Gary , left, and Steve Presley sharing memories about their first 50 years on the Branson Strip .

The first 2017 performance of Presleys’ Country Jubilee, on March 10, will be the beginning of the Presley family’s 50^th year performing in Branson. During a recent interview, Gary Presley said, “When we originally opened, as the ‘Mountain Music Theatre,’ on June 30, 1967, it was a cooperative family effort. That same family effort, our love for one another, and what we do, has blessed us throughout these first 50 years,” he continued.

Going back to those early days, Presley said that he; his two sisters, Deanna and Janice; and dad, Lloyd played at “Fantastic Caverns” in Springfield, Missouri. In about 1962, separately, he also played “Herkimer” and was the comedian in the “Underground Theatre Show” near Kimberling City. It was in a cave located in the same valley as “Talking Rock Caverns.” The show featured Bob White, Slim Wilson, Speedy Haworth, others, and occasionally, Red Foley.

Around 1964, some of the cast members quit. Lloyd and his two sisters, Deanna and Janice, came and performed a few shows with us in the cave. The idea for a theatre on Highway 76 in Branson started to take root around that time.

Highway 76 was a two-lane road, outside of the Branson City limits, that tourists used to travel to the growing “Silver Dollar City,” “Shepherd of the Hills,” and “Table Rock Lake.” Presley said that the theatre becoming a reality was a family effort involving four couples. The original partners were his Mom, Bessie, and Dad, Lloyd; he and his wife Pat; his sister Deanna and her husband David Drennon; and Larry and Francis Drennon, David’s parents.

“We got together and decided that if we could put a building on Highway 76 we might have a few people show up,” he said. He points out that the move from that point to opening the theatre was a co-operative effort of all the partners. “It never would have been built without the effort and sacrifice of the total family,” he added.

As the theatre took form, a show was developing along the format that Lee Mace’s “Ozark Opry” was using so successfully in the Lake of the Ozarks. Based on short sets of country music broken up by comedy, it fit in ideally with the Presley family’s talents.

The musical talent of the Presley family Lloyd, Janice, Deanna and her husband David, Steve, and Gary, supplemented with other cast members, addressed the music. Add the comedy of Gary as “Herkimer” and the result was an ideal fit for the Presley family.

Steve Presley pointed out that, if show didn’t make it, they had a backup plan. Although only ten years old at the time the building was built, he recalled that it was built with a flat floor and huge double doors in the back. The thinking was that if things didn’t work out with the show the building could be used to store boats. Well, it’s worked pretty good so far! As Lloyd Presley once, smilingly said to his sons, “Tell you what…we never had to store any boats in the theatre, did we boys?”

“No sir, you sure didn’t!” That building, and the Presley family has become a constant beacon for the spirit of Branson’s family entertainment and what it represents. Their talent and that of the cast performing with them in Presleys’ Country Jubilee has entertained, and continues to entertain, millions of Branson visitors.

It’s an entertainment experience blessed with the innate ability of the Presleys to communicate their genuine love for what they are doing, each other, and family, to their audience. For 50 years, and counting, they have created wonderful Branson memories as they inspire and entertain Branson audiences. Congratulations and thank you!

Is this a New Year’s Eve celebration of legendary proportions or what?

“Things will really be jumping on New Year’s Eve in Branson,” said Preston Garrison, Director of Operations for the Branson Tourism Center. “With a wonderful variety of ways to bring in the New Year including a party aboard Main Street Marina’s 100-foot luxury yacht Landing Princess, major fireworks displays, celebrations at hotels and other venues, and of course the famed Branson Show’s New Year’s Eve Celebrations, it’s hard to imagine a better way to welcome in the New Year than by celebrating its arrival in Branson,” he added.

He points out that it’s the titles of two of those shows, Legends in Concert and the Million Dollar Quartet, that provides Branson New Year’s Eve revelers with the opportunity to participate in a “legendary million dollar New Year’s Eve Celebration.” While having to pick one of the two, because they are both presented at the same time, each is a unique, extremely entertaining, and exciting way to celebrate the end of 2016 and the ringing in of 2017.

