From Ozarks to Oz: The Petersens...

The Petersens release all-gospel album, “Homesick for a Country” BRANSON, Mo. – August 9, 2019 – The award-winning bluegrass band, The Petersens, announces the release of their first all-gospel album, “Homesick for a Country,” on August 9.   “Homesick for a Country” is a compilation of the most loved and requested gospel songs The Petersens have performed at their Sunday gospel show at the Little Opry Theatre over the past two years.   “While we love singing fun bluegrass songs, there is something special about gospel songs,” said Ellen Petersen, director of marketing and band banjo player and vocalist. “Singing words that we believe and watching God use this music to open people’s hearts and bring them hope and encouragement is a truly special experience.”   Shortly following the release of “Homesick for a Country,” The Petersens will travel to Finland to play at the American Bluegrass and Gospel Festival on August 17, followed by their fourth Irish tour from August 21-26.   The Petersens will return to Branson in time to play at the Southern Gospel Festival at Silver Dollar City on August 29 and will resume their regular performance schedule at the Little Opry Theatre: their bluegrass show at 2 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and their gospel show at 2 p.m. on Sundays.   “Homesick for a Country” is available for pre-sale on iTunes, Spotify, and petersenband.com prior to its release on August 9. For more information about The Petersens or to book tickets, please visit tickets.petersenband.com or call (417) 335-4832.

Local award-winning bluegrass band, The Petersens, known for their tight harmonies and warm sibling humor, have maintained their rank on TripAdvisor as the #1 show in Branson for over a year.   “We are so honored to receive the positive feedback from our fans on TripAdvisor,” said Ellen Petersen, director of marketing and band banjo player. “Bluegrass is all about authentic music, strong vocals and family values. I think many people enjoy our show because our music reminds them of their roots.”   Though many of their fans grew up listening to bluegrass music, The Petersens, one of the younger performing groups in Branson, have succeeded in introducing the genre to a new generation of fans.   “We have a lot of fun putting our own Americana flare on our music so that it appeals to audiences from all walks of life,” said Petersen. “Many people come to our show thinking they’re not bluegrass fans, but they end up changing their minds by the end of the show. It’s a great honor to be a part of making someone a new fan of this music that we love.”   This summer The Petersens continue their ninth season of performing at the Little Opry Theatre in Branson. Through mid-August, they will perform their bluegrass show at 2 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and through July they also perform on Saturdays at 2 p.m. On Sundays at 2 p.m., they perform their gospel show.

2019 Starts Off With a Bang! As Spring approaches, several people have asked us when we start back into our regular 2019 Branson show season. The answer: March 3rd! But it gets a little complicated… This March we’ll be playing at Silver Dollar City! We play at the Dockside Theater Wednesdays through Sundays March 13th – 31st, April 5th and 7th for Young Christians Weekend, and May 4th – 5th for their Bluegrass & BBQ Festival. Phew! That’s a lot. 2019 Branson Show Season We will still be playing our regular bluegrass show at the Little Opry Theatre Tuesdays at 2 PM. Confused yet? This may help for March…. What a Spring! Thanks for making the Saturday evening shows so much fun and for making the Worst Show of the Year one of the most fun nights of our entertaining career! We haven’t laughed that hard on stage, well, EVER! And you all were great sports as we danced, played keytars, and sang the Backstreet Boys. We are already coming up with terrible ideas for next year. The overwhelming amount of support our Branson community and friends show us never fails to encourage us.   As always, thank you so much for supporting our family and our musical journey. Catch us all throughout the year performing in Branson and on the road. Visit the Show Dates page for a full list of performances. We would not be able to do what we love without you! See you soon.  

Award-winning bluegrass band, The Petersens, returns to Branson from third Irish tour   Branson, Missouri – February 6, 2019 – After completing their eighth season at the Little Opry Theatre in Branson in December, award-winning bluegrass band, The Petersens, traveled to Ireland for a nine-stop tour.   “Our favorite parts of Ireland are the people and their love of music,” said Ellen Petersen, director of marketing and band banjo player. “People listen very intentionally to the music and take everything to heart. Everyone is also very hospitable and feels like family.”   Before embarking on their musical tour, The Petersens visited parts of England, including Oxford where Musical Leader and Fiddle Player Katie Petersen studied in 2015 and the Lake District. They also traveled to the highlands of Scotland and to Edinburgh before arriving in Ireland to begin their tour on January 19.   The nine-consecutive-day tour began at the Shannonside Music Festival at Bunratty Castle, where The Petersens were double billed with the Grammy-nominated bluegrass band, Special Consensus.   During their performances at the Schoolyard Theatre in Charleville, Co. Cork and at the Community Hall in Ballydehob, Co. Cork, they shared the stage with Irish family bluegrass band, Cup O’Joe.   “We loved being on stage with other performers who share our commitment to preserving the bluegrass traditional style and songs,” said Petersen. “The energy in the room was amazing.”   The tour finished on January 27 at the Old Schoolhouse, a restored centuries-old school, in Clashmore, Co. Waterford.   “So many of the venues we played in have a rich history, which makes playing them very special,” said Petersen. “Our love of playing these venues is similar to our love of playing bluegrass music—it’s cool to be a part of bringing them to life again to a new generation.”   The Petersens will bring their tight harmony and sibling humor back to Branson in 2019. They will perform their bluegrass show on Saturday evenings in February and their gospel show on Sunday afternoons through March 10 at the Little Opry Theatre.   Beginning March 13, The Petersens will perform Wednesdays through Sundays at Dockside Theater at Silver Dollar City, in addition to Tuesdays at the Little Opry Theatre.

