Terry Wayne Sanders

Terry has been nominated as Best Comedian with the 2005 Branson Critic Awards.

The Wild, Wacky, Wonderful World
Of
Terry Wayne Sanders

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts.

William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616)

Terry Wayne Sanders, a Branson, Missouri living legend, is very rarely Terry Wayne Sanders. Terry plays a plethora of characters that have been developed over a mind-boggling 25-year span, as a Branson entertainer. Terry has been around longer than many buildings in the area and he is 'one great comedian.'

Terry Wayne Sanders is a rarity in show business, in the fact that he is still performing in Branson, after a quarter of a century, and is in greater demand than ever before.

If you were to meet Terry in, let’s say, everyone’s favorite store, Wally-World, he would appear to be your normal, everyday guy. It would seem that he was probably out to pick up a new fish catcher or a gizmo for his car, but Terry is anything but normal. He is a highly talented, one-of-a-kind, individual who has honed his comedic art over more than a generation of Branson time. He has survived in a business that is famous for taking good talent, using it up and throwing it away. Terry has not only survived, he has flourished and is better than ever on the many stages and the many faces of Terry Wayne Sanders he plays.

Terry is a first-class people watcher. He watches people, observes them closely and takes what he sees and hears to the stage with him, and what he brings to his audiences, will amaze you. Terry is not only funny, but he is very clever as well. I have an affinity for clever people and Terry is the quickest wit in the West.

Terry Wayne Sanders lives in Branson with his wife Dede and their two sons, 13 year old Austin and 8 year old Evan. Austin and Evan have started following in their dad’s footsteps and have been appearing with him for the past two years on “Branson Country.”
Terry Wayne has performed at Silver Dollar City for 25 years. He has also appeared with such notables as Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers and the late top banana, Bob Hope. He was a regular, one complete season, on Hee Haw and remembers fondly the time spent with Roy Clark, the Hee Haw gang and especially “Miss” Minnie Pearl.

KURT: “Terry, how did you get started in this business?”

TERRY: “From the time I was born, I was goofy, and that’s the truth! I was born in Cabool, Missouri, in the Hogg Clinic. I came out squealing and I still squeal today. From that time, I was silly. I was always putting on costumes, always playing. We had shows in our basement and I would drag in our neighbors, or my cousins, or whoever, and we had great shows, wonderful productions, on a really small budget.

At the age of five, my grandfather, Lee Sanders, brought me to Branson and took me to Silver Dollar City. I looked around and said this is for me. I saw people who dressed up goofy as all get-out, like I did. Hillbillies, is what we were. I mean just plain folks, not rich and never will be, but we were happy, and that’s the same thing I saw over there. I told my grandpa that day, I’m going to be here someday, and right now, as we speak, this is my 25th Anniversary, (April 12th) for being at Silver Dollar City. So it worked out. I had a good plan and it worked.

KURT: “You must like Branson to continue to perform here for the past 25 years.”

TERRY: “If anything, I love Branson. I love this as my home base, and let me quote Boxcar Willie, “I want to live here and this is where I want to die.” This is the most wonderful place to be for me, for my family, to do what we love, for a living. To meet great people, to develop great friendships; it doesn’t get any better.”

KURT: “When the last song is sung and the last curtain called, how do you want to be remembered?”

TERRY: “That I was a good guy. I tried to do my best and tried to be a friend.”

I think Minnie Pearl summed it up best, after appearing with Terry on Hee Haw, when she said, “He’s one of the best, and honey, I’ve seen a lot.”

"I love acting. It is so much more real than life."
Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900)

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