I followed country music so he asked me to come help him program music to people in this country who would listen to. Of the local radio station and so I

knew that all the people in this country had. Music and been part of all of our lives everybody played a little music or something in the family and everybody had a good day. So we did invite these people from all over the country on the radio every Sunday afternoon all afternoon. And we picked out a few of the better ones and started a little show to promote it would be the radio station's contribution like to beriberi over in L.A. or something. The festival of camel toe what was happening. We'd take a show and the local people are really like and what we were dealing with a real. You all the tourists began from about the time of Skogen folks started coming in here to like. We. We saw everybody that came here from Chicago. First thing you want to see was where is Bagnold am and the second thing you see is Oregon we see a hillbilly. And I thought well surely we all saw that really if we have school in Chicago in Harlem. We have the show on two or three

nights a week is as still as a promotion for the radio and for the community. And we'd be dead for that. Well a year or two. Ben Lee had a brilliant idea. If the listeners enjoy the radio show so much would they fancy live on stage version. The Masons always operate with bull let alone what I want to accomplish. I've got a lot of the songs for the next half hour. Hold on we're going to start it. Why a lot. Of coffee. We didn't really just set out to build a rock opera and say this what we're going to do with it is a promotion for the radio station that kept building a little momentum being more We've seen the television boom boom and it just kind of happened really when we started we we were kind of pioneers in this kind of team. The only other company was actually in America at the time we started. It was like Grand Ole Opry in the lab. Or wheeling west Virginia. They were basically Saturday night radio show.

We started the show. It was like a theater place where you would bring your family and see the country you know team the live stage show and. It. Was. You know I was here and I was in something else and the bed was closing all of them. But this is just another. Of. Something that I. Saw. The Opry started out in the lower level of a small building near Bagenal Bay. The crowds came but when the number of patrons exceeded 200 and had to bring their own lawn chairs just to get a seat. Try putting on two and three shows a week. That still wasn't enough to accommodate the growing audience. So he moved the Opry to its current location now and eleven hundred feet. The. Glass is bigger than on my roof. I would sell tickets and she do the office work and do all that stuff and I put out brochures in both time and part because of my claim for the show. When we jump in Supersports place I pull them down to four in

the morning. First two years we had a room in one of the dressing rooms with a hot plate and we lived with us. Out. Of

it as. I started in 1962 in early spring I just got out of high school and got married and I've done some entertaining like at fairs and homecomings and things like that. And Lee was out. Looking for a guitar player at that particular time and there were like he did a lot of time in the wintertime if he needed a member of the band for the next season where he would go out in the winter and check around see where folks were playing and who was available. And when he came up and my part of the country which is

up in northeast Missouri looking for a guitar player why he heard there was a show going on Sunday afternoon show and so he stayed overnight night. And came and seen the show and I actually was born raised on a farm and I was kind of working in the furniture business and really never thought about doing entertaining for a living and. So kind of like what I did. And he said You ever think about death for a living. I said not really and he said well let's do a couple of road shows and kind of see how you like it. And so I did a couple of road shows then in the spring with him and I thought by people don't stand up and give me a hand milking cows and things like this you know what I kind of like to do so. So I came down that enjoying the Opry in 1965. I was deejaying in Des Moines Iowa and we used to bring bus tours down and the spring and the mid summer and in the fall for the Dogwood Festival of fall colors and then we're on our way to Nashville to the Grand Ole Opry we would make a side trip and come through here and go to the

Opry. And I'd bring my family in and two or three bus loads of people. And that's how I became acquainted with Lee Mays back then and our friendship just grew over the years and we and I became good friends. And anytime he came to Iowa I'd always try to go see him. And that's how we became friends and acquainted with the Ozark Opry. I have been here since 1964. I'll tell you roughly how old I am. I was barely 15 when I started working here and I began by working in a snack bar. It was a it was a good first job for a teenager. You know as I say many jobs here have been and then I began working in the ticket office and worked here all through college came back to the area and I am part time employee now but I I come back and do

work a couple of nights two or three nights a week during the season and I do advertising and publicity things like that for them all year long. I grew up in Dallas County which is 40 some miles south of here. And I got my first banjo when I was 12 years old. I think traded coonhound pup for it. And when I was about 15 years old real good friend of mine who lives in Dallas County played banjo. It was I Harpreet. Named Jim Smith. He was here with you and me and. One day Jim asked if I'd like to come and see our property. And he said he'd pick me up at school and I think I was about 15 at the time. Boy I jumped at the chance and we got news. Old white 54 and we

