Tony Roi - The Fountain Of Youth

It has been two weeks since the Award Show for Tony Roi, and I am surprised there have been no reviews posted since that time. I guess everyone is preoccupied with the holiday hustle and bustle. I just wanted to take a moment to say that I am the 63 year old with the “Tony Shrine” in my bedroom – the one who turns into a crazed teenager whenever I see Tony - that you referred to in your presentation speech!! Little did you know that I was there, sitting in the front row being further crazed, along with my worried daughter, Tara, and my equally crazed sister!!

It was an unexpected treat to be mentioned in the awards show, albeit anonymously!! We had planned to introduce ourselves after the show, but you guys left immediately so that was not possible. Imagine our surprise when your comments and the pictures of the show were posted on the Bransoncritic Website, and THERE WE WERE – the three women with the goofy grins – cuddling up to Tony to see who could get the closest!!

I just LOSE it when I get anywhere near that man!! My daughter says that I actually elbowed her out of the way so that I could be next to him, but I think she was just making it up!! Anyway, that was another unexpected treat – thanks!!

My friends always ask my sister and me how we can keep going to see the SAME show over and over again. We tell them that if they saw Tony just once, they would understand the spell he casts over his fans. I’ve said before that he is like an addiction, and he just keeps pulling you back to Branson.

We live 225 miles away. We discovered Tony last May, and we have been back to 11 of his shows since then. WE CAN’T STOP!! It’s never enough. We drove to Branson on November 19th to see the Tony show, shopped on Sunday because there is no Tony show that day, went back to the Tony show on Monday, and again on Tuesday. We drove home (225 miles) on Wednesday, had Thanksgiving on Thursday with our family, got up on Friday and drove another 225 miles to see Tony receive his Best Performer Award. How could we be anywhere else??

In answer to the question of seeing the show so many times, it is hard to explain the feeling that takes over when Tony comes on stage. EVERY TIME IS LIKE THE FIRST TIME!!

As Susan in Florida said, “your heart starts beating so loud you think everyone will hear.” And once again, FOR THE FIRST TIME, you fall in love with this incredible man. I keep thinking that maybe I won’t be as impressed, or as speechless, or as CRAZED the next time I see his show – WRONG!! Tony does vary the show each time, but it wouldn’t matter if it were exactly the same. If I lived in Branson I would be in very big trouble, because I’m absolutely sure I would be there in the front row EVERY day!!

The last four shows we saw were all wonderful. The addition of Christmas decorations in the theater added a warm and special touch. We had been told Tony would sing “Blue Christmas,” which he did, much to everyone’s delight; however, when he sang “Merry Christmas, Baby,” we very nearly swooned (now there’s a term that really dates us)!! And when he sat alone on a stool in the center of the stage and sang “Don’t Cry, Daddy,” there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

I have to tell you, the show on Monday night, November 21st, was the greatest we’ve seen yet!! Tony is always full of so much energy you just marvel at how he keeps going, but that night Tony was Tony as we’ve never seen him. That version of “Kentucky Rain” was the most spectacular performance ANYONE ANYWHERE has ever done. Another song, “For Your Love,” was added to the mix - and then there was the DANCING!! You know Tony was born in Cuba, and you can always see and hear and FEEL a little SALSA in his shows! Maybe that is where the magic enters in, because when Tony moves, the audience goes crazy!! I thought I would die when Tony pointed at me and said, “Can you Tango?” Having two left feet, I sadly shook my head NO, but my inner self was shouting, “Teach me to Tango, Tony!!” He was really wound up that night – even the man sitting next to me was absolutely blown away by the show. My sister and I, being REALLY CRAZED when THAT SHOW was over, could hardly speak!! We were amazed!!

We were dazzled!! We were driving back to our condo (which my sister has owned for 20 years!) and took a wrong turn, and then we drove right past the entrance!! We were so distracted that we really shouldn’t have been behind the wheel of a car, so astounding was that performance!!

I’d also like to tell you about another side of Tony. The show on Saturday, November 19th, was a surprise in that it turned into the “Children’s Hour.” There were many families in the audience that day, and several really cute little girls just about stole the show. One mother sent her little daughter – maybe 4 years old – up to the stage to get a scarf and a kiss on the cheek from Tony. Well, it seems that this little girl was pretty taken with Tony, because she just kept going back for more!! One by one, others went shyly up to the stage, and soon there were nine little girls, from about ages 2 to 10, sitting in front of the stage, cheering and screaming for Tony, all little “Tony fan club members in the making.” And did he ever play to them!! He loves children and that came shining through. He toned it down a little for the kids – and he said to the audience, “I love them. You know that when you have little children lined up in front of your stage, you must be doing something right!” What a special joy that show was - and what a special man Tony Roi is.

There have been a few changes in show. Heather has replaced Anna Marie as one of Tony’s Angel Singers, and she is doing a wonderful job. Everyone knows that Gene Puckett has replaced Mickey Springston on guitar – and he, too, is fantastic. All the people involved with Tony’s show continue to be friendly and supportive of how much we love Tony.

I must say a word about Richard Bliss who greets everyone as though they are old friends. In our crazed state at one of the last shows, we lost an exposed film and didn’t know it until we returned to our condo that evening. The next day, just by chance, we asked Richard about it, and sure enough, he had it in his pocket and just figured some fan might be missing it!! We appreciated that so much, especially since it contained a picture of me getting a kiss from Tony!! Thanks again, Richard!!

Sadly, the biggest change has been that Tony no longer comes out after the show to sign autographs and talk with the fans. We know he has his reasons, we love him and want what is best for him, but oh, how we miss him!!

I don’t know what else I can say about the Tony Show – until the next time.

My sister and I will head down there again next weekend to celebrate her birthday!! What better place could there be to celebrate than to see Tony and fall in love again –FOR THE FIRST TIME!!

-Shirley Hendricks