ENTERTAINMENT
Saturday, January 20, 2018
Youth symphony
ensembles to perform
free concert
PENDLETON — The public
is invited to a concert featuring
Oregon East Symphony’s two
youth preparatory orchestras.
The performance is Thursday,
Jan. 25 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium
at Pendleton High School, 1800
N.W. Carden Ave. There is no
admission charge.
The Preludes Orchestra will
perform “Woodland Park” by
Robert S. Frost, and “Barnyard
Bash” and “Ragtime Fiddles” by
Bruce Chase. A beginner level
ensemble, Preludes is conducted
by Melinda Tovey of Hermiston.
Tovey is a private violin instructor
who plays with the Oregon East
Symphony and is an instructor
in Symphony Strings, an after
school program.
The intermediate level A Sharp
Players Preparatory Orchestra
will perform Trans-Siberian
Orchestra’s “Wizards In Winter,”
“Overture to Rienzi” by Richard
Wagner and movements from
“Masques et Bergamasques”
by Gabriel Faure. The A Sharp
Players are conducted by Bruce
Walker, assistant professor of
music at Columbia Basin College
in Pasco.
For more information about
symphony ensembles or classical
music education programs,
contact 541-276-0320 or
oesofficeinfo@gmail.com.
Sports bar kicks off
comedy night
MISSION — With the
National Football League now in
postseason, Wildhorse Resort &
Casino has resumed its weekly
comedy shows.
LOL Comedy is every
Thursday at 8 p.m. in the
Wildhorse Sports Bar, located at
the casino off Interstate 84 at Exit
216. There is no cover charge for
the 21-and-older event.
Each week, a pair of comics
take the stage and laughs are
plentiful. The Jan. 25 headliner is
Susan Rice. Working in the loan
department at a Portland bank,
she started her stand-up career
in 1983. Entertaining audiences
across the United States and
abroad, Rice moved to Los
Angeles for awhile. She opened
shows on the road with many
well-known comics, including
Jerry Seinfeld, Sam Kinison, Bill
Hicks and Paula Poundstone.
She became a regular at many of
the southern California comedy
hot spots, including the famed
Comedy Store on the Sunset Strip
in West Hollywood.
Opening for Rice is Gilbert
Brown, a member of the Modoc,
Klamath, Paiute and Warm
Springs tribes. In addition to
stand-up, Brown is a powwow
emcee, a wild horse rodeo
cowboy and traditional fisherman.
For the LOL Comedy
schedule, visit www.
wildhorseresort.com. For
more about Rice, go to www.
susanricecomedy.com, and for
Brown, www.gilbertbrown.
weebly.com.
Fishtrap welcomes
three Wallowa County
published writers
ENTERPRISE — A trio of
Wallowa County writers will
share their works during the
upcoming Fishtrap Fireside.
Featured writers include Jenner
Hanni, Catherine Matthias, and
Zanni Schauffler. The fireside also
includes an open mic for audience
members to share their stories.
The free event is Friday, Feb. 2
from 7-9 p.m. at 400 E. Grant St.,
Enterprise. Light refreshments are
available.
Hanni escaped the technology
scene in Portland, moving to
Wallowa County in September.
He began writing prose poems
and enjoys reading and looking
for foxes at the Iwetemlaykin
State Heritage Site.
A Joseph resident, Matthias
developed a love for picture
books at a young age. Four of
her picture books and two of her
middle grade nonfiction books
were published by Children’s
Press and in 2004, two of the
fiction books were chosen as
part of a three-book boxed
edition. She continues to work on
manuscripts in the quiet moments.
Schauffler, who grew up in
Portland, has lived in Enterprise
for 12 years. She writes poetry,
but is currently embarking on
an effort to write a novel about a
sad girl. In addition, she’s a peer
support specialist at Wallowa
Valley Center for Wellness and
recently developed an interest in
cooking.
For more information, contact
Mike Midlo at mike@fishtrap.
org, 541-426-3623 or visit www.
fishtrap.org.
