Olson hears Prairie Rose Wranglers in NYC
By ROWENA PLETT
Reporter / photographer
The Great American Cowboy in Concert was the name of the program presented May 30 at Carnegie Hall in New York City. One of the featured groups was the Prairie Rose Wranglers from Kansas.
One of their fans, Mary Olson of Marion, was among the seven busloads and one planeload of people from Kansas who traveled to New York City for a front row seat at the premier performance.
She said the group wore long, black riding coats and gave a superb performance to a large crowd. Other performers included Sons of the San Joaquin, cowboy poet Waddie Mitchell, Joni Harms, Barry Ward, and Johnny Western.
Orrin Friesen arranged the concert. Tom Etheridge, who, together with his wife Cheryl, owns Prairie Rose Ranch near Benton, introduced the many cowboy song writers and poets in attendance. The people from Kansas were recognized, as well.
Star performer was Roy Rogers Jr. He was joined by Dale Roger's granddaughter, Mindy, of Overland Park.
After the concert, the Prairie Rose Wranglers hosted a reception for the Kansans at Milford Plaza Hotel across the street.
Olson said, instead of sitting at the designated signature table, the performers mingled with the crowd.
"I got hugged by Dusty Rogers," she said, adding it was great fun to hob-nob with the popular entertainers.
She said Carnegie Hall wasn't as large as she imagined it to be, but it was beautiful. It has a capacity of 2,800.
Her tour group also visited other places. In New York City, they toured Manhattan Island and visited "Ground Zero." They also saw a Broadway play in the impressive Ford Theater.
On the way to New York, they stopped at Gettysburg, Pa. On the way home, they visited Thomas Jefferson's home, Monticello, at Lexington, Va. They also visited Kentucky Horse Park at Lexington, Ky., and at Churchill Downs, saw the grandson of Secretariat. They also toured the Louisville Slugger Museum.
The Prairie Rose Wranglers have been invited back to New York City next year.
This was Olson's first trip to the Big Apple and maybe her last.
"I don't know if I'll go back," she said. "I've been there and done that."
