The following is the press release, which includes a couple of links at the end you’ll want to check out. Congratulations Natasha!

Natasha Neely brings smiles, talent to the stage of the Badgett Playhouse.

Just a small town girl with big dreams, Natasha Neely is working on making those dreams come true. “There is nothing like being up on stage with a live band, and stage lights performing songs with the sounds of steel guitar, country piano, the fiddle, and more,” says Neely. “I love that feeling!”
Neely, who grew up in Owensboro, Kentucky, is one of the many talented cast members at the Badgett Playhouse in Grand Rivers, Kentucky. Many may have heard the voice of Neely on the radio in a commercial for her father John Neely’s insurance company which has been in the family since 1903, in which she says, “Call Neely Insurance, ’cause I’m a high maintenance girl, and ol’ dad needs the business!” Neely’s mother, Dita Neely, is an elementary teacher. She credits her parents with getting her started in show business. “I think Mom recognized my ability to remember songs and carry a tune,” said Neely. At the age of three, her parents took her to Goldie’s Best Little Opryhouse in Owensboro and signed her up to sing at an open mic night, where she sang “God Bless America”. After performing at the opryhouse several more times, Neely was asked to be a part of the regular cast where she began performing on Friday and Saturday nights, where she continued to perform until the opry closed in 2008. “I chose to be in the show and sing my songs every weekend instead of doing the normal activities my friends would choose such as high school football games and bonfires,” commented Neely. “I loved my Opry family, and of course, being on stage! I still miss Goldie’s to this day. There is no place like it!”
To this day Neely still considers Goldie Payne, owner of Goldie’s Best Little Opryhouse, as one of her biggest inspirations. “Goldie is a mentor and a wonderful example of how to entertain and treat people,” she said. “I also look up to Dolly Parton, not only as a singer and entertainer, but as a Christian and as a business woman,” Neely continued.
Neely graduated in 2009 from Belmont University with a bachelor’s degree in music business. She also took voice lessons from Barbara Mandrell’s daughter-in-law, Christy Sutherland, in her spare time. “I wanted to learn the music industry and how it all works,” said Neely. “I wanted to be able to understand recording contracts and making good business decisions. I felt it was very important, and it has paid off,” she said.
Patrons at the Badgett Playhouse can see Neely perform in two different shows. Neely plays the diner waitress in the Fabulous 50s show. “It’s hard to beat the Doo Wop and harmonies in the good ‘ol 50′s era,” said Neely. She can also be seen in the Variety! Music, Memories and More show. “I get to perform as myself, singing and dancing to good ‘ol songs from various genres like country, gospel, 60′s, Motown, 70′s, Disco, and even some Beach Boys music. There is something to satisfy everyone in that show,” she said. Neely says she enjoys performing at the Badgett Playhouse for numerous reasons. “I am blown away by the character and professionalism at the Badgett Theater. Bill and Sarah Minihan, producers of the shows, are such wonderful people to work for,” she said. Neely also said she loves the enthusiasm of the audience members that show up in the Grand Rivers’ Theater plus wearing the multitude of costumes and performing such a variety of music.
The talented performer can also be seen at Barbara Mandrell’s Fontanel Mansion in Nashville, Tennessee where she regularly performs. The log cabin in which Mandrell raised her family, is now open for tours and boasts a gift shop, amphitheater, restaurant, and a new dinner show called Music City On Stage in which Neely performs. “It has been challenging learning and retaining three different shows, but very beneficial and also rewarding having the opportunity to share the stage and spotlight with such wonderful and talented people,” the young performer said. “I praise God for His many blessings and will never take the opportunities He provides for granted!”

For more information on Natasha Neely or to listen to some of her music, visit her official site at www.natashaneely.com. For more information on the Badgett Playhouse, visit www.grandriversvariety.com.

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“Always…Patsy Cline” returns to Badgett Playhouse in Grand Rivers, Kentucky this weekend – back by popular demand! That, alone, should tell you how wonderful the show is and how much you should grab your tickets as soon as possible. Whenever something is “Back by Popular Demand,” you’d better believe it’s worth seeing.

Three or four times even.