Page 3C
Out of prison and back on tour
Billy Don Burns
to perform in
Heppner, Pendleton
See him live
Billy Don Burns with Ken Fanger
and Dog Bite Harris performs
at Bucknum’s (Heppner) on
Sunday, Jan. 21, and the Great
Pacific (Pendleton) on Monday,
Jan. 22.
B
illy Don Burns is perhaps
the greatest unknown figure
in outlaw country music, so
if you’re not familiar with the man,
his story, and his music, you can
be forgiven. But
by the end of this
piece you may be
scratching your
head as to why
he isn’t more of a
household name.
Born in
Arkansas, Burns’
country music
J.D.
career had a
Kindle
rather unorthodox
Comment
start when he
picked up a gig
performing as Hank Williams at
the Opryland USA theme park
1973. It opened up the gates to a
quick succession of recordings of
his songs by popular performers:
Rick Nelson (“Wild Nights in
Tulsa”), Mel Tillis (“I Always
Come Back To Loving You”),
and Connie Smith (“Be Alright In
Arkansas”).
His career seemed to be on
the rise with his Porter Wagoner-
produced debut released in 1982,
but seemed to stall over a series of
unrealized projects that included
his production work on a shelved
gospel album, “Outlaw at the
Cross,” by Johnny Paycheck.
Willie Nelson’s 1990 recording of
Burns’ “(I Don’t Have A Reason)
To Go To California Anymore”
gave his career a much-needed shot
in the arm. His recording career
resumed not long after that, though
many of his albums have gone out
of print.
In 2015 Shooter Jennings (son
of Waylon) recorded an intimate
solo acoustic performance of Burns
for his label. “A Night In Room 8”
was recorded in the same room at
the Joshua Tree Inn where Gram
Parsons died. The album is as raw
Contributed photo
Billy Don Burns
as can be; between songs is banter
between Burns, Jennings and his
wife Misty, the guitar is slightly out
of tune, and you can hear Burns
breathing into the microphone, but
you feel as if you’re right there in
that hotel room, communing with
Parsons’s ghost with Burns acting
as medium.
Unfortunately for Burns, that
recent period in his life was a bit
of a blur. Not too shy to talk about
his trials and tribulations with
substance abuse, Burns confesses
that he was so high that he hardly
remembers the recording process
and the subsequent tour.
“I went to prison right in the
middle of that. It was a little ol’
dope charge. We played Cincinnati
and crossed the Ohio River into
Kentucky and that’s where it
happened. They gave me probation
and told me I couldn’t tour with
Shooter. At that time Shooter was
paying me good money so I ran
off — what they call ‘absconded.’
Of course when I got picked up I
got extradited and they sentenced
me to two years. I did 13 months. I
ain’t proud of it but I ain’t ashamed
of it either. You know I don’t rob
or steal. Anybody that’s perfect
can throw the book at me but I’m a
decent person.”
Released from prison early
last year (due in part to a letter
from Willie Nelson pleading for
leniency), Burns has set out for
an extensive winter tour of the
western United States with South
Dakota compatriot Ken Fanger.
The tour is titled the “Talk About
Crazy” tour, named after the Burns
song of same name.
“We are a pretty wild and crazy
bunch,” says Burns. “When you do
this for forty-five years like I have
you’re kinda like a truck driver —
you’ve been up and down the road
so much you’re half crazy.”
This month marks the second
time Burns has swung through
Eastern Oregon. Last July Burns
was the marquee performer at
Heppner’s Ruckus in the Boonies
festival, which features a rowdy
mixture of outlaw country, crust
punk and heavy metal music.
Ruckus promoter Aaron “Dog
Bite” Harris, himself a country-
punk performer, sees as Burns as
an overlooked legend.
“I think country music should
appreciate guys like Billy Don
more. They are a dying breed,”
Harris emphatically states. “We
need to take care of them, and help
them as much as we can because
they are treated like [garbage] in
the business they helped create. I
think it’s a tragedy that guys like
Luke Combs are on TV and I’m
booking Billy Don shows at clubs
where 20 people show up and
talk over his set. He’s also just a
good soul. He’s one of the most
understanding, genuine guys I’ve
ever had the pleasure of working
with.”
At 68 years old ,Burns has
been experiencing a surprising and
very welcome career renaissance.
