Music has been a huge part of the Moultrie-Douglas County Fair for 90 years. It’s a list that reads like a who’s who in country music, with more than two dozen hall of famers having graced the stage!
Ray Price, Johnny Cash, The Statler Brothers, Sonny James, George Jones, Loretta Lynn, Bill Anderson, Charley Pride, Conway Twitty, The Oak Ridge Boys, Tom T. Hall, Marty Robbins, Ronnie Milsap, Don Williams, Reba, and Brooks & Dunn, just to name a few.
In addition, Mo-Do has welcomed hit-makers like John Conlee, The Bellamy Brothers, Earl Thomas Conley, Hank Williams Jr., Martina McBride, The Judds, Mickey Gilley and Johnny Paycheck.
It’s quite a lineup, and we’re going to relive it during our Mo-Do Fair rewind. Join us this weekend and enjoy some great country memories, brought to you by Crist Termite and Pest Solutions, JD Builders, and Arthur Community Bank on 101.3 WMCI.
Here’s the complete list of performers from the Mo-Do Fair:
Moultrie-Douglas County Fair Entertainment
(Compiled in June, 2020-Doris Elmore)
1930: Bachman’s Million Dollar Band—Miscellaneous Acts
1931: Happy Ray Revue – Pallenberg’s Bears – Bachman’s Million Dollar Band – Six Pashas (acrobatic) – Bruno Weise & Co. (act)
1932: No Fair
1933: Bachman’s Million Dollar Band
1934: Homer F. Lee’s Royal Missourian Band – Miscellaneous Acts
1935: Lulu Belle, WLS Barn Dance – Skyland Scotty, WLS
1936: Novak & Fay Acrobats – Taketa Japanese Gymnasts – The Siegfrieds – Case Brothers & Marie – Maple City Four – Prairie Ramblers
1937: The Great Dalbeanie, Six Skating Marvels, Emerald Sisters, Monroe & Adams Sisters
1938: Pine Ridge Follies w/Willie West McGinty & Spiller’s Seals, Lum & Abner, Capt. Seals, Art LaFleur Acrobat.
1939: Wilfred DuBois, Howard Fuller & Sister, Alf Loyal’s Dogs, Edison & Louise, Pine Ridge Follies
1940: Will Hill’s Elephants, Machedon Tumbling Troupe, Ross Brothers Hand Balancers, Wilbur’s Circus, Jimmie Evans & Co., Stevens Brothers and Big Boy (bear), France and LaPell, gymnasts
1941: Ballard and Rae (stunts), Monroe Brothers (comedy), Monahan & Morris, Al Zimmey & Grandstand Quiz Show, Whitey Ford/Duke of Paducah (comedian)
1942-1945: No Fair
1946: Patsy Montana & WLS Barn Dance, Miscellaneous Acts
1947: Claude Thornhill Orchestra, Arkansas’s Woodchopper (entertainer), Miscellaneous Acts
1948: Orchestras by Charlie Spivak, Will Back, Sherman Hayes, Eddy Howard, Larry Clinton, Miscellaneous Acts
1949: Lebrac & Bernice (unicycle), Bob Atcher, WLS Barn Dance, WLS Rangers Mac & Bob, Larry Griswold (trampoline), Strong Foursome (rope tricks), Terry Ray, ladder artist
1950: Jake Sisters, Parker Bros. (ventriloquist), Captain Stubby & the Buccaneers, Gautier’s Tallyho, Three Glenns, Donald “Red” Blanchard WLS
1951 Abbreviated fair on school grounds-no book
1952: Peter Chan (accordian), WLS Entertainer, Phyllis Brown (singer), Miscellaneous Acts
1953: WLS Barn Dance, Balancing Act Spectacular Vernell, Rose Steele & Canines, Ted Miller & Smiley, Fighting & Dancing Horse, McNallie Sisters, The Coriells Act (ropers), Miscellaneous Acts
1954: Jerry Gray, Shep Fields (music), Blue Barrron Acrobatic Acts, Ken Griffin (aerial acts-acrobats) Dolph Hewitt WLS, Jimmy Lee (comedian)
1955: Grand Ole Opry Stars Ray Price, Goldie Hill, Justin Tubb, Billy Rayes (comedian)
1956: The Mariners, Dan Belloc (sax & orchestra), Homer & Jethro, Cowboy Bob Atcher, Beaver Valley Sweethearts (singers), Don Cherry (vocalist), Dick Noel (Breakfast Club), Ernie Rudy Band, Miscellaneous Acts
1957: Pee Wee King & Pee Wee King Ranch Gang, Red Blanchard, WLS Barn Dance
1958: Frankie Masters Orchestra, Chase & Park (Topsy-Turvey Tricksters), Tall Timber Boys “Country Music Jubilee” starring Red Foley, Elkins Sisters (acrobats), Miscellaneous Acts
1959: Roy Acuff Show, Frank Yankovic (accordian), Faron Young Show, Wayne Roland (comedian), Porter Wagoner, Margie Bowes
1960: Ernest Tubb and the Texas Troubadours, The Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, Brenda Lee (rock & roll), Lulu Belle (bear), Johnny Elmore, The Rainbows, Tiny Rich Crandall, Ginny Kelly’s Adorables, Varju Bros, Ferlin Husky
1961: Ink Spots & Acts, Stonewall Jackson Show with Justin Tubb, Red Sovine and Dottie West, Roy Orbison Show & Band, Faron Young Show with Margie Bowes
1962: Lou Prohut (accordian) from Don McNeil’s Breakfast Club, Ginny Tiu (piano), Tex Ritter,
Faron Young
1963: Glenn Miller Orchestra, Ferlin Husky Show, The Harmonicats
1964: Hank Williams Jr.
