Brenda Bear Barnett

Brenda Bear Barnett grew up in southern Missouri around West Plains. Her father, James Barnett, was a well known Pentecostal Preacher and Brenda started singing at a young age in church and with various local Ozark bands. During this time she started developing her bass playing and entertaining skills.

At the age of 18, she auditioned for the Dusty Rhodes Show in Branson, Mo. Shortly after she met and began working with Sandra and Donna Rhodes and Charlie Chalmers. Together they toured with Paul Anka, sang in several Farm Aid Shows with Willie Nelson, performed on the Grand Old Opry and the Nashville Now TV Show.

Brenda’s voice is on many of the recordings you hear everyday. Her background vocal credits include: Paul Anka, Bobby Vinton, B.J. Thomas, Tanya Tucker, Englebert Humperdink, Mel Tillis, Roy Clark, Moe Bandy, Ray Stevens, Jim Stafford, Boxcar Willie, Ferlin Husky and Cristy Lane. She has written songs for The Oak Ridge Boys and Conway Twitty, including the No. 1 record, “The Clown”. In the early 90’s, she performed in an off Broadway play, “Holiday On Ice”, in New York City, as the female lead singer. She then returned to Branson, Mo., and continued working in recording studios during the day and shows at night.

In 1998 Brenda joined Cash’s White River Hoedown in Mountain View. She has amazed the audiences with her tremendous talent as an entertainer. She is one of the best bass players you will ever hear along with a fantastic voice. Her quick wit also makes her a great emcee. Brenda continues writing songs and working in recording studios in Branson and Springfield, Missouri.

David Ray Bryant

David Ray Bryant grew up around Clarendon, Monroe County, Arkansas. He started playing music with his father at the age 4. He wanted a set of drums and his dad told him to learn the guitar and he would get the set of drums. So he learned the guitar and his dad said that he had a bass and as soon as he learned that, he would get the set of drums. It went on to the banjo, saxophone, fiddle, and piano. He finally got a set of drums when he was old enough to buy them himself. He went back to the piano because he thought women were more attracted to piano players! He played with such bands as Narvel Felts, Johnny Lee, Conway Twitty, B.J. Thomas, Billy Joe Royal, Exile and many others.

He now resides in Smithville, Arkansas, is married, and has three children. He works as a construction superintendent.

David joined Cash’s White River Hoedown band in 2001. He is one of the most talented entertainers you will ever see. He can play any kind of music on that piano and has a beautiful voice. He is great at impersonating other entertainers, i.e. Elvis, Ray Charles, Walter Brennan and many others. You will love it when he takes out the harmonicas and starts playing that Blues music. It brings the house down and audiences love him.

Jackie Blassingame Ditto

Jackie Blassingame Ditto was born and raised in Pisgah, Ms. Jackie started singing in church at the age of three with her mother. She started playing the piano when she was six years old. When she was a teenager her mother and father, Jack and Jean Blassingame along with some cousins, formed a gospel group and performed all over North Mississippi, Tennessee and Alabama.

She attended one of the only colleges in the U.S. that offered a Country Western Music Degree, Northeast Mississippi Community College in Booneville. She received her Associates Degree there and then finished her Bachelors Degree in Music Education at Lyon College in Batesville, Arkansas after moving to Mountain View to work for Cash’s White River Hoedown. It was by accident that the Cash’s met Jackie. The Country Western Band from Boonville had been booked to play at the Ozark Folk Center in 1986 and their music director set it up for them to play in the last half of the hoedown show that night. They held their show over for about 15 minutes but the band never showed. Jim and Pat were locking up the Hoedown and here came the bus load of kids wanting to play their music. They didn’t really get to do their country music because that is not allowed at the Folk Center, since you have to do music that was recorded before 1940. Jim opened the theater back up and they played in to the wee hours. When they heard Jackie play that piano and sing they started asking questions. She was outstanding. That next spring they called Mr. Franks at the College and Jackie’s parents and told them they would let her live with them and work at the Hoedown for the summer. They went to Mississippi and picked her up and she lived with them and worked at the Hoedown all summer. They took her back for her last year of college and she then returned to work that year and has been in Mountain View ever since.

