SIKESTON -- There were murmurs of surprise and approval from the crowd of Sikeston Jaycees Thursday afternoon as 1997 Sikeston Bootheel Rodeo entertainment co-chair Shannon Garrett read the names of entertainers for this year's event.
Garrett said he was striving for four nights of entertainment that would appeal to everyone when he signed George Jones, Diamond Rio, Terri Clark and Wade Hayes. The rodeo is scheduled for Aug. 6 through 9.
Garrett said he was able to land the group of performers at about the same cost the rodeo has spent on entertainment for nearly the last decade. He was unwilling to say exactly how much the Sikeston Jaycees spent.
Jones kicks off the event Wednesday, Aug. 6. Elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1992, Jones began his career in 1955. He had his first number 1 hit in 1959 with "White Lightning." He topped the charts again in 1961 with "Tender Years" and "She Thinks I Still Care," which led to Male Vocalist of the Year awards from the Country Music Association in 1962 and 1963.
In the 1980s, Jones released what is considered to be one of the greatest country albums, "He Stopped Loving Her Today," which won him Single of the Year honors from the CMA.
The first single from his latest album, "I Lived To Tell It All," was "Honky Tonk Song," which recounts the time his wife took his car keys away and he rode a riding mower to find something to drink.
Diamond Rio takes the stage Thursday, Aug. 7. Diamond Rio is made up of lead singer Marty Roe, guitarist Jimmy Olander, mandolinist Gene Johnson, drummer Brian Prout, bassist Dana Williams and keyboardist Dan Truman. In 1991, the group's self-named debut record went platinum. It was followed the next year with "Close To The Edge," and "Love A Little Stronger" in 1994.
Diamond Rio has had three number 1 hits, "Love A Little Stronger," "In a Week Or Two," and "Meet in the Middle."
The group's latest album, "IV," offers such singles as "Walkin' Away," "She Misses Him on Sunday the Most," "Who Am I," "It's All in Your Head" and "She Sure Did Like To Run."
Diamond Rio earned Top Vocal Group awards in 1991 and 1992 and Vocal Group of the Year in 1992, 1993 and 1994.
Terri Clark headlines Friday, Aug. 8. Clark was named as Billboard magazine's Top New Female Country Artist in 1995 after her debut single, "Better Things To Do," hit the number 3 mark on the country chart.
Three more hits came from her self-titled debut album, "When Boy Meets Girl," "If I Were You" and "Suddenly Single."
The Canadian singer released her second album, "Just The Same," recently with the single, "Poor, Poor Pitiful Me." She has opened for George Strait and was named Female Star of Tomorrow at the fan-voted TNN/Music City News Country Awards.
Wade Hayes is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 9.
Garrett said he wanted to end the weekend's events with a "fireball" performer. Hayes is relatively new to the country music scene and his self-titled debut has cuts like "On a Good Night," "Undo The Right" and "My Side of Town."
While the rodeo's entertainment has undergone a complete shakeup, some things on the field are staying the same.
Rodeo publicity director Dennis Fraser said the livestock will be provided again this year by Dale Hall of Oklahoma. "He has a reputation of putting a lot of cowboys in the dirt."
The rodeo is going to bring back a crowd-favorite event this year as Rex Dunn of Coyote Hills Rodeo in Oklahoma brings his livestock in for wrangler bullfighting.
The bullfighters this year will be Mike Johnson, formerly of Poplar Bluff, Jerry Norton and Tim Tatum.
Rick Young will repeat as barrel rodeo clown.
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