1965: Skeeter Davis-Opry, Osmond Brothers, Roy Clark, Hank Snow, Johnny Barton
1966: Porter Wagner Show & George Hamilton IV, Johnny Tillotson (Lawrence Welk), Jim Roberts, Ray Price, Margie Bowes, The Cherokee Cowboys
1967: Grand Ole Opry Stars, Clinger Sisters, Barbara & Bobby (Lawrence Welk), Johnny Cash, Carter Family, Tennessee Three, Statler Brothers Quartet
1968: Del Reeves, Steve Smith & Jack Emil (Lawrence Welk), Sonny James, Minnie Pearl
1969: Johnny Cash Show, Frankie Fontaine, Tammy Wynette, George Jones, Cissy & Bobby (Lawrence Welk Show), Dick Dale
1970: Merle Haggard, Norma Zimmer & Jim Roberts (Lawrence Welk), Ken Curtis (Festus), Billy Jo Spears, David Houston
1971: Loretta Lynn, Boots Randolph, Guy & Rolna (Lawrence Welk), Bill Anderson, Jan Howard, Grandpa Jones
1972: Conway Twitty, Charley Pride, Archie Campbell, Guy & Rolna (Lawrence Welk), Roy Drusky & The Loners
1973: The Hagers, Jack Greene, Jennie Seely, Clay Hart (Lawrence Welk) Oak Ridge Boys, Freddie Hart, The Heartbeats, The Kendalls
1974: Tommy Overstreet & The Nashville Express, Tom T. Hall & The Story Tellers, Jethro of Homer & Jethro
1975: Mel Tillis & The State Siders, Sugarloaf, Gail Farrell (Lawrence Welk), Marty Robbins
1976: Mickey Gilley, Crystal Gale, Asleep at the Wheel, The Spurrlows, Ronnie Milsap & Band
1977: Cal Smith with Joni Lee, Earl Scruggs Revue, Blackwood Bros. (Gospel), Jerry Reed
1978: Sonny James, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Johnny Paycheck, Jim Ed Brown, Helen Cornelius
1979: Billy “Crash” Craddock, T. J. Sheppard, Marty Robbins
1980: Hank Williams Jr., Moe Bandy, Hoyt Axton, Dave & Sugar
1981: Gene Watson, Joe Stampley, Johnny Rodriguez, John Conlee
1982: Rex Allen Jr., Terri Gibbs, Shelley West, Slim Whitman, David Frizell
1983: Ricky Skaggs, Leon Everette, Gary Morris, Earl Thomas Conley
1984: Reba McEntire, Ronnie Robbins Show, John Anderson Show
1985: The Judds, Exile Show, Con Hunley Show, Margo Smith Show
1986: Dan Seals, T. Graham Brown, Bellamy Brothers, Charly McClain, Wayne Massey
1987: Gary Morris, Kathy Mattea, Pake McEntire, Michael Martin Murphy
1988: Ricky VanShelton (did not perform due to weather), Asleep at the Wheel, Mel McDaniel, Highway 101
1989: Eddy Raven, The Girls Next Door, Billy Joe Royal, Forester Sisters
1990: Holly Dunn, Skip Ewing, Paul Overstreet, Desert Rose Band
1991: Asleep at the Wheel, Robin Lee, Desert Rose Band, T. G. Sheppard
1992: Brooks & Dunn, Tom Wopat, Baillie & the Boys, Janie Fricke
1993: Sammy Kershaw, Don Williams
1994: Marshall Tucker Band, Martina McBride
1995: John & Audrey Wiggins, Daron Norwood
1996: Nashville North Band, Dr. Wu’s R & B Review, Two for the Show, “1964 The Tribute”
1997: Ken Wallis & 95Q Review, Sally Weisenburg & the Famous Sidemen, Exile, Ken Mellons
1998: Amy White Band, Electric Amish Band w/Chick McGee
1999: Gene Trimble Orchestra, Rocky LaPorte, Windy City Wrestling, Jeff Rothpan, Tim Cavanagh
2000: Blue Grass Band, Long Creek
2001: Kentucky Blue Band
2002: No Entertainment—Talent Show on Friday night
2003: Joe Nichols
2004: Jimmy Wayne
2005: Cletus T. Judd
2006: Theron Denson “The Black Diamond” (Neil Diamond Impersonator)
2007: Casey Rivers
2008: 44th Annual Illinois State Old Time Fiddle Contest
2009: The Gunny Sack Revue, Illinois State Old Time Fiddle Contest
2010: The Gunny Sack Revue, Mackville
2011: The Gunny Sack Revue
2012: The Henningsens
2013: Parmalee
2014: Lorrie Morgan
2015: The Marshall Tucker Band
2016: Aaron Tippin, Confederate Railroad
2017: JoDee Messina
2018: Tyler Farr
2019: Russell Dickerson
2020: No Fair (COVID-19 pandemic)
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