drove all the way down here. Course in those days the old road was crooked as a dog's life from here to Mac's creek and thought we never would get here. And it was probably the farthest I'd ever been from home. At that time. But anyway we came here. Jimmy got me a seat up there about the second row and the curtain went up Lee and all the kids hit stage and I've never seen Jim move beyond a slow walk and boy was all of a sudden here. Everybody on stage was dancing and I mean it was the greatest show that I've ever seen in my life and it really probably was a life changing experience for me because I said that's what I want to do when I grow up. And when Roger Hewlett grew up it was only natural that he would follow in his father's footsteps. Frankie played the guitar on the Ozark Opry in the 1970s and as a child Roger accompanied his father to many and Opry night.

I remember running around back here when my father would bring me back in the dressing room and seeing all the shiny outfits and. And all the music instruments and of course all of all of gopher's costumes that he used to wear it was just a magical place at that time. And. To come full circle and just to be a part of that myself. Was just a real honor after him seeing more than his fair share of failing shows. Roger earned the infamous title the kiss of death MC but then Fate brought Roger home again. I was lucky enough that the bill Atterbury goofy came over to one of the shows and saw me. As fate would have it that next season they were looking for an emcee here and asked me if I would want to do it. Well who wouldn't want to emcee the Ozark Opry. That's just about as I that's just about as big as it gets and for my family it was a real honor for me to be second generation so it just kind of came full circle. There's a gentleman on the show Steve Talman who has been on the show for ever so he's been here for

a lot of years and. Just a great singer and a great bass player. And. My first day when we came in for rehearsal we would meet in this very room. Now keep in mind I was the new kid coming into the block. Yes. All of them knew my father. Yes had a relationship with my father even were on the show with my father and close personal friends of mine with my father. But I had to prove myself and that I could do what it is I do and be up to Ozark standards. And I walked into the room and we decided which songs we were going to do. And I got up and we ran through that went pretty well. I was pretty pretty proud of that. And. I walked by and one of the girls said that's a good song. Like that's going to go good on the show. And one of the other fellows says boy that's a good one. I like that. And I walked by Steve and Steve look me in the eye and he said you know Frank Hewitt and I kind of laughed and he kind of laughed and from then on we were good friends. He's got to put it all into perspective.

So. Roger and I had a lot of fun. He's an uplifting type guy and a fine guy and we kind of had fun kind of working with each other working off of each other and putting each other maybe in a little bind you know Leon as you say I did. I did my best work trying to climb out of a hole you know so sometimes we throw things at each other just to kind of keep it interesting on the show. I know goofy and I used to like to go up front and shake people's hands and kiss babies as they were coming in now because we had to not because we were told to because we wanted to we felt like we were really in touch with the people that were coming to leave Mace's Ozark Opry. Keep in mind this place being here as long as it has you have. People coming to the show that maybe came here when they were kids and now they're coming to the same show and they're bringing their child.

I've had adults come in. And want to set their kids on my lap have their picture taken said when I was their age you know I had taken on your lap you know. And that's kind of cool. You have to be in here all in years to do that. That's a huge responsibility for the cast and the show itself because they may have a memory in their mind of how great the show was when they came here as a child and they want the same for for their family. And it's our job to give that to them. Every audience is a little bit different. You may mix it up a little bit in the show and League of course was the master deciding where to throw something and at a certain time or just kind of read the crowd and to see what they needed. But for the most part our goal is to send you out of here with a smile on your face feeling like you just saw the best show that that you ever saw. Right here in Little Osage Beach Missouri and and a lot of nights they do that.

During the off season lead to the Opry on the road and traveled to several states throughout the Midwest. The shows often helped raise funds for local charities and organizations and were quite rewarding for the cast but getting there was usually half the fun to get an old bus out you know and keep it going and have a boat for everybody to sleep in if they needed to. And it was kind of a tough job but did you have to kind of make fun out of it you know or it would get you down because roadwork is hard work. One thing we didn't do it like two or three weeks at a time. I think when we first started before maybe even started the Opry get in cars and they'd do some things in Florida and travel always. By the time I came it was kind of involved in a seven state area five state area seven state area. So the roadwork was like one nighters maybe two nights sometimes three nights at a time. But.

