What do you get when you add up a rockin’ classic music trio and an historic musical venue?
You get a fabulous night with The Krazy Kats at Richmond’s Farris Theatre. The classic 1950’s band will open the third Farris Concert Season on Oct. 29 at the Farris Theatre. Tickets are available now for the show All three original members of The Krazy Kats have been performing together for the past six decades. “How many bands can say that they have existed that long with all the original members intact?” asks member Lee Dresser. “Well, the Kats can.” Dresser and his pals Willie Craig and Freddie Fletcher were in high school together in Moberly in the 1950s when they joined up to play music written by their favorite artists, including Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Fats Domino.
Now based in Kansas City, the three Missourians continue to thrill audiences with their versions of 1950s and ‘60s classic music. The Krazy Kats first performed in the Richmond area in 1958. Since then, in Richmond and all over the United States, Dresser says The Krazy Kats have never changed their song styles and selections “We perform songs from the best musical era of all time!” Dresser claims. “We love to have fun playing it, and we love to encourage fans to have fun listening to it and dancing to it.” Still rocking after all these years, the musicians have performed together more than 4,000 times, with Dresser on guitar, Craig on piano and Fletcher on drums.
In their remarkable career, the Kats have appeared with Bill Cosby, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley and The Platters, and the trio has appeared at the Missouri and Kansas state fairs. The Kats were voted "Best Band in Kansas City" in 1991, and they were inducted into the Rockabilly Hall Of Fame in 1999. The Krazy Kats will achieve international status when they perform in England next year.
Their return to the Farris promises to be a crowd pleaser.
The show is to begin at 8 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m. Tickets are available now at the Farris for $10.
Concert season organizer Sara Seidel notes, however, that reserved-seat tickets for the four-concert season remain available. Season tickets are available for $36 for all four performances.
In addition to The Krazy Kats, the season line-up features Bobby Flores and Kevin Carter, along with Harry Ritchie, his band and Sarah Craven; 3 Dave Night; and The Rainmakers.
Local sponsors, including Shirkey Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, a major benefactor for the season, make the low season ticket price possible. Also contributing are the Ray County Community Arts Association, the Richmond Rotary Club, Richard Bidding/Edward Jones, Mike and Vickie McCalley, Tom Bowman and Sara Seidel, Harry Ritchie, Westbrook & Co., Taber Printing, Richmond Super 8, The Richmond News, The Lawson Review and KMZU 100.7 The Farm.
Tickets for The Krazy Kats and for the season are available by calling the Farris at (816) 776-6684. Log on to www.farristheatre.com for more information.
Third Farris Concert Season Brings Back Favorites
The area’s favorite musical artists are returning to the historic Farris Theatre for the third Farris Concert Season.
“We’re bringing back performers who’ve wowed our audiences before,” said concert season organizer Sara Seidel. “We’ve invited the musicians back because they’re sure-fire crowd pleasers, and we’re inviting their fans to return to our venue to enjoy the shows.”
The line-up features The Krazy Kats, Bobby Flores, The Songwriters and The Rainmakers.
The Krazy Kats open the season on Oct. 29. Local favorites, the Krazy Kats have been rockin’ together for decades with their versions of 1950s and ‘60s classics. The trio includes Lee Dresser, Willie Craig and Freddie Fletcher, who were teenagers in Moberly when they joined together in the 1950s to play rock and roll, inspired by their idols, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Fats Domino.
Flores returns for an encore performance Nov. 19. After first appearing at the Farris last fall, the Texas musician this year is bringing with him his lead fiddle player, Kevin Carter. Together, they’ll perform Western swing, country pop-rock, jazz, blues, Latin and classical tunes.
Ritchie and his back-up band will accompany Flores and Carter. The show will also feature Sarah Craven, a powerful vocalist who represented the area as MissRayCounty in 2010.
On April 21, 2012, two local newsmen, David Knopf of The Richmond News and David Blythe of The Lawson Review, will take the stage with their acoustic guitars and banjos. They’ll bring along additional musicians to round out their performance, which will feature original compositions and covers of folk and pop tunes.
Internationally famous, The Rainmakers feature Norborne native Bob Walkenhorst. The band, known for the pop hit “Let My People Go Go,” is set to perform at the Farris in Spring 2012, with the date to be announced.
The shows are all scheduled to begin at 8 p.m.
Season tickets are available now for $36 for all four performances.
Seidel said the low season ticket price is made possible because sponsors are underwriting many of the costs of bringing the acts to the Farris. This year, those sponsors include Shirkey Nursing and RehabilitationCenter, a major benefactor for the season. Also contributing are the Ray County Community Arts Association, the Richmond Rotary Club, Mike and Vickie McCalley, Tom Bowman and Sara Seidel and Harry Ritchie.
Reserved seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Because The Rainmakers’ date is pending, the Farris is offering two options to season ticket buyers.
Fans may select season tickets for the three dated shows for $27. Then, when The Rainmakers’ date is announced, season ticket holders may purchase individual tickets for The Rainmakers for $10 each.
Or, fans may select season tickets for all four shows for $36.
“If you can’t attend The Rainmakers’ show, the Farris will exchange your Rainmakers’ ticket for two tickets for any movie shown at the Farris throughout 2012,” Seidel said.
For tickets, contact the Farris Box Office at 301 W. Main, Richmond, call (816) 776-6684 or buy online using the PayPal button above.
