This was Gary’s dream~of being independent, no more punching a time clock. And when Food Barn left Kansas City, his good union job was gone and he was happily free to do just that. We all know that being self-employed doesn’t shorten the hours or lighten the workload, but, oh my gosh, the fun was about to begin! So, we booked the shows and hit the road. What an adventure! All the new places and people; yeah, long hours, breakdowns and some bad weather, too. But we loved the time together and had great fun on this adventure. For those of you who don’t know, there was a huge bump in the road in 2005 when Gary was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer. Connie thought he was the toughest guy she ever knew, and during his nearly four year battle, he proved her assessment to be true. He had strength, love and total faith that God had the wheel. Needless to say, even after his death in December 2008, after working together for all those years, Connie was prepared to keep his dream on the road. Another bump in the road came when Connie herself was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer. She battled it for 5 months before succumbing to it in June of 2017. Her sons and grandsons stepped in and kept the ball rolling, and now in 2022, thanks to a great team, we’re ready and anxious to get on the road again! Where else could we work that we could be entertained by Charlie Daniels and Three Dog Night, Kellie Pickler or Quad City DJs?!? Where else would you work and watch the excitement of the National Chuckwagon Race Finals from high on the Arkansas bluffs of the most beautiful ranch in the country; or the hair-raising excitement of a rattlesnake derby with up close and personal contact with rattlesnakes over six foot long?! That’s why after a much-needed winter break, we look forward to hitting the road again and heading your way! Thank you to everyone who’s invited us to join the fun at your festivals, and for your loyalty. Most of all thanks to God for all the wonderful blessings He’s given us on this journey!