Always… Patsy Cline is a very moving tribute to the late, great Patsy Cline. Patsy Cline, who many of today’s artists claim had the greatest voice ever is an American icon. Patsy died tragically in a plane crash in 1963. She was only 30 years old.

This beautiful musical/comedy (ironically, there’s a great deal of humor) is based on a true story about Patsy Cline’s friendship with a fan from Houston named Louise Seger. The two colorful ladies struck up a unique friendship in a Texas honky-tonk in l961, and continued to correspond right up till the horrible plane crash took Patsy Cline’s life. The show’s title, itself, comes straight from Cline’s letters to Seger, which were consistently signed “Love ALWAYS… Patsy Cline.”

Well, I don’t know if that last sentence is completely true. As long as there are Patsy Cline CDs (one of my personal favorite, and most often played cds is a Patsy Cline cd), Patsy Cline videos, and entertaining shows like “Always.. Patsy Cline,” her life hasn’t been completely taken from us at all. We can relive the magic that was Patsy Cline anytime we choose to!

Relive many of her unforgettable hits such as Crazy, I Fall to Pieces, Sweet Dreams and Waking After Midnight in Always… Patsy Cline. The show features 27 songs in all – each beautifully performed by the singer as well as the band.

As you may have guessed, I’m a huge fan of Patsy Cline (Click the following link to read a special post I wrote about Patsy Cline on my Golden Age of Hollywood and Entertainment blog). Her music takes me to a whole other place that I never tire of visiting. Shows like this one are a dream come true for Patsy Cline fans – take it from me.

Useful Information:

My Review of Always… Patsy Cline at Badgett Playhouse

Order Tickets to Always Patsy Cline at Badgett Playhouse in Grand Rivers (They’ll go fast, you literally need to order them as soon as possible!)

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First of all, let me say this: I LOVE hearing from all of ya’ll in my e-mail!  They’re like little visits with friends and family, so keep them coming.  I get a lot of ideas for posts from these wonderful e-mails, including the one you’re reading now.

I got an e-mail recently from a very friendly lady who also happens to be a fellow fan of Grand Rivers, Kentucky and Grand Rivers Variety.  In fact, if I’m not mistaken she, too, saw the recent Johnny Cash show at the Badgett Playhouse.

She and her husband stay in the area when they visit and she raved about the friendly people in Grand Rivers.  They are, almost without exception, extremely friendly and warm.  Apparently Patty’s is a favorite place for the couple to dine when they’re in Grand Rivers, but she wanted to know if there was anyplace in the area where they could get a good breakfast.  My husband and I put our heads together and the following suggestions came to mind.  Not all are in the city limits of Grand Rivers but they’re very, very close and well worth the drive.

Docker’s Bayside Grill at Green Turtle Bay: Home of the Famous Sink Your Boat Omelet!

When I started thinking of where I’d eat breakfast if I were in Grand Rivers in the early hours, the first place to spring to mind was Docker’s Bayside Grill at Green Turtle Bay Resort & Marina.  You don’t have to be a registered guest at Green Turtle Bay to eat at Docker’s – you only have to be hungry!  We have never actually eaten at Docker’s in the morning, we’re normally in the area around lunchtime.  You see, I have a bit of an obsession with their onion rings.  I dream about them, I write poetry for them, I hold every other onion ring in the world up to them….

Although we haven’t yet (I know we will soon – once the hubby sees the omelet pictured at the top) had breakfast at Docker’s, we HAVE heard about and read about their outstanding breakfasts.

One thing in particular keeps the locals smiling: The Sink Your Boat Omelet.  Apparently it’s a monster… and I mean that in a good way.

If the lunch food is any indication, their breakfasts are extraordinary.  These people know what they’re doing.  What’s more, the view is breathtaking – just absolutely gorgeous.

Visit Green Turtle Bay’s website for directions and hours of operation.

Cracker Barrel in Calvert City, Kentucky

When I asked my husband for other restaurants in the area where a lovely couple could find a good breakfast (truth be told, once I started thinking about Docker’s onion rings, my brain was worthless), the first thing out of his mouth was Cracker Barrel in Calvert City.  Michael and our oldest daughter Emily are ALL about Cracker Barrel’s breakfast menu, so I shouldn’t have been surprised.  They even eat off the breakfast menu for supper half the time!

