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June 10, 2008
The CrossTies Bluegrass and Gospel Show is the newest live show offering at the Little Opry Theater in the IMAX Entertainment Complex. This show and venue were made for each other. The cast gives you the best in bluegrass and gospel music in the intimate setting of this unique theater where the audience sits up close and personal like you could almost reach out and touch the strings on the instruments.
Jim Glaspy is the 1988 national dobro champion and the 2005 Texas flattop picking champion. He has toured all over the country playing the bluegrass circuits with some of the biggest names in the business; Mac Wiseman, Rhonda Vincent, etc. We are fortunate that Jim and his family have settled in Branson and put this new family show together. The show features Jim (on vocals, guitar, dobro, and banjo), his wife, Karina (on vocals and rhythm guitar), and their daughter, Katy (on vocals and upright bass). The show also includes daughter, Abby on guitar playing, “Moonlight On My Pillow.” This is a beautiful instrumental composed by Jim. Jim’s 13 year old son, Hunter, also makes an appearance singing, “Big Spiked Hammer.” Hunter also shows the audience his spoon playing talent. He has been featured playing spoons with a number of groups around Branson and Silver Dollar City. To round out this top notch bluegrass band, Jim brought in Steve Collier on guitar and bass, and Shawn Pittman on fiddle and mandolin. Steve will amaze you with his fast, and fabulous, flattop picking on his Martin guitar. He also plays the upright bass when Katy sings lead vocals. Shawn will impress you with his fiddle and mandolin playing. Between songs he played short teasers of classical compositions by the greats; Mozart, Beethoven, etc. Then Jim jumps in and suggests they all do a classical song. They blew the audience away with Bach’s, “A Lover's Concerto - Minuet In G.” The song was unmistakable but the sound was also unmistakably bluegrass.
The audience gets exactly what they hope to hear from this ensemble of such talented and versatile musicians. The icing on the cake is in the family harmony from Jim, Karina, and Katy. They are each unique in their own solo performances but when they come together in three part harmony you will be amazed. While sitting in the audience I could hear the, “ooh’s and aah’s” all around me as we listened to that beautiful harmony.
The show consists of great old-time bluegrass favorites and some not-so-old songs mixed in. Jim and Karina are both talented songwriters and some of their original music is included in the show along with the popular bluegrass standards people expect to hear.
Being in the audience was a fun experience as the cast interacted throughout the show with everyone watching. Don’t worry, nobody in the audience was picked on, they just made everyone feel like they were family as they joked with the audience between songs.
We’ll definitely be going back to see this show. It is at 2:00 PM on Friday and Saturday, and 8:00 PM on Sunday and Monday at the Little Opry Theater through the rest of the year.
Bob Cort, Editor
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Bob Cort, Editor
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