Yeah things happen. I wish I kept a diary because there was some Bunting's we were. Driving by. I enjoyed driving and I enjoyed just standing there. And this is where they've been learning stuff. Even before we got the bus. Like I say I I enjoy being around you because I think because of the kid even though he was an adult and treated his business as an adult he had a lot of. I always enjoyed drive and maybe drill blow after some time than I should have some people do. But but I like the way that he drove. So I can't remember that either before we got a bus or we was kind of in between buses we would take two cars and put U-Haul trailers on them and I'd drive on he drives the other one and we'd go to these shows. And so we had played. I think it was all praise preserved in the end or somewhere. Anyway we were coming back.

It was early in the morning you know after midnight or early morning and we was going along pretty good gate and one of the tires on the U-Haul blew out. Of course had all of our equipment instruments and things in them and so I said Boy there's you know there's nothing open this time. And I said he said we are about 40 miles from a town you know that we knew we were coming to him and he said I know there's a truck stop there are all night stations we can get to and we didn't have a spare. We looked and there wasn't a spare on this U-Haul and so Lee said you know he said I think if we drive fast enough with that tire on there are probably playing out and we'll be all right. So he said you know you follow me and make sure it's all right so. So I followed him and you know I was by you see a piece of rubber you know come up over the car. Oh by the time we got to 40 miles the next town there wasn't enough rubber to put in your

ear. You know I left on the wheel. And so but it did work. I mean we got up pretty good speed and the trailer followed and you know. But like say the tire was unfixable. Yeah. But we pulled into this filling station and we pulled up to the pumps. Needed gas as well as tar. And this old fella come out with a ball cap on you know and he said I need to fill her up. He said You might check the air on that trailer tire. So we put the gas nozzle Then he turned left better. My gosh look that's you know cursing. Nothing. You're just a RINO. But. But he were saying like that it was fun. I say it was fun working with him because we'd be up in Nebraska somewhere be looking at a map here. He said I wonder what the shortest way is to get back home. Well I think this one and I said well I don't know. Look short here well you go thataway and I'll go this way and I'll make you a little nails in Jefferson City a little all that raftered.

And he said I'll mention little else. The first are unearthed by a breakfast course he usually did anyway but by coffee. And always when I got little else he was settin there you know. So it was kind of fun. Yeah it was just it was fun to to work with him and do things with him but he always looked out for you. You know I mean he he always kept an eye out. And on the bus like say on the bus tours and things like that. He let me. I love snack more in the back. I bring my wife make meatloaf sandwiches and I'd sell snacks on the bus. You know it was like a traveling mobile home after a while spending many hours on the road gave Bill a chance to practice new material for the TV show and just stretch his comedic play. On the show for so many years we kind of wanted to do some different things and so I created a current point where I'm happy with them now and that was a lot of fun and Oglander had a lot of fun with Handey right here.

Yes that Barney the box that says All right everybody the boss and Barney's Medcom going all right with the right in that they to have to use Barney the box that you've got a child around the house. It's full of toys that can a discussed. Oh look at. That. They say they've got it going on. Going on a Daffy's headband. If your child likes to play cowboys and Indians here the Lone Ranger. How about you say how. They can do it. Now this box right here if you've got a dog around the house make the perfect golf ball. You've got it going around the house make a good grab a crab. You did put the ball going today everything come dig the rabbit. Barney the bodies that were going every day that I'm getting here. How you can do that if you have a sad note Obama has a good job I'll pass it that way. Make it perfect casting call. All right did you get out in the rain you can put it don't make it rain. That's Born in the box Tuesday. Oh how can we.

Do that grandpappy can do that. And if you order by midnight tonight you'll get Barney's live right along with the jobs that are going to be managed by you. If you write that one to. My dad that's right you heard me right. And the last two to three years we're going to get started. I back at that time you've got to do Elvis Michael Jackson do you get a woman act. A lot of different characters on the show and doctor and things like that and yet the television show kind of helped the show and vice versa you know he was there again it was kind of a hassle because at first they didn't have tape you know they couldn't tape or anything like you folks doing here today we had to go do it live. So we'd be go do a TV show and then we'd drive like crazy. Who was in the car seat was probably scared to death how we got back here download which had

five or 10 minutes to get on stage and grab and do it on the TV show started in 1954. So. It. Was a 30 minutes. Many years during live show. And why only in the sense that it was broadcast as good as it was for there wasn't an audience there for the show. So you were playing to a camera. And but I remember many times when it was was live and in the early days that I worked here they did the show from 6:30 to 7:00 and then they'd have a show here here at 8:30 then. So in that hour and a half they would pack up from the studio and in Jefferson City they would go early in the day that they could get all set up before the Six O'Clock News.

