Lee Mace's Ozark Opry
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| Radio show from Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri | |
| publication | 1953-2005 |
| production | KRCG-TV, KMOS-TV |
| Contributors | |
| Moderation | Lee & Joyce Mace |
Lee Mace's Ozark Opry was an American country show that took place at the Lake of the Ozarks , Missouri , and was partially televised.
history
Beginnings
The radio presenter and musician Lee Mace was released from military service in 1952 and then began to work for the newly founded radio station KMRS. He hosted a 30-minute show he called the Ozark Opry . In 1953, Mace and his wife Joyce rented a building near Bagnell Dam that could accommodate about 200 people. The couple began holding shows there with a group of musicians that were broadcast live on the radio. The Ozark Opry was born.
Ascent
The show quickly became very popular and the following year it aired three shows a week, increasing to four in 1954. In 1955, half an hour of the show was broadcast on television via KRCG-TV and KMOS-TV. This year the Ozark Opry reached over 100,000 households per week. It was one of the most successful country shows of its type and in 1957 Mace had its own auditorium built on Highway 54, which initially had 650 seats. The capacity was later expanded to 1200.
The Ozark Opry ensemble was much smaller than other Barn Dance shows and included regional and local musicians, including Lonnie Hoppers, who later played in Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Boys . In addition, many stars of country music were guests on the Opry stage.
The End
On June 16, 1985, Lee Mace was killed in a plane crash. Despite the loss, his wife Joyce ran the show with constant success. In 2005, Joyce Mace closed the Ozark Opry for good.