ON THE ROAD WITH BOB & SHEILA EVERHART
Fremont, Nebraska…..”Everything has been getting
ready for the Fremont, Nebraska, “Old-Time Rural Music Gathering.” “It
was a hum-dinger,” Bob Everhart said. “Sheila and I spend about four
months working on this festival, it’s not as large as the LeMars one, so
it’s a bit easier, EXCEPT we had to do our own sound and my helper got
snowed in. Don Diemer lives high up in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado,
and couldn’t make it, which meant I had to spend much of the weekend on
the sound board, but I’ll tell you what. I got to hear some of the
best country music I’ve heard in a very very long time. The shows at
Fremont were exceptionally good, and by the time the strong ‘harmony’
groups came on, it was an absolute pleasure to listen to such good
entertainment. I was overwhelmed by some of the performers. I was
using some ‘new’ self-powered monitors with the sound gear. When Sheila
and I performed on Saturday, I realized the sound on stage was really
good. So, we sure enjoyed doing all that. Sheila had to man the gate
all the time, and Bobbie Lhea took care of keeping the RV clean and
ship-shape, so even though we were all ‘beat’ by the time it ended, it
sure was a remarkable event.”
ready for the Fremont, Nebraska, “Old-Time Rural Music Gathering.” “It
was a hum-dinger,” Bob Everhart said. “Sheila and I spend about four
months working on this festival, it’s not as large as the LeMars one, so
it’s a bit easier, EXCEPT we had to do our own sound and my helper got
snowed in. Don Diemer lives high up in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado,
and couldn’t make it, which meant I had to spend much of the weekend on
the sound board, but I’ll tell you what. I got to hear some of the
best country music I’ve heard in a very very long time. The shows at
Fremont were exceptionally good, and by the time the strong ‘harmony’
groups came on, it was an absolute pleasure to listen to such good
entertainment. I was overwhelmed by some of the performers. I was
using some ‘new’ self-powered monitors with the sound gear. When Sheila
and I performed on Saturday, I realized the sound on stage was really
good. So, we sure enjoyed doing all that. Sheila had to man the gate
all the time, and Bobbie Lhea took care of keeping the RV clean and
ship-shape, so even though we were all ‘beat’ by the time it ended, it
sure was a remarkable event.”
“I got to see a few of the acts,” Sheila added, “but
not as many as Bob. Those I got to see though, were really good. We do
this event at the Christensen Field House in Fremont, and it’s an
expensive proposition no matter what we do, and there’s big talk of huge
increases in using this venue, especially since the million dollar
face-lift. Bob and I went to the City Offices Monday morning, only to
discover that the Director had quit the previous week, and they don’t
expect anyone to fill that position for at least a month. That leaves
us without any possible way to determine if we are going to be there
next year or not. IF we do, it will be October 4-5-6, 2013, BUT there’s
still a lot of unanswered questions about cost, so we’ll just have to
stick it out until we can get some definite answers. In the meantime if
there is anyone with a facility that would like a very nice festival in
their own back yard, we’d sure give it some consideration.”
not as many as Bob. Those I got to see though, were really good. We do
this event at the Christensen Field House in Fremont, and it’s an
expensive proposition no matter what we do, and there’s big talk of huge
increases in using this venue, especially since the million dollar
face-lift. Bob and I went to the City Offices Monday morning, only to
discover that the Director had quit the previous week, and they don’t
expect anyone to fill that position for at least a month. That leaves
us without any possible way to determine if we are going to be there
next year or not. IF we do, it will be October 4-5-6, 2013, BUT there’s
still a lot of unanswered questions about cost, so we’ll just have to
stick it out until we can get some definite answers. In the meantime if
there is anyone with a facility that would like a very nice festival in
their own back yard, we’d sure give it some consideration.”
“I had the best budget lunch ever,” Bobbie Lhea
added. “Culver’s Food had broasted chicken dinners for only $6. Stayed
well within stingy dad’s pocketbook, but it was soooo good. Two pieces
of delicious chicken, some corn, potatoes and gravy, a bun and butter,
and a drink. How can you beat that? I hope we get to do that again.”
added. “Culver’s Food had broasted chicken dinners for only $6. Stayed
well within stingy dad’s pocketbook, but it was soooo good. Two pieces
of delicious chicken, some corn, potatoes and gravy, a bun and butter,
and a drink. How can you beat that? I hope we get to do that again.”
“We were just overwhelmed by the talent we had this
year,” Bob added. “There just isn’t any way we can pay everyone,
there’s just too many, but we sure enjoyed the highlights. Friday’s
show was remarkable, right off the bat. Betty Rydell came down from
Minneapolis with her ‘judge’ husband, and turned in some absolutely
wonderful performances. Jay Kelly, Mary Channer Paul, and Mary’s
daughter were also incredibly good with their harmony work. Marvin
Bredemeier came up from Kansas City to be inducted into America’s Old
Time Fiddler’s Hall of Fame, and did a most remarkable ‘twin fiddle’
version of “Faded Love” with Jay Kelly. This was Dale Eichor’s idea,
and it sure was a delightful one, what a treat. Terry Smith turns in
remarkable performances every time he does a show, and what’s remarkable
about Terry’s shows is….he uses different musicians all the time.
This most likely is a problem sometimes when there isn’t time to
rehearse, but the end result is such a totally ‘different’ approach to
all of his delightful original songs. Simply great. I could go on and
on, but we’re already getting ready for a terrific performance by Storm
Seymour come October 12th. He’s coming with his niece Stephanie Snow,
so we’re sure looking forward to this great performance at the Oak Tree
Opry in Anita, and then our last show of the season is October 26th with
the terrific Bobby Awe and Dale Eichor. Fall is already here, the
trees are beautiful and the temperature is dropping. We’re already
planning our trip to Florida.”
year,” Bob added. “There just isn’t any way we can pay everyone,
there’s just too many, but we sure enjoyed the highlights. Friday’s
show was remarkable, right off the bat. Betty Rydell came down from
Minneapolis with her ‘judge’ husband, and turned in some absolutely
wonderful performances. Jay Kelly, Mary Channer Paul, and Mary’s
daughter were also incredibly good with their harmony work. Marvin
Bredemeier came up from Kansas City to be inducted into America’s Old
Time Fiddler’s Hall of Fame, and did a most remarkable ‘twin fiddle’
version of “Faded Love” with Jay Kelly. This was Dale Eichor’s idea,
and it sure was a delightful one, what a treat. Terry Smith turns in
remarkable performances every time he does a show, and what’s remarkable
about Terry’s shows is….he uses different musicians all the time.
This most likely is a problem sometimes when there isn’t time to
rehearse, but the end result is such a totally ‘different’ approach to
all of his delightful original songs. Simply great. I could go on and
on, but we’re already getting ready for a terrific performance by Storm
Seymour come October 12th. He’s coming with his niece Stephanie Snow,
so we’re sure looking forward to this great performance at the Oak Tree
Opry in Anita, and then our last show of the season is October 26th with
the terrific Bobby Awe and Dale Eichor. Fall is already here, the
trees are beautiful and the temperature is dropping. We’re already
planning our trip to Florida.”