And so we did the show. As it was for them to pack and. Load. Up the bass line all the way back here two lane highways. And set up. A show and there were lots and lots of it. At 8:15 we were kind of tapping her toes because I had to set the stage for about. 10. Days of taping. Tape during the day. We would practice and practice all from noon till 5 o'clock on Monday rehearsals and. Then. We do a show Monday night. Tuesday afternoon till 5 o'clock would rehearse and then do a show Tuesday night then Wednesday at 10 o'clock in the morning we'd be at Jeff's city and we would we would

film two of the TV shows two or three all day Wednesday and then come back and do a show Wednesday night. So yeah I remember the TV shows cause we were her dad and it was a it was a lot of work to do. And to get it all put together and keep our regular shows going here too and in practice for that and fixing things that have to be fixed you know. And it was a it was a job. You know that's a fact but it was a great learning experience and when you're 20 years old you know that's what you wanted to do. You know you didn't really it didn't seem like work. You know it just I I'm on television you know. And then there was a time that we did them ourselves here we purchased TV cameras and. They were taped. We set up a set in this room and the TV shows were taped here. Music has a heart. It also has a live show on our

hilltop town of families the joy in every part of the country where good country got as. Far as I know the beautiful lake of the Ozarks at Osage Beach Missouri is Mayes's those are Gabrielli and coming to you direct from the old Opry House know change gears major and all the gang with 30 minutes of the finest in country music and comedy. And this next one almost you have to tell you about Christine Moore is helping her on this next one. This is one of my favorite things that we've done in the we. Well you tell about it.

Well you don't normally Christie is a pretty girl normally by the hour on this song. I'm just not too sure about because she really gets root for less. And the way the song is you're the reason our kids are ugly and if you watch this song you've got to figure out why the kids are so ugly. You're the reason I'm riding around on recap. I. Have. A. Reason I've been drinking soda. I. I guess I mean

I now see that's gone. Ay ay. Ay ay. Ay ay. Ay ay ay ay ay ay ay.

Ay ay ay ay ay ay. Ay I see. You don't want you back in here late you're bound to drag me to my grave. Just wait right here and I'll go get the car. Of course doing comedy. You see people laugh and have a good time and I actually get something out of it myself because I get energy back from seeing people laugh and know that they're having a good time kind of letting their hair down and. You know everybody's got your daily or has problems in their lives. But when that can come for two hours and and laugh and forget about everything that's going on in our life. It's almost like Madison you know you've read where laughter is kind of like medicine. It really is. I mean people would leave the show saying you know I feel better now and I felt in years you know we've had

people to bring their grandparents I've never seen a show like this and. They would say you know I've never seen them laugh like that in their lives you know they had a good time so I make you feel good you get energy. I wish I could see I may me know why. So we kind of interact that in court. Merle Haggard come out with horns on. You know while of course you had your. Do you want the brass and all those folks came along so the trumpet fed on the show and then listen to Boots Randolph a lot more saxophone. My album is sundown. I had no idea what I was playing on here on the set over the year seven or eight different. So you wouldn't want

to hear me play very long. You know what. I do. So I've enjoyed doing comedy. I think I think it's kept me young. I mean my kids sent me a birthday card every year and kind of you know let me know how old I am. But outside of that I wouldn't really know really how old I was because. What I've done here at the Ozark Opry has has kept me and you know and young I think has kept me physically young and maybe a little back problem at the time you do things you hit the wall or you fall flat on your back you jump all five feet off on a concrete floor two or three times a night every night you know it's funny at that time and then than 30 years later when you get up I'll get out as fast but it's at the time it was the thing to do and entertain the people and comedy then my lords Nelson we're going to go on a little imaginary trip to a football stadium

where all your friends your announcer. Ladies and gentlemen your brain go for a play by play prescription of this. Great. Great great grand slam. I mean bringing down the spectators. I see the ball. Rolling. I see the boys come out. Referee. Only. All. I want to talk. I want to I mean down I wanna. Go.