Rising contemporary outlaw
country performers Cody Jinks and
Whitey Morgan have recorded his
songs, which has raised his profile
with a new generation.
Says Burns: “I tell you I get a
lot of respect from these kids. Most
of them I play with are twenty,
thirty. Cody says he’s been a fan of
mine for five years. So it’s really
nice to be treated that way in my
old age. Of course I’m out there
still doin’ it. I gotta keep doin’ it —
’til the day I die hopefully.”
There are too many tales from
Burns’ life to fit in the confines of
this article: a broken engagement
with Lorrie Morgan, dropping
Johnny Paycheck off for a stint in
prison, a lifelong friendship with
Tanya Tucker, receiving a heartfelt
letter from Johnny Cash, Arkansas
Governor Bill Clinton declaring
March 27, 1983, as “Billy Don
Burns Day,” a duet album recorded
with legendary songwriter Hank
Cochran, etc. A documentary on
Burns also entitled “Talk About
Crazy” has been in the works for
a few years and will hopefully do
him justice. In the meantime, the
best way to digest the Billy Don
Burns story is to witness him live
in concert.
■
James Dean Kindle is a
Pendleton musician and executive
director of the Oregon East
Symphony. Contact him at
jamesdeankindle@gmail.com.
WHAT TO DO
Festivals
Eagle Cap Extreme Sled
Dog Race
•Jan. 17-20
•Joseph, Enterprise, Fergi
Ski Area
www.eaglecapextreme.com
Free, except banquet ($20/
adults, $8/ages 5-12) People
can watch races, which in-
cludes the Iditarod & Yukon
Quest qualifiers; meet-and-
greet with mushers at vet
checks; Race Central and Kids’
Corner.
Pursuit Conference
2018
•Saturday, Jan. 20, 10 a.m.,
2 p.m., 7 p.m.
•Hermiston Assembly of
God Church, 730 E. Hurlburt
Ave.
www.pursuitconf.com
Free. Faith-based confer-
ence featuring live music, inspi-
rational speakers and more.
Melonville Comedy
Festival
•Saturday, Jan. 27; 8 p.m.
•Hermiston
Conference
Center, 415 S. Highway 395
www.facebook.com
$35. 21-and-older show
features co-headliners Ker-
met Apio and Derek Richards.
Opening the show is Cory Mi-
chaelis. Tickets available at the
conference center. Food avail-
able for purchase.
Art, Authors
& Museums
Photography Club Ex-
hibit
•Monday-Thursdays;
11
a.m-7 p.m.,
•Friday-Saturdays; 10 a.m.-
5 p.m.
•Hermiston Public Library,
235 E. Gladys Ave.
www.hermistonlibrary.us
Free. The work of Photog-
raphy Club members is on dis-
play. Runs through Jan. 31.
New Year’s Show
•Tuesday-Sundays,
10
a.m.-6 p.m.
•Peterson’s Gallery and
Chocolatier, 1925 Main St.,
Baker City
www.petersonsgallery.net
Free. Features the work of
three of the past year’s most
requested artists. Runs through
Jan. 31.
Fishtrap Fireside
•Friday, Feb. 2; 7 p.m.
•400 E. Grant St., Enter-
prise
www.fishtrap.org
Free. Featured Wallowa
County writers will share from
their works, including Jenner
Hanni, Catherine Matthias and
Zanni Schauffler. An open mic
follows for audience to share
their stories.
Watercolor Society of
Oregon
•Monday-Thursdays, 9:30
a.m.-1:30 p.m.
•Betty Feves Memorial Gal-
lery, Blue Mountain Communi-
ty College, 2411 N.W. Carden
Ave., Pendleton.
Free. The traveling show
features 20 award-winning
paintings from the society’s
bi-annual juried exhibition by
noted artist/juror Paul Jackson.
Gallery also open by appoint-
ment by calling 541-278-5952.
Runs through Feb. 15.
2018 ArtWORKz Junior
Art Show & Competition
•Jan. 27-March 17; exhibit
displayed
•Saturday, Feb. 10; 1 p.m.,
artists’ reception
•Tamástslikt Cultural Insti-
tute, near Wildhorse Resort &
Casino.
www.tamastslikt.org
Free. Features artwork of
regional artists who are 18 and
under.
