Penny Gilley Show filming, Monday filmings

The Penny Gilley Show, which airs on RFD TV, filmed 18 upcoming 30-minute  segments over three days in mid-January at the Palace Theater in downtown Grapevine. Scene In Town was there for the first two days, and allowed to photograph four classic music artists: Charley Pride, Mickey Gilley, B.J. Thomas, and Johnny Lee; plus numerous other national, regional, and local professionals. That included the dynamite Penny Gilley herself.

The RFD-TV film crew came in on their huge bus, after driving in from Branson, Mo., parked it in back of the theater, unloaded and set up. For at least eight hours each day, they kept the sound and cameras moving with efficiency and top quality. Show series co-producer along with his wife, Penny Gilley, Mike Stanglin said this film crew also records several other shows for RFD-TV. The accompanying band for all performers was Rocky Gribble and the Texas All-Star Band. Using charts, they kicked right in with each separate musician who had time before the cameras. Some of those musicians might, also, have come in from places farther away for this

Charley Pride

filming. This band consists of Rocky Gribble on lead guitar, J.D. Beckman on steel guitar, Ronny Ricks on drums, Bonnie Riley on fiddle, Curtis Jones on bass, David Walker on keyboard, with Jeanice Massey on background vocals.

Monday, Charley Pride and Mickey Gilley were the national acts featured. Also featured were the River City Boys, a great Statler Brothers tribute band from Ohio, Amber Digby, Doug Allen Nash, Daniella Gilley, and Channing George.

Now, this reporter has seen Charley Pride and Mickey Gilley several times before, and noted these positive differences. Charley Pride, for this filming, seemed free of his normal stage/concert protocol, and came out both during sound check and during his performance just having fun. Great to see him so animated and giving the audience an easy-going good time. And Mickey Gilley, who after falling several years ago and causing severe physical damage, seemed to be doing much better, improving with all his hard work. He, too, gave the Penny Gilley Show audience a

Mickey Gilley

really great time.

Stanglin said that many of those in that audience are loyal Penny Gilley fans who have been to several tapings over the years. “We had fans come in from South Dakota, Minnesota, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Utah, California, North Caroline, and Mississippi (for the show tapings) that we know of.”

Click here for Charlie Pride photos

Click here for Mickey Gilley photos

For Penny Gilley and all other photos, click here

The photos taken on Tuesday, along with an equally-short commentary, will be posted soon.

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Category: *- Features, Other venues