Work. I see you later. It was just it was a fun time in my life. It was a job I guess you could call it a job but it was fun. I mean it was really fun. And you do put a lot of work in it. Are you put a lot of work in it and some people say boy I wish I could just work two hours and and make a living. But you work lot more than the two hours. They don't realize what all

goes and putting a show together keeping a show together and promote the show at the end. Lay knew how to do this. He didn't put up a lot of big high billboards and everything that word of mouth of the Ozark Opry was was unbelievable because. Even now after after 50 years you can stop at a place in Texas or a place in Florida or Montana a couple of years ago and people said oh it was our coffee hour we asked. We go down in that area we never missed we'd always go to the opera if we come to the Lake of the Ozarks area at all my husband liked to fish or liked a boat that we always run by we had to go to the Ozark option and it amazed me that people would come around an island traveling up and I go back to my home country and say well it's still going. So we never stopped in on the some reason they think we're on the vine when when we lost him and hasn't it's gone on still real good. Got

to come and see it some Saturday Night. These walls have a lot of memories you can hardly step into the studio and not hear you know the players the singers all the laughter. It's all still here. It's just a very magical place. I. Don't. I. Don't. You.

I. Don't. Do. Shit. For. I.

Don't. Music. Don't you for. Last Sunday night at 7:30 Lee 57 owner operator is our

coffee country music show of Osage Beach and 24 year old Lee song. Calling it the green glaze airport Osage Beach died when they were small two seater aircraft crashed in Gladstone Co. Two and a half miles from the mouth of the gravel arm of the Lake of the Ozarks. Divers from the Missouri State Water Patrol were able to attach a cable to the plane and towards the shore. Medical personnel pronounced both men dead. That was like losing a family. You know it. I know my neighbor came out. I was just walking down the road. You know I didn't know what to do. And it was really still hard. Talk about it just. Gloucester friend. Well somebody worked with somebody that had taught me so much it was so sad because we were just totally

shocked you know because he was he was a sparkplug here at the Lake of the Ozarks. We lost him. We lost a lot of life a lot of vigor here at the lake. Just not in the same sense. It was a terrible terrible thing. It. Was such a shock. I mean it's kind of like. When Elvis died. It was all those things that you just can't imagine. The music business without Elvis and it was kind of the same way. It was one of those things you couldn't comprehend. The music industry here at the lake and in the Midwest without lead. Was a very sad day. I remember I talked to Lee on Saturday evening at midnight when our shows were

over. As I left to go home he and I had a conversation about the next week. And then he was killed on the following day in 1985. We were closed. For a week and it became important that we make a decision right away. You know even in the case of a death life life goes on and you have to make decisions whether you want to make him or not. And Joyce decided that we would reopen. And I think at the time I probably never thought it would go on without him. But when you have time to sit and look back on it the atmosphere of the show the format of the show was as much her as it was Lee.

Lee Lee was the personality on stage. Joyce was a behind the scenes person. Very involved wasn't out front didn't care to be up front. Still doesn't care to be up front. But you know she knew we had to find we had to find somebody to put in that spot which we knew we didn't try to replace them. We just tried to keep that same feeling. And it's really hard to describe but. You know that that same feeling is there because she's involved with it. And she was then a lot of people didn't realize that. But again I don't think we ever tried to replace

Lee. We just tried to fill that spot in a different capacity. We never looked for another lame face to put in there because there wasn't one. I was working on another show here at the lake and we finished that show and then the rumor was going around that that that Mrs. Mace was thinking of shutting the place down. And I love the place. This is just wonderful and so I came to work and visited about it and talked to her and said I would like very much like to be a part of it some way. And I would like to see it continue. Well we visited for a few minutes and several days later she called me and offered me the job as MC. And so I took over the season. Like you said after Lee was killed which was a hard time because I think a lot of people thought that after Lee was gone that the show just ended. You know didn't go on which was not true at all. Joyces carried on the tradition all the time and the show did go on and we had some

great times. Despite the sudden loss of Lee he remained a vital and patriotic part of the Opry show. I guess the earliest memory I have of the Ozark opera I was 10 years old and I used to I used to tell a story on stage when. When we go into a portion of the show where Lee race would do the right it'll fly. And I remember vividly where I sat. Popcorn I had the soda I drank that night and I remember him. Specifically doing that song. And the impact that it had on me and I used to say to the audience listen to the song because we always did that as a recording leave Mesa doing that song. I guess I just hoped that that would make them feel the same way it did a little skinny 10 year old boy feel a long long time ago and it always did. It always had that impact with people. Leaves in the service. And he was very patriotic man. I mean he

was interested in in in government what went on and never really got involved you know politically but he was always interested and he was he was proud that country proud the freedom that we had in the country. And he was a good old farm boy but he also was a very patriotic man and we were taught a rehearsal one time you know and he said you know people aren't as patriotic as there should be some people are you know they kind of forget you know they take for granted the freedom that we have. And back at that time you know they had some people were demonstrating you know burning the flag they burn our flag and and that kind of upset him. But he learned a song called The ragged old flag and it was about a couple of guys sitting on a park bench and they were talking about the freedom and the flag and the way the flag had been mistreated and he had a way of doing

this number and it was a recitation of a song. But it was a recitation and they would do this song and you to hear a pin drop. It feels like apre we always include a song faith or inspiration or a song about our country. I've always believed that to our maker we all share everything for life self to our parents. We all thank you for giving us a big enough to show for ourselves and to our country. We all a great debt of gratitude for a place to call home. We have a tribute to our flight. For. Her.

