Presleys’ Country Jubilee celebrates its 40th birthday in the Live Music Capital with an action-packed lineup for fans both old and new. This season in Branson, Presleys’ is hosting a year long show celebration full of all-time country favorites, hot country hits, southern gospel quartet, and hilarious comedy. After four decades in the first theater on the Branson Strip, and numerous awards, and accolades by national media, the show remains loyal to its country music and comedy roots.
The show stars four generations of Presleys including three of the show’s original cast members: Lloyd Presley and his sons Gary aka “Herkimer” and drummer Steve. Gary’s sons Scott, Greg and Eric, and Steve’s son John, and daughter Sarah make up the third generation of performing family members. Scott’s daughter, 12-year-old Lauren, is the first of the 4th generation to join the cast. Supporting cast members include up-and-coming talent sensations and a host of top-notch entertainers from across the country who round out the show’s non-stop music and comedy.
This multi-talented cast has been the subject of countless television, newspaper, magazine and radio interviews. They’ve been profiled on “Good Morning America,” “The Today Show,” “60 Minutes,” and they even performed live on the Regis & Kathie Lee television show. For their contributions to Branson’s musical heritage, the Presleys were featured twice on Paul Harvey’s “Rest of the Story.”
Presleys’ recipe for success helped make Branson famous by entertaining millions of visitors and building four generations of fans. While there have been plenty of changes over the years _ something exciting and fresh every season _ Presleys’ continues to be one of Branson’s most popular and talked about shows.
The ever-popular “Herkimer,” Gary Presley’s smarter-than-he-looks hillbilly is up to some new tricks in 2007. Son Eric Presley who plays ‘Cecil,’ a mischievous lad who loves to dance, sing, tell stories and flirt with the ladies, joins his dad on stage for some outrageous side-splitting comedy that tickles the funny bone long after the show is over. Other 3rd generation family members include Scott on guitar, Greg on harmonica and percussion, John on piano, and Sarah on fiddle and saxophone. These talented young performers bring to life the enduring music of their grandfather’s generation and today’s music with spark and sizzle. Lloyd Presley’s high-energy performance of George Jones’s, “I Don’t Need Your Rockin’ Chair” wows audiences every night and is a great inspiration to senior citizens everywhere. Lloyd will turn 83 years old on August 30th.
Today’s audiences see the Presleys’ show in a state-of-the art theater with full video production capabilities all from the comfort of new red leather premium seats. Historians and long-time fans remember the family’s early 1960s public performances in local caves. Highway 76 was but a two-lane country road back in 1967 when Lloyd and his wife Bessie Mae, and Gary and his wife Pat built Branson’s first music theater on what was to become the world-famous Branson Strip. Back then, audiences came to see Lloyd, Gary and Steve in a much simpler production. They came back year after year because knew they would hear great music and laugh at the sidesplitting comedy, and they came back because they were always welcomed like part of the family.
Today, the original folding canvas theater seats are long gone, but some things haven’t changed at all. It’s still a family business with nine family members on stage and eight others working hard behind the scenes to make sure the show goes off without a hitch and to ensure that every guest’s experience is a pleasant one.
Presleys' Country Jubilee may be turning 40 this year, but like other Baby Boomers, they aren’t getting older, they’re just getting better!