Jackie has two boys by her previous marriage and is now married to Bill Ditto an Arkansas State Trooper. She teaches Choral Music in the Mountain View Schools and also helps with the music at The First Baptist Church.

When you attend Cash’s White River Hoedown and hear Jackie’s beautiful voice and outstanding musical talents, you will be amazed that she is still in Mountain View. She could perform with the best, but she has chosen to stay in the beautiful Ozark Mountains and make her home.

Roger Jefford

Roger Jefford was born and raised in Floral, Arkansas. He started playing the drums when he was in High School. Roger and several friends of his formed a rock-n-roll band and practiced in a garage until they got so good that they were sought after by ever large gathering around Independence County. Roger is a perfectionist and would not perform until they got it right. He was director of several bands through the years and fronted for many major artists.

Roger started performing at Cash’s in 1999. He has a strong voice with a range you want believe. He sounds like Allen Jackson or even better. People are mesmerized at his talent as a drummer, lead singer, and back-up vocals. Roger is the most dependable musician that has ever worked at the White River Hoedown. He is always the first person to arrive no matter where they are playing. That is a great quality to have in a musician.

He is a member of the Floral Baptist Church and is married with four children. He works as a Draftsman for Jaco Construction Company in Newport, Arkansas, and still lives in Floral.

Sandra Rhodes

Sandra Rhodes was born in Memphis, TN.. She is the daughter of Dot and Dusty Rhodes who were part of the famous Rhodes Family Band, along with Slim, Speck and Bea Rhodes.

She began singing on her family’s Memphis based television program, “The Rhodes Show” at the age of eight. Her mother taught her to play the guitar when she was ten years old. She continued playing and singing with her brothers, Gordon and Perry and sister Donna on various shows including “The Louisiana Hayride” and “The Grand Old Opry”.

Sandra enjoyed her first commercial success as a songwriter at the age of fifteen with a top ten country/pop single “How Much Can A Lonely Heart Stand”, recorded by Grand Ole Opry Star, Skeeter Davis.

Sandra and her sister Donna went on to record for RCA Victor Records as “The Lonesome Rhodes” in the early 70’s, with Chet Atkins as their producer. They achieved commercial acclaim with a self tested album and several chart singles. During this time they performed on many Nashville based television shows including, The Porter Wagoner Show, Pop Goes the Country with Ralph Emery and made frequent guest spots on The Grand Ole Opry.

Sandra met her former husband, Charlie Chalmers at Sam Phillips’ Sun Records Recording Studio. She and Charlie, along with sister Donna, formed a much sought after background singing group. Their list of credits include: Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, B.J. Thomas, Paul Anka, Mac Davis, Liza Minelli, Jackie DeShannon, Tanya Tucker, Ann Peebles, Neil Diamond, Andy Gibb, Harry Chapin, Englebert Humperdink, John Mellencamp, Olivia Newton-John, Ray Stevens and Al Green.

She has written songs for Isaac Hayes, The Oak Ridge Boys, Al Green, Liza Minneli and Conway Twitty, including his number one record, “The Clown”.

In the early 90’s, Sandra, Charlie and Brenda Barnett traveled and performed with Mel Tillis for several years. While living in Branson they worked and recorded with various artist including, Roy Clark, Ray Stevens, Bobby Vinton, Box-Car Willie, Jim Stafford, Moe Bandy, Foster Brooks, Ferlin Huskey and Cristy Lane.

Sandra joined with her father Dusty Rhodes at Cash’s White River Hoedown in 1998. Audiences’ are in awe at her fantastic lead guitar playing, lead singing and back up vocals. She is truly a spectacular entertainer. She also continues to write songs and do a lot of studio work in Branson and Springfield, Missouri.