Mr. Smiff and gang are at it again. Out traveling the highways of the good ol US of A, proving once again that show business is without question, THE most glamorous field one can go into.
Mr. Smiff and band were traveling to Branson, MO, Sunday night to work all this week at Silver Dollar City. I've never had the pleasure myself, but, hear Branson is pretty much in the middle of nowhere. There's not an interstate that goes into it and it's just a pain to get to. I'd love to go see the The Baldnobbers Jamboree or maybe Yakov Smirnoff yucking it up and especially The Elvis Experience. Maybe next time. I really would love to go to there sometime, but, I'm sure by the time I get there, everything will be gone and all that will be left is remnants of Andy Williams' theater, kinda like the remnants of the Grizzly River Rampage are still at Opry Mills. (Look for an Opryland post very soon)
Said Grascals were making their way to the Ozark's mecca of showbiz late Sunday evening and they have some alternator trouble. I don't know, nor do I need to know, the story of how they made it from the middle of nowhere and found a Uhaul truck, but, I'm sure it was colorful. Something in me pictures thoughts of "Deliverance" on a dark, Missouri road, late at night..Deliverance or the Darlins....anyway,
For the last hour or so of the ride into Branson, the guys are forced to take a Uhaul truck, with their trailer hooked up to the back AND some of the guys riding in the back of the truck. This absolutely cracks me up. Remember in "Home Alone" when John Candy, as leader of a polka band, offers Kevin's mom a ride and it's in the back of Uhaul?? I doubt these guys were playing Christmas carols on their way into town. I think it was probably more of a cuss-fest than a time of shoutin' and praises to the Lord.
They're doing three shows a day and something else about Branson is there's not much in the way of cell service. I have tried to talk to Mr. Smiff I don't know how many times and everytime, about as far as we get is "Hello?!" If I'm lucky, I do get to hear the VERY LOUD train whistle from Silver Dollar City. They've got them lodging in some sort of cabin dwelling and for some unknown reason, their telephone was removed yesterday. ??
I called him yesterday afternoon and he answers and I hear all this racket in the background and he says "Know where we are? In the back of a Uhaul going to the show!!" They have to keep the door up a little because Danny the mandolin player had a near suffocation experience riding in a Uhaul once.
Yes, kids...show business is glamourous. The glitz and glamour of it all is what keeps Mr. Smiff going after so many years. Last week, they were traveling in a custom bus, with television and dvd player, all the comforts of home...this week, in the back of a Uhaul.
1 comment:
Glamour is as Glamour does. Or something. If only most of the world knew how hard it is to for an artist to earn a living. I've seen many bands arrive in backs of pickups, rented trucks, run down RVs of every description and even in cars borrowed from driven by fans or friends. I hope the van can be repaired quickly--usually an alternator is an easy one. But if there is no cell phone service, are there repair shops?
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