Each year, it seems the entertainers who perform at the annual Entertainers Showcase for the park activities directors get better than ever. Very few of the entertainers who perform offer poor shows. As time goes by the quality of performers discovering the Winter Texan community keeps improving, making selection of those to perform in their parks get harder and harder for activity directors. This was a show worth staying through to the very end, as some of the very best performers were the last three acts.

It’s always fun to watch the line of activity directors scurrying toward the booking room door after an especially good performer had finished his or her audition. This year, it was comedians who had them moving the fastest. Gary Crain’s performance in “Gomer Sez Hi” had them running. Not only did he sound just like Gomer Pyle, he also did Bill Clinton, John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart and Walter Brennan to perfection. When he sang Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” he sounded just like Elvis. His performance drew applause several times.

Equally as delightful was Darlene Rolle in her role as a streetwise marriage counselor. She also played the ukulele and sang. Dressed in a dress with bloomers, an apron and a rounded-granny cap on her head, she dished out homespun wisdom.

Dennis Gaines, A Texas Cowboy Storyteller who as won awards such as “The Best Liar in Texas,” was entertaining for those who could keep up with his twists and turns.

Comedy/singing teams seemed to be popular with several park directors booking Larry and Melissa Beahm, known as “One More Time.” They do a Sonny and Cher impersonation, songs from “Cabaret,” some Elvis favorites and a medley of other songs. Larry plays the keyboard and Melissa clowns around the stage wearing props like hats and a red nose.

Lewis and Julie Meeks, known as “Juelz” were a musical team that also drew a number of activity directors. The duo can do songs from the “Fabulous 40’s” and nostalgia from the 50’s and 60’s such as “At the Hop” and “See You in September.” They also throw a little gospel into their shows.

There were fewer bands at this year’s showcase than before. Paul Pagel’s “Midwest Brass &Bellows” is right for the Midwestern polka crowd. With six musicians and a variety of instruments, they are capable of making a sound big enough for a large dance hall.

“Heart and Soul,” a twosome with a keyboard and an electric guitar, offered good harmony and a variety of music. They would be excellent for dances in a medium-sized hall.

Roger Bertrand’s “3-of-a-Kind” also had a good sound for a dance band.

For those looking for musicians, no one was better than Jake Cortez, a local young man, who was added to the list of performers by activity directors who had heard him. He absolutely made his guitar sing. He played classical and Latin guitar music. When he sang Freddie Fender’s “Wasted Days” he sounded just like Fender. Cortez was by far the best musician in the showcase the entire day. With a few more songs that are Winter Texan style, Cortez could find himself in high demand.

Another popular musician was Cindy Renee Skinner who put on a high-energy show with her fiddle. She played with zest and played with the fiddle behind her back, knees and neck. She even played with the bow in her mouth. Her “Orange Blossom Special” and stage antics sent the activity directors scurrying to book her.

In the bluegrass music and Gospel category, two groups stood out: “Alaska String Band” and “The Harpers.” also played bluegrass and sang Gospel music.

For vocalists, no one had more activity directors running than John Sager, a Branson performer who has an excellent voice. He sang oldies such as “Blueberry Hill,” “Statue of a Fool,” and “Oh My Love.”

Dean Cato, who is Joy Norris’ son for those who know her, blew the audiences away with his powerful voice and Big Band songs, such as “At Last” and “Mack the Knife.” When not in the Rio Grande Valley, he sings with the Fort Worth Orchestra and the Glen Dorsey Big Band. Unfortunately, he was second to last and many activity directors had already left and missed his powerful performance.

Rick Morganstern has a strong voice and did a variety of music using different hats and props to set the mood. He said he was a pianist, but there was no piano available. When he sang popular songs by Tom Jones, Englebert Humperdinck, and Walter Brennan, he sounded like them.

Ray Ortega performed in a deep rich baritone. He did Gospel and a tribute to Freddie Fender, from his hometown of San Benito. Being local, he is available for shows early in the season.

Diego of Diego & Edith Savrina has a strong voice and can sing while playing the keyboard. Diego lives in the Rio Grande Valley and is available for shows early in the season when the Branson performers have not yet arrived.

Stacie Smith, a Branson performer, had offerings such as Hank Williams’ “Jambalaya.” She did a believable Cher impersonation and joked that she was dressed like a disco ball.

