A news story elsewhere in this edition announces The Haygoods will be singing the National Anthem at the Kansas City Chiefs-Bengal Tiger game on September 15, 2024. It reminded the Ole Seagull of another time The Haygoods represented Branson during a tour of China that he wrote of in 2011.
“At first the crowd had no clue what we were all about, but after a few back flips and some up-tempo tunes, they REALLY got into it. I mean they REALLY got into it,” said Timothy Haygood of Branson’s The Haygood Show. He was referring to the audience’s reaction to a recent Haygood performance, which would be good news for any, but is great news when it happens on the first stop of a unique 18-city performance tour throughout China.
Haygood’s comments were contained in an email he sent to the Ole Seagull after the group’s first performance in Shenzen, China. The performance was part of an extensive tour covering 18 performances in 18 different cities in China running through January 30 [2011]. The performances will be in venues of two to five thousand people including the Beijing Exhibition Center. The email detailed their experiences from their last show in Branson, their travels to China and the conducting their first show in China and is shared as follows:
We’ve been running so hard; I haven’t had time to email you yet. I will be sending pictures and notes on everything happening here every two days or so!!
We got into China two days ago after a very long trip that started at 4 a.m. in Tulsa! The plane arrived in Hong Kong a full 24 hours later and we proceeded to go through two different customs checkpoints with 22 bags of heavy gear. That was very fun! AHHH! After arriving in Shenzen, we immediately went to the theatre and discovered that these folks know how to build a theatre!! Everything is very state of the art.
After setting up and eating, (a whole new adventure!) we went back to the theatre and played our first show last night. At first the crowd had no clue what we were all about but after a few back flips and some up-tempo tunes, they REALLY got into it. I mean they REALLY got into it. After four encores which we were not planning to play, a couple of security guards had to come out and tell the crowd we had to go because they kept yelling for more.
Aaron was swarmed by many girls who snuck in backstage, and we had to hang out in the dressing room until they had all left.
I think the Chinese people think we are pop stars…It’s kind of wild and a little strange, but fun nonetheless!!
I will keep you posted. We have four more shows in four cities before a break!
If Branson shows were greeting cards, The Haygoods would be a “Hallmark,” said Tammy Johnson, the Director of Operations for the Branson Tourism Center. “To paraphrase ‘Hallmark,’ ‘Branson cared enough to send one of its very best.”
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