Red Head Express in South Carolina

November 13, 2009
We spent a wonderful weekend in the area of Orangeburg, South Carolina. Our reason for going to that area was The Red Head Express, the bluegrass/gospel group we have fallen in love with. This weekend they played at three different Baptist churches: Gethsemane Church in St. Matthews, Willow Swamp in Norway, and Two Mile Swamp in Cope.

The Red Head Express is, for us, first a wonderful family. We presented the family with a one-of-a-kind “Alaska’s Red Head Express” figures collectors set. The story on the back of the box goes: Snowy Apryll, the fairest at the mall in Palmer, creates a home full of little people (as we now like to call them) and dreams of fulfilling the desire of her mother to have a family band. She finds happiness teaching the little people all about music, until the handsome Prince Brett tempts her with the golden apple of fame and fortune. And like the transformation that comes with “Love’s First Kiss.” The Red Head Express is created. And they lived happily ever after. The cast of characters contained in the set are: Snowy Apryll, Prince Brett, Bashful Ammon, Doc Kendra, Dopey Sean, Grumpy Joseph, Happy LaRae, Sleepy Meghan, and Sneezy Alisa. Instruments are sold separate.

One afternoon we all took a walk around the farm where they were staying in Cope, South Carolina. The owners, Bobbi and Reese, were gracious enough to let us park at the farm too. We all learned how peanuts grow and tasted them fresh from the ground! The farm has been in Reese’s family for several generations; he talked about each of the buildings sharing some history along the way. The first house that was built became a barn; it was pushed back to make room for the new house. Reese pointed out the chimney where the kitchen stove once stood and the double front door that would have been where an addition would have gone on to the house. The old garage for the model T was moved from the roadside under the pecan tree a few years back; Reese use to pull the model T up into that very garage when he was a young boy. Reese helped move some old lumber from a shed further back on the property up to Georgia where his son had it ground smooth and used it for the flooring in his home. We passed out CAP airplanes Barbara had given us left over from one of her aerospace workshops. They were a hit; we had contests for furthest flown, best loop and best stunt.


And secondly The Red Head Express is a very talented musical group. Their voices blend and twist about their music taking your soul higher! Kendra, the eldest daughter, has a voice from heaven and gathers you in as she sings. LaRae, the smiling banjo player, makes you feel better bringing a smile to your face as you listen to her and your foot gets to tapping along. Alisa with her fast fingers on the mandolin has a voice that balances and blends to the others. She can sure yodel too! The youngest girl, Meghan, plays stand-up bass and can she get down! Recently she has been joining in the harmonies and singing out; what a beautiful voice. Mom, Apryll, and Dad, Brett, weave their magic with soprano and baritone. Just when you think you have reached the height of the performance, out come the three boys: Sean, Joseph and Ammon. The two older boys, ages ten and eight, had their solo debuts the beginning of October; this weekend they hit out together with “Dueling Banjos”. Sean on banjo and Joseph on mandolin; it was so cute watching their faces as they taunted each other. And seeing Apryll laugh with tears as she enjoyed their first duet performance. Ammon, was really playing those spoons! He recently lost his two front teeth and will have something special to sing in the Christmas show in Branson, MO!

It was a wonderful weekend and we are already looking forward to seeing them in Texas in January.