Eccles wrangles up cowboy Christmas
The snow has fallen, the lights are up and the good ol’ boys from Jackson are nearly here.
It’s that time of year again.
The Bar-J Wranglers are coming back to town and they’ve brought their special brand of cowboy humor, poetry and good old-fashioned country music to entertain and delight the residents of Cache Valley.
The six wranglers – Babe Humphrey, Scott Humphrey, Bryan Humphrey, Tim Hodgson, Donnie Cook and Jerry Baxter – have a varied lineup for their show.
“I really think their show is a lot of fun. They just have a good all-around show with a lot of that wild-west humor. It’s real family friendly,” Amanda Matthews, a marketing specialist for the Cache Valley Center for the Arts, said.
According to public relations for the group, “If you are a fan of the old West, great family entertainment, or if you are just appreciative of a job well done, and if you haven’t seen the Bar-J Wranglers, you won’t believe what you’ve missed – the best of the old West.”
Babe, the trail boss, has had over 50 years of experience in the music industry, including national and local performances. His two boys, Scott and Bryan, joined the team in the late ’80s and specialize in vocals and guitar.
Tim Hodgson, an addition from the late ’80s as well, brings a powerful fiddle to the stage. Some of his accolades include four-time Idaho State Champion Fiddler, two-time U.S. Open Fiddler and two-time National Men’s Champion Fiddler.
In 2001, Jerry Baxter joined the group as a bass singer.
“They’ve come here for many, many years and we have always had the theater sell out of tickets,” Matthews said. “People love to come see these guys perform. There really isn’t another show quite like it.”
The Wranglers are performing two shows at the Ellen Eccles Theatre on Dec. 3, one at 2 p.m. and the other at 7:30 p.m. Matthews said tickets are selling fast.
Prices are $10-$18 depending on where you get seats. There is a 25 percent discount for USU students with a valid ID. For more information, contact the Ellen Eccles Theatre at (435) 752-0026.