Country Music Legend Gene Watson recently recognized Robert Gentry of Many during a performance at The Mansion in Branson, MO. He told about performing at the Funeral Fête that Gentry held at Rebel Park near Marthaville on Sunday, Oct. 30, 2011.
“I wanted to have my funeral while I was living and enjoy it,” Gentry explained. “What better music to have than Gene Watson and The Farewell Party Band?”
Watson told the crowd in Banson, “When my booking agent called and said there was a guy who wanted me to play at his funeral, I said, ‘There ain’t no way.’ Then this guy calls back, and my booking agent calls me again. I said, ‘I told you I ain’t going to sing at no funeral.’” He continued, “I then met this guy on a cruise, and it turned out he was okay, so guess what: I played at his funeral.”
Watson concluded, “It was the weirdest gig I ever performed!” The crowd got a big laugh out of Watson’s story, and when he pointed out Gentry in the crowd, they cheered his continued presence among the living.
While in Branson, the Gentrys also got the opportunity to hear Daniel O’Donnell from Ireland perform and got to visit with him. He has a very popular weekly music show on RFD-TV.