Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Trailblazers Return From Trip

Forty-six Prescott Trailblazers left Satuday morning, October 7, and traveled to Branson, Mo., to see the assortment of stars performing at the theaters.

When they arrived in Branson, they had reservations at the Stage Door Canteen at the Lawrence Welk Center for lunch and were entertained.

Saturday afternoon the Trailblazers went to the Grand Palace Theatre to a world premiere tribute to Patsy Cline and heard over 20 of Patsy's greatest hits.

At 7:30 Saturday evening they boarded the showboat Branson Belle on Table Rock Lake for a dinner cruise. The three-story lobby provides a fitting entry to the climate-controlled dinner theatre which seats over 650 guests. They were consumed by the romance of a bygone era in an atmosphere like that of a grand old opera house of yesteryear. They enjoyed the luxurious surroundings and true authentic detailing and were entertained by a talented cast of singers, dancers and musicians who took them back to the lively, fun, upbeat music and high energy productions of which showboats were once famous.

Sunday afternoon they had reservations at the Bobby Vinton Blue Velvet Theater to see Bobby Vinton perform with the Glenn Miller orchestra.

Sunday night the group enjoyed going to the Mel Tillis Show in his newly built Mel Tillis Ozark Theatre. They enjoyed seeing Mel perform and listen to him sing songs he had written and his hilarious stories.

A devotional on the bus was given by James Martin and singing of hymns by Sue Lambert.

The group returned home Monday afternoon.

Those making the trip from Prescott were: tour director, Sybil Sherman, Bobbie Gautsche, Allene Spencer, Julie Stockton, Mary Loe, Rosemary Partney, Polly Phillips, Bobbie Minor, Mattie Jean Atkins, W.J. and Blanche Oliver, John L. and Lenora McWilliams, Betty Dickerson, Virginia Easterling, Mariam Purtle, Nell Avery, Mary Lou Cottingham, James and Ann Oliver, Derald Williams, Bud Vandiver, Bobbie Brown, Joyce Bright, Gay Clark, Ann McCullough, Curtis and Mary Johnson, Von Gordon, Mary Lou Grimes, Walter and Frances Harris.

Others making the trip included Debbie Powers of Texarkana, Sue Lambert of Tallulah, La., Polly Caldwell of Benton, Pat Keen of Houston, Texas, Irma Sue Purtle, Juanita Murch, Lucille Armstrong of Sutton, Lynn Burke and Canelia Hasley of Hope, James and Wanda Glen Martin of Hot Springs Village, Betty Bowdle of Delight, Mildred Johnson of Little Rock and Rose Caler of Ashdown.