Great music for a great cause

For 23 years, Friends of Bluebonnet Opry has provided great music for a great cause every third Thursday of the month at Silver Wings Ballroom, 4100 Hwy. 105 in Brenham.

The music continues Thursday, Aug. 19, with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. and the show starting at 7:30 p.m. Performing on the Silver Wing’s Ballroom stage that night are Sean Orr, Valerie Lee and Howard Davenport accompanied by the Bluebonnet Opry House Band.

Tickets for the show are $7, and proceeds are donated to Hospice Brazos Valley. The grill will be open with great tasting food available and adult beverages will be available for purchase. Door prizes will also be drawn.

The music: Sean Orr – A seventh generation

Sean Orr – A seventh generation Texan from Bastrop, Sean learned to sing and play the fiddle in the honkytonks and dancehalls across the State of Texas. He later toured across America’s west and south as both a front man and a side-man in countless country bands.

In recent years he played festivals in Canada and Europe and had the privilege of representing Texas, singing and playing fiddle at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. He has worked at Texas A&M University as a “guest resident” teaching all things fiddle!

Presently he fronts Texas Gold, a band known for their unapologetic, high-energy Texas Swing, Honky Tonk and Cajun offerings. He also fronts Celtic Texas, performing Irish and Scottish music with Texas brogue. In addition, he’s an in-demand studio musician and guest fiddler for numerous bands across Texas.

Valerie Lee – A Houston native, now residing in Schulenburg, she joined the Top 40 variety band Bittersweet right out of high school. Two months later, the band was signed by Ed Gerlach Agency and began playing venues from Texas to California.

After several years with Bittersweet, Valerie returned to her roots to sing country music. She joined Jef & the Kickers, one of the most popular country bands along the Texas Gulf Coast. Several years and many dancehalls later, Valerie and Jef left the band and performed as a duo.

In 1984, Jef and Valerie won first place in the national Marlboro Country Talent Round-Up, winning the final at world famous Gilley’s nightclub. They opened shows for country superstars like George Jones, Merle Haggard, Ronnie Milsap, Asleep at the Wheel and many others.

Valerie eventually moved to Nashville where she recorded on album, but after 15 years she is back performing in the Houston area. She sings a variety of music from country standards and recent hits to pop, blues, big band and oldies. There will be something for everyone. She calls it “music for grownups.”

Howard Davenport – He started playing at the Texas Ballroom at age 18, then at age 20, joined the Texas Armadillo Band, one of the top bands in Houston in the mid to late 1970’s.

Howard went on to join the Navy and after discharge joined up with Johnny Bush and the Bandoleros as the front man and helped him form his big swing band.

He has performed onstage with other notable artists such as Hank Thompson, Darrell McCall, Buddy Emmons, Leroy Van Dyke, Faron Young, Frenchie Burke and others.

Howard is a retired pilot and currently the Texas State Representative for the American Poultry Association.

Bluebonnet Opry House Band – The house band consists of Gary Brock on Bass, Craig Schmidt (steel guitar), Doug Boggs (drums), Harris Kubos, Sr, (fiddle), Wayne Turner (lead guitar) John Dujka (keyboard), Troy Arndt “Trail Boss Troy” (MC) and Lathan Staal (sound).

For more information call 979-451-0816 or visit www.friendsofbluebonnetopry.com.