Do you remember Hank Williams, Roy Orbison or Patsy Cline? Did you ever see them in concert? Well, now you can.
A unique theatre style production, known as the Louisiana Hayride, based on the historical radio show where these artists performed, is coming to North Battleford. It will be a magical evening of entertainment where the audience will believe they really are at a concert featuring these superstars, enjoying their music from years gone by.
The singers and musicians of the Louisiana Hayride Show recreate these iconic artists in costume and character. Hank Williams will sing Hey, Good Lookin and Lovesick Blues. Roy Orbison will show up with Crying and Pretty Woman and Patsy Cline will send shivers up spines when she sings Crazy and Sweet Dreams. Joining Hank, Roy and Patsy will be Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette and Willie Nelson.
It’s all at the Dekker Centre on Oct. 30.
Show creators, Lori and Gil Risling, have been touring this production across western Canada for five years. After more than 170 shows, the Louisiana Hayride continues to sell out, with people attending multiple times.
“The show is a musical history lesson from a bygone era. This music left an indelible mark on a culture that is now longing for this music and the memories it brings back and it’s no longer out there for them,” says Gil.
“This show fills that need. It resonates with the generation that experienced the rise of Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline and Roy Orbison, to name a few.”
Interspersed throughout the show will be trivia about the artists the group portrays. That, Lori says, “has long been an audience favourite. They love hearing the history. A lot of it is quite surprising to them.”
The cast of multi-talented musicians includes Gil Risling on electric and acoustic guitar, and vocals when in character as Hank Williams, Willie Nelson and Roy Orbison. Additional ‘characters’ are provided by Andrea Anderson when she appears as Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette. William Brookfield performs on double keyboard, guitar and vocals. He recreates the songs by Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Conway Twitty. Mike Melnichuk adds stand-up bass, electric guitar and smooth vocals when he treats the audience to songs by Faron Young, Red Foley, Burl Ives and Ray Price.
Take a trip down memory lane and relive the days of great music on the radio.
