STRAIT from the IMAX Little Opry Theatre!
5:00pm Showtime
George Strait Country, that is, as performed by James Garrett and company!! Add to the musical mix a little bluegrass and a little gospel, and this promises to be a recipe for another hit show at the IMAX Little Opry Theatre!!
The Little Opry is a very intimate theatre, tucked away in back and to the right of the ticket booth area. If you sit on the front row, you can put your feet up on the stage or reach out and shake each performer’s hand. There really isn’t a bad seat in the house – and they’re comfortable; the lighting and sound are wonderful; and everyone at the theatre is friendly and welcoming. It’s true, there are so many things to fill your time at the IMAX and it could be your one-stop for an entire day, but I especially love the live shows!
It’s 5:00! Enter James Garrett, Randy Plummer, Jim Glaspy, and Rick Quincey to start the show – all wearing George Strait western-style shirts and, of course, cowboy hats! James welcomed everyone and kicked off the show with a fun, up-tempo, 90’s hit named “Write This Down,” followed by an 80’s ballad, “The Cowboy Rides Away” – one of my favorites!
Rick Quincey, Jim Glaspy, and his wife, Karina, sang and picked a couple of gospel and bluegrass selections that included “I’ll Fly Away” and “Crying My Heart Out Over You.” Later in the show, Jim showcased his banjo and guitar picking talent on “Foggy Mountain Breakdown,” the “Beverly Hillbilly Theme Song,” and “Just Say Yes.” Jim is amazing to see and hear on various stringed instruments, as he is the reigning Texas champion in flat-picking! Rick Quincey on steel guitar and mandolin perfectly rounded out several song accompaniments, also.
Randy Plummer played bass guitar the entire show, but unfortunately, a case of laryngitis kept him from doing any singing. We missed his singing, too, but we didn’t get to miss his big, friendly smile and his graciousness!!!
James included George’s “If You Can Do Anything Else,” a much loved and most-recognizable George Strait hit, “The Chair,” and the song Country Music Television voted the 12th all-time country song, “Amarillo By Morning.” I could listen to James sing and play his guitars for hours – a true talent in his own right – and truly worthy of the chance Mr. Paul Bluto has given him to star in and produce several shows. Oh, and James has a special trick to get a reaction from the audience – you just have to see and hear it!!! It’s great, and everyone loves it!!!
The beautiful Lori Locke wowed the audience with a Merle Haggard original, “Sing Me Back Home,” Patsy Cline’s “Walkin’ After Midnight,” and Allison Krauss’ “When You Say Nothing At All.” And then, you could have heard a pin drop as she gave us an emotional performance with Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.” As always, she received a well-deserved standing ovation as she departed the stage.
James shared a beautiful Collin Raye song, by request, called “Love Me,” as well as John Denver’s “Annie’s Song,” and invited everyone to come back and see the 10am tribute show to John and other country legends.
“Ocean Front Property,” “Fireman,” and “Cross My Heart” closed out the George Strait list of songs before Lori rejoined the cast as she sang Tanya Tucker’s “Delta Dawn.”
Before we knew it, it was time to say goodbye and James and company greeted everyone in the lobby. Come see this show and you’ll definitely leave wanting to return to the Little Opry – maybe even the next morning at 10am! Hint – come by earlier for breakfast at McFarlain’s Restaurant and you’ll be well-ready for some musical entertainment right around the corner!!
Here’s another hint for those who like to eat dinner a little later and avoid that 5–7pm-dinnertime rush – slip into the IMAX and see Strait Country at 5pm and by the time you’ve been thoroughly entertained for a couple hours, that famous Branson traffic will have died down and you’ll be able to pick a restaurant, have a later, leisurely dinner, and be back to your hotel room before the traffic starts back up again when all the evening shows let out!!
Great show James, Lori, and the gang at Little Opry Theatre!!!
Sandi McKim, Editor
Pics by Sandi McKim
Addendum – Rick Quincey is currently profoundly missed in the 10am and 5pm shows, having recently been in a car accident. Everyone at Branson Critic, and I’m sure fans of both these shows, wish Rick a very speedy recovery and return!