Calvert City’s Cracker Barrel is located at 314 Kennedy Avenue.  This Cracker Barrel is about 6 – 7 miles from Grand Rivers (a little less than 10 minutes driving time).  Click HERE for the map, courtesy of Cracker Barrel.com.

Waffle House in Calvert City, Kentucky

Calvert City (incidentally, home to an outstanding Willow Pond Catfish Restaurant) also has a Waffle House. It’s at 468 Kennedy Lane (about 6.8 miles from Grand Rivers).

There’s also a Waffle House in Benton, Kentucky at 397 Ash Street, which is about 12 – 13 miles from Grand Rivers.  If you visit Waffle House’s website and click on Restaurant Locator, you’ll have the opportunity to enter the city of your choice.  They’ll then give you a very detailed map to the Waffle House of your choice.

Lake Barkley Lodge’s Windows on the Water Restaurant

I saved this one for last simply because Kentucky State Parks have a special place in our hearts.  We always encourage anyone and everyone to visit Kentucky’s beautiful, very special state parks and state resort parks every chance they get.  We’re very lucky to have these parks and we should support them all year long. The state resort parks have wonderful restaurants with outstanding food and there’s always something to do, see, and enjoy.  I’d just love to see more Kentuckians (as well as our friends from out of state) supporting these special places and the special people who run them.

Okay, I’ll step down off the soap box now!

The Windows on the Water Restaurant in the gorgeous lodge (3500 State Park Road, Cadiz) at Lake Barkley State Resort Park serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. What’s more, it’s a very, very short drive from Grand Rivers.

From Parks.ky.gov:

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It’s always the right time to…

• Eat chocolate
• Tell someone you love them
• Drink coffee
• Laugh
• Yell, “GO CATS!!!” (Except perhaps in downtown Nashville)
• Play with your pet
• Watch baseball
• Grab life by the lapels and say, “Let’s have a little fun!”

There you have it.   Joi’s words to live by.  There are more, but we’ll save those for another time.  We’re here, right now, to focus on having fun with laughter and laughing at having fun – so get ready to grab life by the lapels and maybe even ask it out onto the dance floor.

In a world where we’re faced DAILY with drama, catastrophes, and heart-breaking stories in the news,  I’m certain we’d all be in therapy if we stopped making time for laughter.  When we “escape” into a world of music and humor, we basically tell the nasty side of life, “We’re stronger than you are!”  Make no mistake about it, laughter is stronger than anything in the world.  It’s also good for you. Seriously!  One of my other websites is an online Self Help magazine (Self Help Daily).  I  review a lot of  books for this website and self improvement authors (as well as those in the fields of happiness, mental fitness, and health) all agree: Laughter truly is the best medicine.

That’s right, it’s time for a little Pickin’ and Grinnin’ in Grand Rivers, Kentucky at the Badgett Playhouse! Time to tap your toes, do a little seat dancing, sing along, and laugh so hard that funny noises come out of your nose. LOVE when that happens.

From Grand Rivers Variety.com:
Join us for a tribute to all those great country-themed variety shows! Featuring classic country hits, comedy sketches, a five-piece band and three singers performing the hits of such artists as Buck Owens, George Jones, Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, Charlie Pride, George Strait, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash and Floyd Cramer.

Classic comedy sketches and corny jokes help to recreate the feel of the by-gone era of the variety show format.

“We are going to have a lot of fun with this show,” said Bill Minihan who co-produces the show with his wife Sara. “The band is one of the best we have ever put together for a show. These guys have been playing this music all of their life and it shows. I think our audience will really appreciate their musical talent,” he added. Minihan concluded by saying, “When you combine all of the hilarious skits and all of the great music, you create a great way for people to bring back some nostalgic memories of the golden age of television.”

Tickets can be purchased by calling the box office toll free at 1-888-362-4223. Box office hours are 12-5 Tuesday through Thursday and 12-7 Friday through Saturday. Click HERE for showtimes and dates.