Annette Sweet’s “Glacier” quilt was named Best of Show by the judges at a reception held Thursday, Jan. 21, to announce the winners of the Winter Texan Times Quilt Show at the Mission Historical Museum.

Sweet’s quilt had the appearance of a glacier, using striking blue colors. She added over 360 Swarvorski crystals to make the quilt sparkle when the light stikes it. The quilt was machine made and machine quilted. Sweet is a resident of Green Gate Grove in Mission.

Viewer’s Choice award went to Helen Badgerow of Casa Del Valle with her Christmas quilt, “My Poinsettia Wonder.” The quilt was machine made.

“I always wanted to make a Christmas quilt,” Badgerow said. “When I saw this fabric and pattern, I knew this was the one.”

In the All-Hand-Made category first place went to Ila Moore of Bluebonnet RV Park with her quilt featuring a pineapple design created by the Amish. The whole cloth, king size, pineapple design took her 11 months to complete by hand.

In the hand and machine sewn category, first place went to Elaine Elliott, of Bentsen Grove Resort, for her quilt, which says is an interpretation of ideas from many sources. The lone star came from a workshop with Jane Krentz, and the squirrel applique came from Jenna Kimball. Diamonds were added to create a broken star, and the final layout was influenced by American Quilters Ultimate Projects 2004. She also added oak leaves and acorns, which were hand-appliqued on the inner border to tie it all together.

Second place in the hand- and machine-made category went to Jane Pronovost of Nature’s Resort in Edcouch, with her quilt featuring Our Lady Of Guadalupe fabric. She made the quilt as a tribute to quilting bee members who died last year.

Third place in the hand- and machine-made category went to Ann Torgerson of Green Gate Grove, with her brightly-colored quilt that used 1930’s reproduction fabric, featuring 20 embroidered blocks with baskets of flowers.
In the machine-pieced and machine-quilted category, first place went to Annette Sweet of Green Gate Grove, for her “Glacier” quilt design.

Second place was awarded to Suzann Miller of Monte Cristo RV Park for her French braid quilt. The colors of the quilt were taken from photos of Iowa fall colors and matched as closely as possible for authenticity.

Sue Shatswell of Enchanted Valley, whose quilt “Caliente” featured a round bargello of gold, red and black, won third place in the machine-pieced and machine-quilted category.

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12-String Tim and Sharon are new to RGV

Two of the Rio Grande Valley’s newest entertainers are 12-String Tim and Sharon who are entertaining around the Valley at places such as Smoking Aces in Mission.

Tim is called 12-String Tim because he plays as 12-string guitar. While he learned to play a traditional guitar as a young boy, he learned to play a 12-string guitar from his buddies in the military.

“ I just loved the sound of it. The sound is much fuller than that of a traditional guitar,” says Tim. “After I learned the 12-string guitar, I never picked up a six-string guitar again.”

Tim and his partner, Sharon, have the ability to perform over 6,000 songs in a variety of styles, including rock, jazz, country, Broadway and folk music. While Tim plays guitar, Sharon plays percussion. They use background music to help set the songs but do all the singing themselves.

Tim is known for his collection of silly hats that he uses to set the mood. Whether it is a cowboy hat with an arrow through the middle, a parrot or a Red Bull top hat, he is always wearing some kind of hat while he performs. He even has a cheese hat from his native Wisconsin that he uses when performing polkas for the crowd from Wisconsin. He uses a variety of other hats he uses to create whatever mood he wants for the song.

Sharon also uses costumes to help add color to the songs. Her grandmother was in Vaudeville back in Pennsylvania in the 1900s, so Sharon comes by her acting naturally. She wears money boas and other props such the false buckteeth she uses for “Pretty Woman.”

For a number of years, Tim and Sharon performed in Las Vegas. But after nearly losing their lives in a houseboat accident on Lake Mead, the couple decided to hit the road and come to the Valley to perform for the Winter Texan community.

Tim and Sharon can be seen on Tuesdays at Paradise Roadhouse in Weslaco from 4 to 8 p.m.; at Smoking Aces in Mission on Wednesday, 3 to 7 p.m.; and at End of the Trail in Donna on Thursdays from 3 to 7 p.m. They have a gig at W&I Resort on Saturday, Jan. 23 at 7 p.m. and another show at Snow to Sun on Saturday, Jan. 30 at 7 p.m. But because they are new in town, they are looking for additional bookings. Interested parties can call 1-800-2-strings.

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