October, 1999
Hello Friends,
Martha’s second cookbook "Back on the Range" is now available and is receiving great compliments. It has 850 recipes in it. You can order it at the address below ($12.50 ppd).
Thanks to those of you who came to our Western Swing Seminar in Ponca City in July in connection with the show by Asleep at the Wheel. And also, thanks to all of you who were at the Georgie Boy RV Rally in Shawnee. Some of my favorite folks to entertain are RV owners.
It was fun to be back on TV again. I was the special guest on "Six in the Morning", Channel 6 in Tulsa in August with Rick Wells and LeAnn Taylor.
One of the highlights of the year came on August 31 when I performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. for Oklahoma Day on the Millennium Stage. Also, that day I sang at the U.S. Capitol. The Kennedy Show can be seen on the Internet by accessing the Archives of www.kennedy-center.org.
The Prairieville Farm Days are held each Labor Day Weekend in a rural setting between Delton and Prairieville, Michigan, near Kalamazoo. This year the show featured Whisperin’ Bill Anderson, Jan Howard, Cal Smith, Billy Parker, Ernie Ashworth, myself and others. In 2000, we will pay tribute to the singing cowboys and cowgirls, with appearances by Rex Allen, Jr., Dusty Rogers (Roy, Jr.), Johnny Western, Jean Prescott, Belinda Gail, Joe Paul Nichols and others. Come if you can.
As most of you know, my home town is Gene Autry, Oklahoma. Each year during the last weekend of September, we have the Film and Music Festival there. It is always held near Mr. Autry’s birthday of September 29. That Saturday night show with my band and I opening for Riders in the Sky to a sold-out house was tremendous. (not sold outhouse, silly!!) Thanks again to Elvin and Willie and all the folks who have worked so hard to make the museum and the annual event a huge success.
I wish every one of you could have been in Willcox, Arizona on Oct. 2. For it was there I was privileged to be featured on the show paying tribute to Mr. Rex Allen. What a wonderful man. Since then, I have received a personal handwritten note from this great singer and western movie star. Also on the stage for the tribute were Rex Allen, Jr. and his band, Dusty Rogers, Dale Robertson, Johnny Western, Pedro Gonzales Gonzales, and of course Mr. Rex Allen himself. Two sold out shows to an unbelievable audience. Electrifying.
I will have a Web Site in a few days. It will be:
Check it out.
Adios and Keep Smiling!!
LES GILLIAM
"The Oklahoma Balladeer"
Eagle Enterprises
P.O. Box 350
Ponca City, OK 74602
(580) 762-4837
(580) 762-0965 (fax)
lesgilliam@sbcglobal.net