The entertainer credited with never missing a single performance in over 55 years will be back in the Rio Grande Valley for another round of shows starting Jan. 25-26 with the Chicken House Opry’s First International Country Music Festival.  “Iron Man” entertainer Sherwin Linton was listed in Ripley’s Believe It or Not in 2006 for not missing a single engagement in 50 years. He performs over 200 shows a year together with his wife Pam.

Sherwin has a deep voice that is perfect for the Johnny Cash tributes he is known for, while Pam has a high sweet voice that compliments his. They sing separately and also do many duets. Their performances have been popular with Winter Texans who voted them FAME Entertainers of the Year on several occasions.

Linton struck out on his own at the tender age of 18 with $300 in his pocket he earned from his own radio show in Watertown, SD. He wanted to go to Memphis to see if he could join the ranks of Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis and others who were making it big. But fulfilling a promise to his mother he went to Minneapolis at attend radio announcers’ school instead.

He did wind up in Nashville during the peak years of his career, and his record “Cotton King” hit the Top 10 in 1967 followed by twenty more charted singles. He was twice nominated for Entertainer of the Year as well as Male Vocalist of the Year by the Country Music Association.

In 1971, Linton recorded the live tribute album “Hello, I’m Not Johnny Cash” inside the walls of the South Dakota State Penitentiary. Cash wrote a letter of appreciation to Linton in 1974 saying he was moved by the album. It sparked a friendship between Linton and Cash that endured until Cash’s death in 2003.

Sherwin has recorded 25 albums and has been inducted into eight Halls of Fame. He has performed with virtually every country music star from Ernest Tubb and Roy Acuff to Waylon Jennings, George Jones and Johnny Cash.

Sherwin’s wife Pam Linton joined his traveling show 29 years ago. Her popular “Tribute to Tammy Wynette,” duets with Sherwin and occasional appearances by her alter ego from the 1950’s “Sally Smash” make her part of the show very popular.

Linton’s Rio Grande Valley show also includes bassist Dick Moebakken with his crowd-pleasing impression of Walter Brennan’s character “Grandpa McCoy” and his tributes to Freddie Fender. No two shows are the same with an endless and eclectic variety of music. Fans appreciate Linton’s gift as a raconteur and are always treated to some of his delightful stories.

Sherwin and Pam Linton can be seen Jan. 26 at the Chicken House Opry’s first Country Music Fest in Mission; Jan. 26, Mission Gardens; Jan. 29, Country Sunshine, Weslaco; and Jan. 31, Tropical Valley Acres, Mission.

In February, they can be seen Feb. 1 at Paradise Park, Harlingen; Feb. 2 at La Copa Hotel, McAllen; Feb. 2, Tropic Star, Pharr; Feb. 6, Bluebonnet RV, Mission; Feb. 9, La Quinta Inn, Alamo; Feb. 12, El Valle Del Sol, Mission; Feb. 13, Texan Mobile Home Park, McAllen; Feb. 16, La Copa Inn, Mercedes;  Feb. 18, Chicken House Opry (2 p.m.), Mission; Feb.  19, Snow to Sun, Weslaco; Feb. 21, La Copa Hotel, McAllen; Feb. 23, Fountains at Penitas; Feb. 24, Circle “T”, Mission; Feb. 26, Trophy Gardens, Alamo; Feb. 27, La Quinta Inn; South Padre Island; Feb. 28, La Quinta Inn, Alamo; and Feb. 29, Pine To Palm, Weslaco.

On March 1, the couple can be seen at Magnolia RV Park, Donna; Mar. 2, 1015 RV Park, Weslaco; Mar. 4, Chicken House Opry (2 p.m.); Mar. 4, Split Rail; Mar. 9, Wintergreen Estates, Mission; Mar. 10, Wagon City North, Mission; Mar. 11, Alamo Rec-Veh, (6:30 p.m.); Mar. 12, La Copa Hotel, McAllen; and Mar. 13, Quiet Village II, Donna.