The Poncan Opry Returns To The Stage - September 8, 2012

101 Country KPNC-FM, Heartland Western Outfitters, and the Poncan Theater presents The Poncan Opry Featuring The Poncan Opry Band.

The Poncan Opry returns to the stage with the fifth show of the 2012 season. Featuring the Poncan Opry Band with special  guest Harley Worthit.

The Life of Harley (aka Perry Edenburn) – Harley’s interest in the entertainment world started when the Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan show. He remembers lying on his stomach on the living room floor, watching how excited the audience was over these four guys. His dad had bought a used guitar; hoping one of us kids would pick it up. He started teaching himself to play chords. After about three years, he ended up in a little group that played locally for school dances and private parties. He played drums in the high school band and got a set of drums for his 16th birthday.

Over his adult years after high school, Harley played rhythm guitar or drums in several groups. Eventually, he moved to Lake of the Ozarks in 1980 to play drums on Lee Mace’s Ozark Opry. This was the first entertainment job that exposed him to the Ozark’s family style of comedy. Harley had always enjoyed telling jokes to friends and started trying to contribute ideas to routines these comedians used on the shows. In 1985, he was playing guitar on a show, and one night, the comedian and his wife had a serious fight and he left town. The show had ten more weeks before the end of the season and Harley was asked to come up with a character and fill the comedy shoes since he was more familiar with the routines than anyone else. Harley began performing comedy as a Swedish tourist named Ole Jorgenson.

At the end of the ten weeks, Harley was offered two jobs as a comedian for the next season. So, He had spent years learning how to play music and sing, and now he gets a job offers to be a comedian. He decided that he might as well make lemonade since the world was handing him lemons...

In 1987, Harley moved to Branson, finding work with the Wilkinson Brothers as Ole Jorgenson. After a short three months, he was hired by the Plummer Family. They sold their theater in 1990 and he was fortunate to have gotten a job with a show called the Ozark Mountain Opry. This show was a matinee held in the Presley's theater, and this is where he started using the name "Harley Worthit."

During the season, several of the Presley family would come to watch the matinee and late that year, Harley was asked to put a comedy pre-show together that would entertain their audience before their 8:00 show. Harley’s stint with the Presley’s lasted through 2001. Since then, He has worked with Pam Tillis, Doug Kershaw, Pierce Arrow, Splinter Middleton, Clay Cooper and Delene Andre. He also books privately throughout the Midwest, doing a one-man comedy show for a variety of corporate functions.

And now he is very excited to announce that he is performing at the Grand Country Music Hall in the Comedy Jamboree Show and in the Down Home Country Show!

The Poncan Opry Band consists of Bucky Fowler on lead guitar and vocals. Rob Loren on, fiddle; Kurt Graber, steel guitar; James Hocutt, bass guitar; Mike Price, keyboard, Chuck Case, drums, and vocalists Karla Fowler and the Fowler Sisters: Kristine Saner, Kelcy Mohr and Kandace Sovereign.

The Poncan Opry Band has broadened the format to include a wider variety of music for all audiences to enjoy. Along with traditional Classic Country, there will also be Today's Country, Classic Rock 'n Roll, Rhythm 'n Blues, Bluegrass and Gospel at each of the shows.

The Poncan Opry is northern Oklahoma's version of Branson style entertainment with music, comedy and ventriloquism all together in a family friendly show. Fans of the Poncan Opry are continually telling band members and crew that they had just come from Branson and watched several music shows and the Poncan Opry is every bit as good or better than them. The Poncan Opry is very proud of this reputation and works extra hard to keep the show at these high standards that have been set. Each month the Poncan Opry offers a different show, different songs, and a different seasoned entertainer.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

Adult - $16 or Children (12 & under) - $8.00