We returned from Branson, Missouri finding the weather milder here than there. When asked by a native Missourian where we hailed from, our answer usually got a response something like "Y'all came down here to get away from the cold?" I thought it was chilly down there. This trip was our fourth one to Branson, and we have seen a total of about 20 different shows. This time we saw five: Moe Bandy, Daniel O'Donnell, Doug Gabriel, Presley Family, and the Dixie Stampede. Side trips included a ride on the Branson Scenic Railway, two Civil War era mansions, a steamboat museum, and the Truman Presidential Museum.
The top three attractions in my estimation were Moe Bandy, Daniel O'Donnell, and the Truman Museum. O'Donnell, because of his many appearances on public television, should be pretty well recognized by everybody for his talent and showmanship. He gave us almost three hours of entertainment. Our trip to the Truman Museum was my third time there, and I will comment on it tomorrow. Moe Bandy deserves a little of my attention here. One probably needs be a country music fan to recognize him and his body of songs, one of which is a favorite of mine - Too Old to Die Young.
The strong lyrics of this song have always appealed to my sense of good song writing. It starts "If life is like a candle bright, death must be the wind," and the chorus says to "Let me watch my children grow to see what they become. Oh, Lord, don't let that cold wind blow 'til I'm too old to die young." Lucky for me I have found that song translated into a simple three chord melody that my limited guitar playing ability can handle. I've been reading lately that country music has reached a high state of popularity again because it's lyrics connect with more people. Moe's is not a new song but represents just that idea.
