November 17, 2009
It was a cold, rainy evening as we rolled into the parking lot at the BK and actually found a parking spot near the rear entrance! The crowd might have been a tad smaller than usual, but there were still quite a number of listeners and dancers alike that gathered in the dining areas of this Johnson County fast food restaurant to enjoy an evening of classic country music compliments of the Stranger Creek Band and friends. Emcee Larry Dean welcomed everyone with a Merle Haggard tune, "Working Man Blues" and Josh Turner's "Just To Be Your Man." Larry was to return later with a Garry Bichelmeyer written song, "I Must Have Been Out Of My Mind" and for those who are into rock and roll, it was "Old Time Rock & Roll" and "Shake Rattle & Roll."

David Purcell's hand is healing nicely and he was up to par tonight as he treated the audience with "You're A Once In A Lifetime Thing," Willie Nelson's "Remember Me," "On The Road Again" and George Jones' "He Stopped Loving Her Today." Great job! Lead guitarist Gordon Riley and the band, Including drummer John Malone played some great instrumentals tonight including "Bells Of St. Mary," "Honky Tonk," "Wheels" and "Harbor Lights." 'Marvelous" Marvin Bredemeier who plays awesome fiddle every Saturday night at Annie's Country Jubilee got a big audience response as he playled "Tennessee Rattler," "Ashokan Farewell," "Ragtime Annie" (he spoils us!) and did a terrific job with the vocals as well on "Smoke Smoke Smoke That Cigarette." Mary Bichelmeyer turned back the clock as she sang Kitty Wells' "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" and "Walking After Midnight." She returned later with "Don't Come Crying To Me" and "Blue Kentucky Girl." Husband Garry was up next with Charlie Pride's "Is Anybody Goin' To San Antone," "People Are Crazy," Nodaway River (which he also wrote) and joined by Mary, a terrific duet of "Black Coffee."

We always enjoy hearing Art Covey sing and play his mandolin and tonight it was "Falling Leaves," Kentucky Waltz" and a Jimmy Rodgers classic "Hobo's Meditation." Andrea Harrington Summers, who with her husband have the Last Call Band which plays various venues in the area and lives in Bonner Springs, stepped front and center to sing "Crazy Arms" and "Help Me Make It Through The Night" for the appreciative audience. We would love to hear this lady sing a lot more and the audience seemed to agree. Art Covey closed the evening with "Will The Circle Be Unbroken."

Many, Many Thanks once again to Roger Hawkins At MoKan Opry.Com for providing the above blog to our website.