Black Hills Symphony Orchestra features Jim Barber and Family

Direct from Branson, Missouri, comedian, singer and ventriloquist Jim Barber is thrilled to be returning to his hometown of Rapid City, South Dakota on December 31st to ring in the New Year with the Black Hills Symphony Orchestra under the direction of conductor Bruce Knowles.

This will be the second time that Barber will be a featured guest artist with the Symphony, having performed here with his wife Diane (Wallahan) Barber in mid-1980′s.  Now, over twenty-years later, the Barbers return to perform some highlights from their popular Hamner Barber Variety Show in Branson, as well as new selections worked up especially for this concert.

A 1978 graduate of Rapid City Central High School, Jim began his performing career as a young teen entertaining civic groups and various organizations around the Rapid City area.  Active in both theater and band, Jim also performed as a percussionist with the Symphony Orchestra for a couple seasons.

He attended South Dakota School of Mines and Technology his first year of college, then transferred to the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis where he majored in broadcasting and theater arts. While based in the Twin Cities, Jim co-produced and co-hosted a popular local childrens television show and also toured extensively around the world entertaining troops for the USO. He later accepted a two-year contract to perform aboard the “General Jackson Showboat” at Opryland in Nashville which led to headlining comedy clubs throughout the Midwest and featured performances at approximately 2000 colleges and universities around the country.

Country music superstar Glen Campbell introduced Jim to Branson audiences as part of his Glen Campbell Goodtime Show, which featured Jim’s comedy for 3 years.  He then went on to appear in other Branson productions starring Eddie Rabbitt, The Osmonds, Tony Orlando, Bobby Vinton and others.  His Hamner Barber Variety Show celebrates it’s 7th season at the Hamner Barber Theater in 2010.

Diane Barber graduated from Rapid City Stevens High in 1980 and had leading roles in many musical theater and dance concerts while living in Rapid City.  Diane has a Masters Degree in Dance Education from Temple University in Philadelphia, Undergraduate Degree in Music Therapy from Kansas University in Lawrence, KS and studied theater in New York City at the Lee Strasberg Institute and the Terry Schreiber Studio.  She has performed leading roles in various musical theater productions in New York, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts and also performs in the Hamner Barber Theater holiday production, The Wings of Christmas in Branson.  Diane is also a successful Interior Designer with her own company, Decorating Den Interiors.

Black Hills Symphony Orchestra Conductor Bruce Knowles was selected to lead the orchestra in May 2009.  He served as the assistant conductor of the orchestra from 2000 – 2004 and as associate conductor from 2004 – 2008.  He has directed the Rapid City Central High School Orchestras since 1982, during which time the Central orchestra and chamber orchestra have achieved regional and national acclaim.

The Black Hills Symphony Orchestra began its 75th season on October 24, 2009, in the Rapid City Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Theatre. For more information about the orchestra or this New Year’s Eve concert, visit the orchestra’s web site at www.bhsymphony.org.

Jim Barber, the Blues Brothers from the Legends in Concert, the Braschlers, the Brett Family, Dalena Ditto, Doug Gabriel, Dave Hamner, the Hughes Brothers, Jim Owen and John Tweed are among the entertainers scheduled to perform in a benefit show for Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) Chapter 913 of Branson on Monday, June 14 at 7 p.m. at the Victorian Theater (formerly Sons of the Pioneers), 3090 Shepherd of the Hills Expy., Branson.

“Proceeds will be used to assist our military personnel and families deployed to Iraq. This is within the guidelines of the organization’s founding principle ‘Never again shall one generation of veterans abandon another.’ The VVA relies totally on private contributions for its revenue and does not receive any funding from federal, state or local governments. The entertainers are donating their time for this show.

Call 417-334-4363 for advance reservations. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children,” said Tom Brett of the Brett Family, who is organizing the show.

The Branson chapter is one of 525 local chapters of the national non-profit organization with more than 50,000 individual members in 43 state councils. Founded in 1978, the VVA is the only national Vietnam veterans organization congressionally chartered and exclusively dedicated to Vietnam-era veterans and their families. VVA’s goals are to promote and support the full range of issues important to Vietnam veterans, to create a new identity for this generation of veterans and to change public perception of Vietnam veterans. Its first principle is that the organization is measured by deeds and openness as evidence of the core values of justice, integrity, and meaningful achievement.

Among its special programs are government relations advocacy on the range of veterans issues, a national task force for homeless veterans, health care for veterans including disabled veterans, issues pertaining to women and minority veterans, a national scholarship fund and a program providing assistance to veterans seeking benefits/services from the government.

The Veterans Center in Springfield provides assistance with housing, counseling, application for disability compensation, medical care through the VA and assistance to any needy veterans in this area. VVA Chapter 913 meets at 7 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month at the Golden Corral. Vietnam era veterans are welcome.