My character of
Willamae was created one summer that I worked at Silver Dollar City in Branson,
Missouri. I was hired to perform in the saloon show and I loved every minute of
that job. As a saloon girl, I sang, I danced, I served cokes and peanuts, I
sold garters off my leg, and made memories with folks from everywhere that came
to Branson to enjoy a vacation. I was employed by a wonderful family owned theme park that specialized in good
clean fun. It was a dream come true. I had visited SDC as a nine-year-old girl
and said “Someday, I’m going to work here.” And I did.
There were days when
the “saloonies” as we were called, had to work crowd control, being outside to
entertain the crowd that waited to get into the air-conditioned theater.
Honestly, it wasn’t as much fun because it seemed to the crowds that we were
the B-String Saloon Girls. So with the blessings of my team leader, Jim
Moskau, (who is still a SDC employee) I
created my country girl character of Willamae to interact and tell tall tales
on the porch of the saloon. I was sort
of an opening act for the show inside. A few girls even borrowed my costume and
did their version of Willamae in years that followed.
Willamae still has a
heart for the Ozarks as she has escorted a motorcoach of fun loving folks to
Branson for Christmas for the last 20 years. In fact, that was the first group
tour I ever did, Willamae’s Branson Christmas trip and it’s something that has
become a sold-out trip with Good to Go With Patti Beth ever since. As some will
remember, Willamae was a regular of the Kountry Kuzins Jamboree Show here on
Grand Lake for over 20 years. She has been all over the midwest, and this
weekend, Willamae is getting the chance to go home.
It’s Silver Dollar
City’s BBQ and Bluegrass festival, with Willamae and Borderline Bluegrass Band
taking the stage on Sunday and Monday, this weekend. The theme park will have
live bluegrass bands all over the park (including the venerable Ricky Skaggs),
and I am honored to perform on the gazebo stage on Main Street for two days.
I’m looking forward to making more memories for visitors, and reliving some of
my own. Willamae has her washboard tuned up, and JonBoy Harden has his fiddle
bow rosined. We’d love to see you, since Willamae is going “home.” Stop by for
a listen and say howdy!