Day after all. I'll walk through the county courthouse square. On a park bench you know ma'am said the mayor. I said the old courthouse can run down. He said no it'll do for our little town. Well I said y'all flag poles leave me a little bit. Let somebody write it on a flag you got hanging on it. He said I have seen my city. He said this first time you've come to our little town. I said I think it is. Well he said I don't like to brag but. You know

I'm proud of that ragged old for. You see we got to hold the flag there when. Washington took her growth to Delaware. She got powder burned them out. Francis Scott Key stood up watching her writing. Say can you see. She got a little rip in New Orleans with Pakenham and Jackson it seems. She almost fell of the Alamo beside the Texas flag. Much the way. Don't know. She got good with the sword of Chancellorsville when she got caught in a shallow Hill. It was Robert leave Ray Ray.

And. That South Wind blew hard on Reagan. On Flanders Field in World War One. A bad hole from a birth of. You turn blue ribbon WorldWar too. Long way up until the time will come through. She was in Korea and Vietnam and. She was just about to swim. Away from our ships upon the briny phone. Wave back home. And in her own Goodland here she's been burned dishonored denied and

refused. For some time back in Iran. She was badly abused. She's been going through. She's wearing kind of thing. She's in good shape she's. Been through the fire before and. She can do a whole lot more. So it does raise her up over morning. We let her down slowly over night. We don't let her touch the ground. And we fold up just right.

Also I get bored. I guess kind of like break. Because of muddy brown ragged. Why. I'd rather not I. Cried. The feeling is still there. I always said you know we had a good teacher when he was here

and in June of 1985 it was time to figure out whether we had been good students or not. Lee was he was almost kind of like a dad to me. My father passed away soon after I moved down here and Byerly being involved in so many things. I worked with him with other projects besides on the show. And I think he was he was kind of a like I say a second dad too. He's kind of like a teacher to me. And he was also a partner. He was somebody I worked with on the show. We worked together after several years to the point where I almost knew what he was thinking and he always knew what I was thinking when we would get on a show and. And be going along and maybe things wouldn't be as tight as we thought they ought to be. He'd turn and pull something out of the hat that we hadn't done for years maybe that. But he knew that I could pretty well come up with something. And

and so we could we could rap back and forth we'd keep things going and I did a routine on the show for years off and on and I still do it. Different areas got the idea from a fella years ago on the Ed Sullivan Show and the English lesson thing that I did and punctuation we called it and we'd be going through a show maybe things wouldn't be going as good when only kind of backup that old base failure. You know when he backed off that base where you need to kind of get up there and listen he was usually the tunes are wrong and you want to you know tell you something. And he'd say something you're very get that punctuation. So we get that and then go he knew how to bring out to lift the show you know if he could he could read an audience he could read a show and that's a lot of entertainers wonder why their show hasn't been a success. But a lot of entertainers get up and do what they like to do. They do what they want to do. And and you better enjoy it. You know that's kind of the attitude that they do.

But Leawood Lee learned to read the audience if he could see that maybe they wasn't Pat their foot on the song that they should be. And that song had to go. We get a song in there that I would like to present to you just a good leader and a good teacher to a lot of people a lot of entertainers who came here and they really some of them weren't very good entertainers at the time and I was just starting out. You know I was just running I learned a lot from me and you could take a person to maybe wasn't all that good at saying I'm not all that good a personality. He could introduce them and bring them on stage. And by the time they got the microphone the people kind of liked. You know just because what how we could bring them on to Hollywood sell you know could sell. And you know he could he could sell you if you won very good. They thought he would get all the time he got to the microphone. They enjoyed what you did. Why do you have a really hot or not they enjoy. You

me get me. To. Give you a job. Give me back my Blues Brothers little Would you buy a used car with a lead guy. I don't know but we'd looked pretty well to me. Well we got a young man here Wendell Craig and this place is so honest. I know you buy used car from him and I'm sure you'll buy this next song is good for you called right or wrong. To. Call. Me. Back when I worked here on the show. I've played the banjo and that was I was kind of bashful at the time and I didn't say much I just never did back in my corner. And.