Where else would one expect the “legendary” celebration to come from, but Legends in Concert “We are so excited about our New Year’s Eve Celebration,” said Jeannie Horton, the General Manager for Branson’s Legends in Concert. “What could be a better way of ringing out the old year and ringing in the New Year than an exciting entertaining New Year’s Eve party at the iconic Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Theatre in Branson with the legendary ‘Frank Sinatra,’ ‘Adele,’ ‘George Strait,’ ‘The Blues Brothers, ‘Elvis Presley,’ and special guest ‘Cher,’” she added.

The festivities start as the doors to the auditorium open at 8:30 PM and revelers receive a celebration package with party favors, hats, noise makers, beads, and more, along with a deluxe box lunch consisting of a delicious croissant sandwich, potato salad, dessert and beverage. As they enter the auditorium they may pose, decked out in their full New Year’s Eve regalia, with the stars of the show. Alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase and may be taken into the auditorium to enjoy.

At 9:30 PM the party continues with a performance of the of the amazing Legends in Concert show including performances by Legends in Concert’s Frank Sinatra, Adele, George Strait, The Blues Brothers, Elvis Presley, special guest Cher, and the Legends in Concert Dancers and Band. As millions have discovered, the result is a one of a kind awesome musical production that is, in and of itself, a truly legendary entertainment experience!

The mid-night countdown, welcoming in the New Year is a spectacular event done as only Legends in Concert can do it. The show’s cast will come out on stage and countdown to the New Year with the audience amid an awesome celebration of streamers, confetti, celebratory noise makers, and join in the singing of the traditional “Auld Lang Syne.” Horton promises that it will be a wonderful memorable evening from beginning to end, and is absolutely a great way to start 2017.

How about celebrating New Year’s Eve with the Miilion Dollar Quartet?

Although the actual 60^th anniversary of the actual jam session that started it all will be celebrated on December 4^th, Susan Smith, the Director of Sales & Marketing for Welk Resorts, said that the Million Dollar Quartet’s New Year’s Eve Celebration will be an entertaining, exciting, and memorable end to the 60^th year of that famous jam session. She said that the evening starts off at 8:30 PM with heavy hors d’oeuvres including sliders and variety of hot dishes. Alcoholic beverages will be available for sale from the lounge and are permitted in the theatre for both the show and the midnight celebration.

At 9:45 PM the popular Million Dollar Quartet show will be presented. The show is based on the most famous impromptu jam session of all time that took place in the Memphis studios of Sun Records on December, 4, 1956. It included Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley and, but for a recording that remained forgotten in the library of Sun Records for decades, would have been forgotten. The recordings were discovered by a new owner of Sun Records and released in 1981. The stage musical Million Dollar Quartet, written by Floyd Mutrux and Colin Escott, based on that music and what transpired at the original “Million Dollar Quartet” jam session, premiered in 2007. Since then, this smash hit musical, has played in Chicago, Broadway, Las Vegas, toured extensively in the US and internationally, and has a production in Branson, Missouri, at the Welk Resort Theatre.

Smith said that after the show the audience will come out to the lobby where they will get their sparkling grape juice for the midnight toast, some neat party favors, including glow sticks, noise makers, hats, and everything else needed to celebrate the New Year. There will also be a photo station where they “can dress up and take photos.”

“Then we’ll go back in the theatre for the New Year’s countdown on our giant screen with a huge balloon drop at midnight,” she said. “But it’s not over yet; because at 12:01 AM, on January 1, 2017, the Million Dollar Quartet will come back out on stage to start the New Year off in spectacular fashion with an energetic and exciting 20 minute after party jam session,” she added.

For more information or tickets to either Legends in Concert or the Million Dollar Quartet New Year’s Eve celebration, please contact the Branson Tourism Center, one of Branson’s largest and most respected vacation planning services and sellers of almost 5 million Branson show and attraction tickets by calling 1-800-785-1550 or through their website www.BransonTourismCenter.com.