The Sons of the Pioneers are moving their award winning music show to the Baldknobbers’ Theater for the 2014 season. It seems to be a good fit for all involved as both the Pioneers and Baldknobbers have a rich heritage in the entertainment industry.
Just about any visitor to Branson has heard the tales of the Baldknobbers and their Ozark legacy that spans more than 50 years. Amazingly, the Sons of the Pioneers have even deeper roots in the music field. 2014 will mark the 80th anniversary of the day the "Pioneers Trio" became the "Sons of the Pioneers".
Legend says the group was named by a radio announcer who said they were "too young to be pioneers." Although the original trio consisted of Leonard Slye (Roy Rogers), Bob Nolan, and Tim Spencer, the group would eventually have more than 40 singers and musicians as official members of the group.
In 1977, the Smithsonian Institution, named the Sons of the Pioneers as "National Treasures." Over the years they have been inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum and appeared in movies and on countless radio broadcasts. They were even the first Country & Western group to sing at Carnegie Hall and have their very own star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.
For the past decade or so the Pioneers had performed at Shepherd Of the Hills where weather conditions sometimes played an adverse role in their appearance schedule. It is highly unlikely that weather will affect their schedule at their new venue. This season's shows are set to begin in April and run through November. The Pioneers will occupy the matinee time slot while The Baldknobbers will continue to appear nightly.
For more information visit www.sonsofthepioneers.org and www.baldknobbers.com