They. Probably didn't even notice I was there because I was. Kind of trying to blend in with the corn field as best I could. But. Later on in life I ended up actually seen our own shows and am. Doing that end of it. And. So. Looking at the way Leawood Walker crowd. If. Even though we had a set a set schedule for the show and the songs were laid out in order. If we seen that the crowd was going to sleep or you know things were just. Building to a nice level and then take them back down with a slow no Barrois lazy label to throw in anything. You know I mean if he wanted to get a fast banjo fiddle too. I mean it might all be written in the in the schedule but he would do it with him because he knew how to work a crowd and he knew he knew how to make everybody sit out there feel like he was talking to them and he was probably the

he was the best at that that I ever seen any. And I've seen lots of emcees down through the year. Billy Lee could make you say he was doing that whole show just for you. Do. You. Do you see you only. Do.

You. Feel. You. I never had the opportunity of working with Lee. Certainly being an emcee there's no place for you to come in because as MCs go he really kind of. He kind of set that standard that everybody else did what I did tried to follow. I can tell you that my father thought of maze was was probably the one man that really. Was a turning point in his life. My father thought that he was a pretty good entertainer until the

motley mace and Lee really taught him how to do it how to how to read the audience how to give them what they want. How to keep that smile on your face every single night. When Maybe you didn't feel like having a smile on your face. That was entertainment and that's this was a family atmosphere and that's what was expected of you. Good clean wholesome family entertainment. This is as a highlight of my life. It's a bright spot in my life that the time that I have spent here and Joyce were on our. Family and it was it was a family atmosphere here. At the same time he was constantly trying to teach you something about life about how to handle people how to work with people how to get along with people. It was it was a real learning experience to be here. And

and he was very good to start that when you first came. Whether it was how to greet people. How to handle. This sticky situation. He used every opportunity to teach you and I and you know I did pick out a favorite story. I can honestly say that is the time of year has just really been a joy to me. I wouldn't trade it for anything. Let's go was to a phrase that he used a lot was to treat people right. And to make him glad that they came. He always felt that people gave. Number one they gave their time to come. And number two they paid money to Cam.

And. For a family. Mom and Dad to three kids. Our ticket prices are certainly not what they are in say Branson. They're half the price of Branson. But still for a family even when the tickets were three and four and five dollars were probably hard for some people to come up with the money. And Lee always wanted people when they. Came to feel good to feel like it was money well spent and to feel better when they left. And and it was always. That started in the parking lot. And park your car and it went to the ticket office and to the actors. And finally. To what. Happened. On the stage. And I think that's the reason for its success because I do think people we may not have always had the best musicians or the best singers but that we knew how

to make them good entertainers. Shows like this are a dying art I think. It seemed like if you don't have sex and violence and stuff involved in some of these things I think this TV show is is from the heart. Everybody up there is doing it because I love the music and I love to perform. And it gives. Not everybody can go to Nashville and be on the Grand Ole Opry But this is an outlet and shows like it outlet. To let people get up and be them you know the performers the tradition here I think to let it die in any way would be a shame. I just that I've always said if I have a million dollars. I know it because I can go on. This is the heritage of the music of the Ozarks. Like I said. Most all the kids that have worked here down through the years even if you. Reasonably close to home.

And you give us a chance to to air our talents that we had. But it also preserved the way we grew up like I said I grew up playing in in little school houses and stuff playing square dances and I'd sit there for hours on fiddle player with. Little Sally Goodman they'd do. You know. A dozen sets out there. And that was that's what we learned. But that's also what we brought to the stage when we came down here was that flavor of the Ozarks that I was sorry to say is is fading fast I go back home but I don't know anyone there anymore. All the old timers are gone because I am the old timer. And so those. We have I think through shows like this preserve. That a sense. You. Know music. From the early 50s 60s when we're all just

kids. It's downhome music. There's no pretense about it. There was no loud. Reverberation there's no big echo chambers. It's just good old. He called it mountain music those are about music and it's gone from the heart. It's honestly. The comedy's never risque it's never. You know it's something you bring your kids to. I think that's the secret right there it's a family oriented entertainment unit and that's what's made it so successful. And those are hard to find nowadays. You just don't find places where you can bring the whole family and sit down and enjoy a show without something being said or done that might be offensive you know. That's that's what I think is the secret of it. I think it's important to keep a show like they always are compre because because it is family oriented it's a family oriented show and family is.

