Two long time Valley favorites, Red Johnson and Rich Bellert, will present the “Country Music with a Heart” show on Feb. 9 at 2 p.m. and 7p.m. at the Braught Memorial Theatre, 525 S. Kansas Ave, in Weslaco and on Feb. 10, at the Border Theater in Mission at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Red Johnson has been writing songs most of his life and has received rave reviews from DJs and fans worldwide. It all started at 6 a.m. with a 6 or 7-year-old kid to be getting out of bed and putting his feet on a cold linoleum floor just to listen to a live radio show out of Fargo, North Dakota by a guy who called himself the “The Texas Ranger.” He played guitar and sang mostly western songs with a few popular country songs mixed in, but it was enough to spark a life-long love for music in Johnson.

After raising a calf his father gave him for his birthday, Red ordered his first Silvertone Guitar from the Sears Roebuck Catalog. It was never to leave his side throughout his teen and courting years and into the military where he learned to play a little better from the Southern boys he would buddy up. After his discharge from the service he began playing professionally and still does.

Songwriting has always been a passion. In 1964, following the death of Patsy Cline, Johnny Horton, Cowboy Copas, Jack Anglin and others, along with Bud Auge, Red wrote and recorded “There’s A Grand Ole Opry Show Playing Somewhere.” The song became an instant hit. It was then picked up by Capital Records and was included in Capital’s “The World of Country Music” album.

Rich Bellert is best known as emcee and show producer for the Rio Grande Children’s Home Music Fest, an annual fundraising event for the home, which serves abused and neglected children. He also acts as emcee for the Winter Texan Fiesta in Mission and other events. But what makes him popular as an emcee is his uncanny ability to recite cowboy poetry with a flair and humor that gets any crowd to laughing.

Bellert has performed at many venues across the country and has been featured on the Midwest Country show on the RFD-TV network. In September 2007, he won second place in the Reciter Serious Division at the National Cowboy Poetry in Hot Springs, S.D.  In 2008, 2009 and 2010 Rich was named by F.A.M.E. (Families Advocating Moral Entertainment) as “Best Western Humorist of the Year” in South Texas, and in 2011 was named “Best Show Personality” of the year.

Last August, Bellert was inducted into the National Traditional Country Music Hall of Fame at Le Mars, Iowa for his contribution to the preservation and promotion of traditional country music and performance of cowboy poetry.

Tickets for the “Country Music with a Heart” shows on Feb. 9 and 10 are $8 each, or two for $15.  They will be sold at the door only. For information call (956) 585-0412.