Music
Joseph Hein Band
•Saturday, Jan. 20; 7-9 p.m.
•Great Pacific Wine & Cof-
fee Co., 403 S. Main St., Pend-
leton
No cover. All ages. Mu-
sician creates harmonious
sounds with energetic up-tem-
po rhythm.
Branded
•Saturday, Jan. 20; 8 p.m.
No cover
•Wildhorse Sports Bar, Wild-
horse Resort & Casino, off I-84
Exit 216, Mission.
The “Dear Darla” Band
•Saturday, Jan. 20; 8:30
p.m.
•Midway Bar & Grill, 1750
N. First St., Hermiston
No cover.
The Wasteland Kings
•Saturday, Jan. 20; 9 p.m.
•Hamley Steakhouse & Sa-
loon, 8 S.E. Court Ave., Pend-
leton
No cover. The La Grande-
based group offers a unique
twist on classic rock and Ameri-
cana sounds.
Billy Don Burns
•Monday, Jan. 22; 7-9 p.m.
•Great Pacific Wine & Cof-
fee Co., 403 S. Main St., Pend-
leton
No cover. All ages. Features
the country music warrior who
carries his guitar like a sword.
Wasteland Kings
•Thursday, Jan. 25; 7 p.m.
•40 Taps, 337 S.W. Emi-
grant Ave., Pendleton
No cover during Live Music
Thursday.
Preludes Orchestra & A
Sharp Players
•Thursday, Jan. 25; 7 p.m.
•Pendleton High School,
1810 N.W. Carden Ave.
www.oregoneastsymphony.
org
Free. Ensembles of the
Oregon East Symphony, the
beginner level and intermediate
level orchestras will perform.
Troy Fair Band
•Friday, Jan. 26; Saturday,
Jan. 27; 8 p.m. No cover
•Wildhorse Sports Bar, Wild-
horse Resort & Casino, off I-84
Exit 216, Mission.
Ezza Rose Band
•Saturday, Jan. 27; 7-9:30
p.m.
•Great Pacific Wine & Cof-
fee Co., 403 S. Main St., Pend-
leton
No cover. All ages show
features the Portland-based
band whose sound is described
as dreamy, soul and rock ’n’ roll
with minimalist melodies and
eerie harmonies.
Two-Lane Highway Band
•Saturday, Jan. 27; 8:30
p.m.
•Midway Bar & Grill, 1750
N. First St., Hermiston
No cover.
Jam Night
•Thursday, Feb. 1; 6:30-8
p.m.
•Pendleton Center for the
Arts, 214 N. Main St.
www.pendletonarts.org
Free. Join other local musi-
cians for an informal evening of
jamming.
Misty Mouth CD Release
Party
•Saturday, Feb. 10; 8-10
p.m.
•Great Pacific Wine & Cof-
fee Co., 403 S. Main St., Pend-
leton
No cover. All ages. Classi-
cally and garage band trained,
the Pendleton-based band fea-
tures Adam Lange on bass and
vocals, Addison Schulberg on
lead guitar, Greg Schulberg on
percussion and Rian Beach on
lead vocals/rhythm guitar.
Stompin’ Ground
•Saturday, Feb. 17, 9 p.m.
No cover
•Riverside Sports Bar, 1501
Sixth St., Umatilla
Night life
•Fridays; 9 p.m.
•Midway Tavern, 1750 N.
First St., Hermiston
Cimmi’s Late Night Mar-
tini Lounge
•Fridays; 9 p.m.-midnight
•Virgil’s at Cimmiyotti’s, 137
S. Main St., Pendleton
No cover. Features martinis,
mixology and music.
Theater, stage,
film & lectures
Cabin Fever Concert
Karaoke w/DJ David
•Saturdays; 8 p.m.
•Riverside Sports Bar, 1501
Sixth St., Umatilla
DJ & Trivia
•Saturdays; 9 p.m.
•Midway Tavern, 1750 N.
First St., Hermiston
Holiday Hangover Pub
Crawl
•Saturday, Jan. 20, 4-10
p.m.