Show times for 2010 are as follows: Evening performances start at 7:00 PM CST and matinees are 2:00 PM CST. Doors open thirty minutes before each performance.

Do yourself a colossal favor and call the box office right now. Grab tickets for yourself and everyone else you think could use a laugh or twenty. Just remember, you’ve been warned. The nose thing isn’t just a possibility, it will happen.

To read more about the other wonderful shows at Grand Rivers Variety, visit the website today. It’s the perfect “escape button” for a life that can sometimes overwhelm you with its drama (speaking of which, please keep the beautiful Japanese people in your prayers).

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The people at Lighthouse Landing in Grand Rivers, Kentucky have a passion for Kentucky Lake like none other. They’re also nature lovers which makes them more than a little okay in my book. I admire their commitment to the environment and love of nature as much as I admire the beautiful resort they’ve built on beautiful Kentucky Lake.

Lighthouse Landing is a very picturesque and relaxing resort and marina – one of the most lovely resorts Kentucky has to offer.

If you are interested in learning to sail, Lighthouse Landing can make the dream come true for you. They offer a very popular Sailing School in an unbelievably beautiful setting. The dates for the 2010 Sailing School lessons are below.

June 24-27
July 8-11, 15-18
July 29-Aug 1
Aug 12-15
Sept. 16-19
Oct. 14-17, 21-24

Visit Lighthouse Landing’s website for more information.

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The beautiful weather we’ve been enjoying the past few days has everyone thinking about grilling out, baseball, and summer fun in the sun. Fortunately, we have plenty of places to choose from here in Kentucky to enjoy all the fun we can handle. Green Turtle Bay in Grand Rivers, Kentucky is a great option. Resorts and Lodges.com didn’t just rank Green Turtle Bay in their Top 10 Kentucky Family Resorts, they ranked them #1.

If you’ve never had the opportunity to visit Green Turtle Bay, watch the video above to get an idea about what you’ve been missing.

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I still can’t believe what a beautiful day it was in Grand Rivers, Kentucky on Marina Day. Enjoy the pictures and highlights of Grand River’s Marina Day 2009.

Green Turtle Bay is, without a doubt, one of the most beautifully scenic places you could ever hope to be.

Friendly people, too!

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Grand Rivers, Kentucky has a lot going on in the upcoming weeks, so maybe we’d better take this one at a time.

KWW Labor Day Weekend Arts and Crafts Festival

When? September 5 (Saturday) through September 7 (Monday)
Where? Downtown Grand Rivers.
What? Handmade jewelry, furniture, baskets, quilts, pottery, lace, clothing, belts and wooden decorative items are featured along with stained glass designs, and paintings. Over 100 different artisan and craftsman booths.
Who? Call Kentucky’s Western Waterlands for more information at 270-928-4411.

Grand Rivers Southern Storytelling Event

When? September 11 (Saturday) and September 12 (Sunday)   7:00 pm
Where? Badgett Playhouse Theater – Grand Rivers, Kentucky
What? Michael Reno Harrel,Kim Weitkamp, and Mitch Capel will transport you to a simpler time when good old fashioned stories were the best kind of entertainment.  Truth be told, stories are still pretty hard to beat.

Get to know the storytellers better courtesy of the Grand Rivers, Kentucky newsletter:

Back for a second year by popular demand, Michael Reno Harrell is an award winning songwriter, as well as a veteran storyteller and entertainer.

• Kim Weitkamp

A commanding presence, beautiful singing voice, impeccable comedic timing, and perfectly woven stories makes Kim a must see.

• Mitch Capel

Mitch Capel is a storyteller, recording artist, poet, actor and author who has been bringing stories to life and delighting audiences with his warmth, wit and compelling storytelling style since 1985.

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Grand Rivers Variety has added two encore showings of The fabulous 50′s Show. Apparently it has been a fabulous success. If you haven’t caught the show yet, you have two more chances to do so: September 28th and October 4.

The 50′s are all gussied up and waiting for you at the Badgett Playhouse in beautiful Grand Rivers, Kentucky. Click HERE for more information. See you there!

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