SHOWTIME in BRANSON!

Travel America, March, 2001 by Randy Mink

Branson, Missouri, reigns supreme as America's music show capital

Unless you've been to Branson, you've probably never heard of Shoji Tabuchi, a master fiddler from Japan who sports spangly jackets and a mop of black hair. Night after night, his variety show, a glitzy production with acts much flashier than his own, plays to packed houses of casually dressed middle Americans. A true showman, he's the hottest ticket in town--a town overflowing with musical talent.

Mention Branson to most folks, and country music comes to mind. But the small town's 40 theaters showcase a whole galaxy of stars, from hillbilly humorists and Elvis impersonators to nationally known entertainers who've decided to settle down in this once-obscure Ozarks mountain community in southwest Missouri. Besides a Japanese fiddler, there's Russian comic Yakov Smirnoff, a Branson headliner who honed his craft in Moscow comedy clubs before emigrating to America in 1976. He's best known for his patriotic refrain "What a country!"

Indeed, almost all performers in Branson celebrate the American way of life, promoting the kind of wholesome, old-fashioned values cherished by the vast majority in their audiences. Shows are family-oriented, tow the line on good taste, and unashamedly trumpet God and country. Even the same songs pop up in different venues. During our recent trip to Branson, the blazing Stars-and-Stripes finale in both the Shoji Tabuchi show and Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede dinner attraction was Neil Diamond's "America." On the violin Shoji played "What A Friend We Have in Jesus," the very hymn that Jennifer Wilson-another made-in-Branson star--had sung that morning in her theater.

In addition to time-honored hymns and patriotic anthems, Branson shows focus on '50s and '60s rock `n' roll, Broadway show tunes, country music, gospel, and other middle-of-the-road fare that many of us grew up with. And to add an extra layer of nostalgia, sometimes those songs come from the lips of TV and recording stars we remember from the good old days. Andy Williams, singing at his Moon River Theatre, and the Lennon Sisters, who headline at the Lawrence Welk Champagne Theatre with razzle-dazzle pianist Jo Ann Castle, are--after Shoji Tabuchi--the most popular shows in Branson.

Country crooner Mel Tillis, now 68, serenades fans mostly with his chart-busting hits from 30 years ago. In a giant theater with plenty of leg room, Tillis puts on 400 shows a year and, like many Branson performers, gets his family into the act--namely his daughters (including occasional stints by country superstar Para Tillis) and grandchildren. Shoji (Mel's fishing buddy) often is joined on stage by his vocalist daughter Christina, age 19, and his

wife Dorothy, who produces the show.

The stars may be aging, but their state-of-the-art theaters rival Las Vegas for technical wizardry and special effects. Jim Stafford, a singer-comedian who had his own national TV show in the '70s and appeared regularly on the "Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" in 1987-88, wows his family audiences with a virtual thrill ride requiring 3-D glasses. His is the world's only theater with its own 3-D production system. Little son Shea, who's been on stage with dad since he was only six days old, plays the drums, guitar, and fiddle.

While Stafford resides in a Beverly Hills-style estate overlooking Table Rock Lake, many Branson celebrities make their homes in the gated Pointe Royale golf community, where residents include the Lennon Sisters, Jo Ann Castle, Andy Williams, Mickey Gilley, and Jimmy Osmond of the Osmond Brothers. Tillis lives in an apartment behind his theater but also has a home in Nashville.

Many of the performers mingle with their adoring public during intermission or after the show, signing autographs and posing for pictures. Jennifer Wilson steps aboard each tour bus in the parking lot to say thank you.

Though Branson is best known as the "Entertainment Capital of the World" and boasts more theater seats than New York's Broadway district, its natural setting holds as much appeal for vacationers who enjoy boating and fishing on its three lakes--Table Rock, Taneycomo, and Bull Shoals. The wilderness surrounding Branson goes on for miles, providing endless opportunities for outdoor fun. For an entertaining cruise on Table Rock Lake, hop aboard the Showboat Branson Belle or ride the Ducks, remodeled military vehicles.

Tourists first discovered this neck of the woods in the early 1900s after Harold Bell Wright's novel The Shepherd of the Hills intrigued readers who wanted to learn more about the Ozarks lifestyle depicted in his nationwide bestseller. These mountain folks' struggles for survival and happiness are portrayed summer nights at the Shepherd of the Hills Homestead and Outdoor Theatre, a Branson standby since 1960. Shotguns, six-shooters, horses, buggies, mules, sheep, a blazing cabin fire, and a 1908 auto are all part of America's longest running outdoor drama. In the daytime at the homestead, wagon and Jeep tours include a look at the original cabin and barn that inspired the novel. The site's observation tower provides a birds-eye view of the Branson area.