•Multiple locations, down-
town Pendleton
www.eventbrite.com
$15/presale, $20/day of
event. Ticket includes stain-
less steel pint glass, deals at
participating locations — Great
Pacific, Oregon Grain Growers,
Hamley’s, Sister’s Cafe, Cim-
miyotti’s, The Packard, Prodigal
Son, 40 Taps — and a chance
to win a grand prize raffle item.
Thirsty Thursdays
•Third Thursday; 6 p.m.
•Midway Bar & Grill, 1750
N. First St., Hermiston
No cover. Hosts a local
brewery offering tastings. Jan.
18: Pelican Brewing Company.
LOL Comedy Jam
•Thursdays; 8 p.m.
•Wildhorse Sports Bar, Wild-
horse Resort & Casino, off I-84
Exit 216, Mission.
No cover. Jan. 25: Gilbert
Brown, Susan Rice
Wine tasting
•Fridays, 4-8 p.m.
•Sno Road Winery, 111 W.
Main St., Echo.
Karaoke w/DJ David
•Fridays; 8 p.m.
•Riverside Sports Bar, 1501
Sixth St., Umatilla
DJ and dancing
Karaoke
•Fridays, 8 p.m.
•The Pheasant, 149 E. Main
St., Hermiston
•Saturday, Jan. 20; 6 p.m.
•Hermiston
Conference
Center, 415 S. Highway 395
$15/show only, $38/dinner
& show. Limited tickets avail-
able for the Dutch oven dinner
by Sharon’s Sweet Treats. John
Wambeke & Friends provide
an evening of music and hu-
mor. Tickets available at Cot-
tage Flowers, 1725 N. First St.,
Hermiston.
“Totally 80s Totally Mur-
der” Dinner Show
•Saturday, Feb. 10; 5 p.m.
•Sub Zero Restaurant &
Lounge, 100 W. Highway 730,
Irrigon
$40/if purchased by Jan.
20, then $49, $59.95/VIP ($50 if
purchased by Jan. 20). Includes
dinner and interactive murder
mystery event. Costume con-
test with ‘80s style, awards,
drawings and raffles. Lucky
Coyote show follows. 541-922-
4374.
Hot tickets
•Blue Oyster Cult (April 20)
and Hal Ketchum (May 26), at
Wildhorse Resort & Casino. Tick-
ets for the 21-and-older (price to
be announced) go on sale Feb.
8 via the Wildhorse Gift Shop or
www.wildhorseresort.com
•Buddy-the Buddy Holly
Story. Feb. 25, Toyota Center,
Kennewick. Tickets ($27-$67)
via www.ticketmaster.com
•Eagles. May 5, Moda Cen-
ter, Portland. Tickets ($59-$400)
via www.ticketmaster.com
———
Want to get your event list-
ed in our calendar? Send in-
formation to community@eas-
toregonian.com, or c/o Tammy
Malgesini, 333 E. Main Street,
Hermiston, OR, 97838.
BOOK REVIEW
A couple — and a country — at war
Cover photo courtesy of Collins Hemingway
BRIEFLY
East Oregonian
Collins Hemingway’s trilogy of
the missing years of British author
Jane Austen’s life, an exploration
of what might have happened if
the famous writer had married,
comes to its tragic conclusion in
Volume III.
Volume I of “The Marriage
of Miss Jane Austen” details the
wooing of the strong-willed,
intellectually inclined but impov-
erished daughter of a clergyman
by neighbor Ashton Dennis.
Volume II explores not only the
first 14 months of their marriage
and the birth of a child, but also
clashes with former friends now
intent on ruining the couple.
As Volume III opens, all is
not well with baby George. A
fundamental disagreement about
his treatment has shattering
consequences for the family,
and the rift created threatens to
destroy them. Can a war with
France create an unlikely path to
forgiveness and healing? Or will
old enemies return to finish what
they started?
Hemingway twines the
real tumult of the early 1800s
in England with the fictional
chaos of Austen’s life, creating a
seamless narrative and a plausible
explanation for her destruction of
all references to what should have
been the best years of her life.
———
“The Marriage of Miss Jane
Austen: Volume III,” written and
published by Collins Hemingway,
© 2017.