Dennis Ivey's Texas Opry - August 1, 2009

It took 2 hours to get there but boy, it was well worth the time and the 20 bucks we paid for the evening. Where else but with TIRET's Day Trip Program headed by Charles and Sylvia Slanina can you get such a deal? Everything went as planned. You couldn't ask for a better evening - the food, the entertainment, the time spent with friends was just great.

The food. You'd think that once you've been to an "All You can Eat" Chinese restaurant, you've been to all of them. Well, this restaurant's food was excellent - fresh and hot! Seconds? Come on Bob Gruber, that was your third visit through the line.

The Civic Center's parking lot was almost full. But the bus let us off right at the front door.

There was a Livestock and Rodeo Show going on at the adjacent complex. Between the two buildings we saw horses being warmed up and readied for their performances.

The Show started out with a bang with Dennis Ivey's Texas Opry Band going full blast on all cylinders. In the first part of the show we were taken on a "Tour of Texas" on "The Orange Blossom Special." We were entertained with songs of El Paso, Abilene, Amarillo, Waco, San Antonio, Houston, and Galveston. After intermission, the band delivered on "A Tribute to Merle Haggard."

If you like Merle Haggard, you would have loved this show.

All of the band members were excellent vocalists and didn't miss a beat.

First time singers, and local groups were given an opportunity to show their talents and comedians brought laughter to the crowd.

But what really warmed the crowd was the singing of Dennis Ivey's four-year-old twin grandsons who sang "My Big Green Tractor" and "All I Want for Christmas are My Two Front Teeth." A young fiddler of nine also performed to the crowd's delight.

We hope that you will join us soon on another great Day Trip.
-Israel Morales


Attending were Marian and Bob Gruber, Tony and Dee Amante, Darin and Jewel Welch, Nora and Israel Morales, Lawson and Kay Cook, Pat and Annette Hawkins, Howard and Mary Lee Cameron, Patsy Seay, Ruth Hiatt, Sammy Brown, Charles and Sylvia Slanina and Alan Buck, the husband of our bus driver Cheryl. Bob Gruber won a autographed CD of Dennis Ivey.

Arriving in Crockett just in time to eat.



Happy Club Members Outside the Crockett Civic Center.



A Horse Show and Rodeo was also performing next door.



And this one's for you and for you.



I've got my ticket. What about you?



The Dennis Ivey Texas Opry Band: Dennis Ivey, Jerry Baker, Larry Rochelle, Steve Nelson on vocals; Kevin Carter on Fiddle; Rich O'Brien on Acoustic Guitar; Ronnie Vaugh on Steel Guitar, Steve Carr on Lead Guitar.



Future American Idols? How could you not have loved them?



Funny Comedian, “Jus Leroy,” Had the Crowd's Attention.