You don't have family you are kind of in trouble you know family is is is big. And no matter what business you're here in the big boom and Branson hurt the lake area here the music industry hurt all of us I mean it was there for a while if you didn't have a name star. You know in your building. All of a sudden while they could be any good they don't have a name star you know. And that that hurt because a lot of the a lot of the shows had great talent in them and. They took a lick over that deal. But what's kind of funny to me now if you look at Branson a lot of the name stars are gone and the shows are kind of going back to the to the old no name no headline or star just good good town. You know and that's kind of the trend that's kind of going back that direction. And I think we really should be here in the Ozarks.

These are kids that grew up in the Ozarks and they were the music of the Ozarks for years until all of a sudden the big boom and then the stars come in from all over the country you know and kind of. Get off on the touring and. That's when they all go back to Nashville or wherever they came from. They'll still be a bunch of banjo pickers and fiddle players from the hills that's too lazy to work. That will still be looking for a job out there. We have had countless countless people that say I've been to Las Vegas. I've been to Branson. And yes those shows may have more glitz than possibly Zarqawi does but they will be the first to tell you I've never been more entertained. The people who come to the lake now don't seem to come for the shows like they used to when I was coming here years ago. That's one reason we came down here wasn't because of the lake. It wasn't because of the boats it was because we wanted to see Mace's those are coppery.

And I have this vision of somebody coming back to that eye. I'd like to see Lady Mesa's those are Kopra go on for another 50 years. It's a tradition that I hope will be here long after Mrs. Mason and bless her heart she's continued to do that. But I know times are going hard it's not easy to maintain. The crowds are falling off. Well I don't know if I can tell you what the secret is to the success of the Ozark Opry. I think if we knew that everybody would be starting their own shows and people have tried. Some have made it some have not. And that really comes down to leave Mace's philosophy of putting a show on is he's surrounded himself with good people. Certainly his wife Joyce still runs and operates the show. I think with that same hands on attention that she feels it deserves and she knows what the audience is going to like and what they aren't. And as far

as where the Ozark Opry is still remain absolutely it will go as long as they'll have a go. It's really become an icon if you will. It's as much a destination as the Lake of the Ozarks itself is really I mean people will drive from Iowa Nebraska or Illinois to to go to leave Mesa's Ozark Opry. Yes it just happens to be in the Lake of the Ozarks and yes there are things to do there. It always has been that destination and people will continue to pile in the front door as long as they leave with the with the feeling that that they got a great night of family entertainment. And I hope I hope that it's here long enough that my son can bring his family in and start a circle all over again. I would just go for.

It. So. I. What's. More. Important you or. When you focus on. Your. Own.

Life. Thanks. For. Sticking around. Really appreciate it. You know everand kind of people I go to a party they want to go home or lay some they want to go home. The trouble is they're usually married each other. You hear about my wife driving our new car through the living room through the living room. You get the car clear in the living room. She took her words to the kitchen. For.

Two weeks I didn't know where my head was spinning. I went home and. You haven't slept for ten days. You haven't. Aren't you tired. No I've been sleeping over. Already. And my little business major We put together is really paying off just this morning in one stop. I got three orders. What were the get out stay up and don't come back. You know like I say we like to share a little bit about where we catch your fish. And we like to tell you a little bit about how you can catch big fish. Jim did you mark the spot where we last week yeah put an X on the side of the boat. Oh oh. Oh god oh let me put an actual galahs down a dime. I mean what if we don't get the same boat next to. A seal group we're going to skimp on that said another. He's got a little Dubois's goal. That's

my pool. You ready go over here. Now back in the country where I was born down on live mostly on that farm raised six kids and one was you up all the year when the fields got white. We start talking about daylight on Saturday all day all the day long about dark everything else all coming down a great. Sound all like do. You get to. My house. When we go down I mean it was a landslide but the road got broken on Saturday night. Come on down the hill stop and you are

going to see a boy die hard to be 200 pounds of steel or eight feet. Wow. But please and I've never been curried below the knees. Let us have a day to get. To. You. As my father. Said I'm and ready in about a while I'm with anybody in a half a mile. I want everybody else to save me and my stuff. Brian I could dive deeper. Come on guys. He did it right off the wagon. But we aren't sure about when he hit the ground but oh god. Look around here. Back to. You.

Drew. That's my