For more show dates of The Petersens, click HERE. The Petersens have their albums available for order here, or you can stream them through Apple and Spotify.

Here are five simple traditions our family does every year for Thanksgiving!   The holidays can be some of the best and busiest times of the year. Unless you are intentional, it can be easy to go through the motions rather than treasure these sweet family moments. We have found that having some fun and simple traditions not only brings back precious memories of the past, but it gives us a structure that helps guide the day along. 1. Start off the day with a 5k! We have had so much fun through the years participating in different Turkey Trot races on Thanksgiving morning. You can dress up as something silly or bundle up from the cold in as much clothing as running allows. It is so rewarding to start the day thankful for your health and spending time with friends. Besides, with all the food you are going to consume later on, getting a workout in at the beginning of the day is never a bad idea. This year you will find us at the Turkey Trot at the Branson Landing. 2. Have everyone bring at least one dish. Not only will this relieve the stress of the primary meal organizer (God bless our mother) but it makes people feel like they are a part of the meal instead of just showing up. Everyone has their own flair when it comes to cooking so it is fun to see different personalities and styles emerge with each dish. Through the years *most* of us have a signature dish that we are expected to bring and Katie has definitely perfected the pumpkin roll.    3. Assign seats with fun place cards. Group dynamics matter and there are some people that naturally click better with others. Let’s just be honest. Sometimes certain family members should not sit by each other. Matt and Julianne have to be separated every year… Why not go ahead and make sure your dinner time will be as harmonious and fun as possible and coordinate the seating? We plan things out ahead of time with fun Thanksgiving themed place cards. Click here for a DIY tutorial on how to make them. 4. Sit at one table. This may not be possible for everyone due to space, but we always put a lot of effort into making sure everyone is together at one table. There have been many times where we have sat on piano benches and pulled up card tables to make it happen. It might not make for the prettiest picture or table setting, but family unity is always worth it.  5. Have a fun game planned! We have loved playing Quiplash as a family. It’s perfect for old inside jokes, creating new ones, and people of all ages! All you have to do is grab a computer and your cell phones so the set up is quick and easy. Another game that has recently been introduced to us by our dear friend Kami is Unstable Unicorns. It is ridiculous and definitely brings out more of the competitive side of the siblings. Often times after dinner everyone is ready for a nap so grabbing a cup of coffee (PTL for Expresso Branson) and having those quick, fun games ready is sure to liven things up again and keep everyone together. What are some of your family’s favorite Thanksgiving traditions? Leave a comment below to share! The Petersens perform bluegrass and gospel music in Branson, MO. To book tickets to their live Branson show click here, or you can keep up with them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Katie Petersen Wins Fiddle Player of the Year When it comes to playing the fiddle, it’s hard to find anyone who does it better or with as much heart as our lovely Katie. This past year she has spent many extra hours practicing and taking her talent to the next level and we love seeing her recognized for all her hard work. This award was an especially high honor because of the other incredibly skilled fiddle players who were nominated and grace stages day after day in Branson, Missouri. Other nominees included Nathan Agdeppa of The Baldknobbers, Wayne Massengale of Grand Country, Amy Dutton of The Duttons, Janice Martin of A Janice Martin Cirque Show, and Louis Darby of The Sons of Britches. The Petersens Win Little Big Show of the Year The Little Big Show of the Year award is given to a show that performs in a theater that seats less than 500 people. We are so honored to be given this award and to play week after week in the Little Opry Theater. The small size of our theater allows us to interact with our audience and provides an intimate feel and connection unlike any other venue in Branson. Other nominees included The Sons of Britches, Johnson Strings, A Tribute to George Strait Dinner Show, Doo-Wop & The Drifters, and 50 Years of Kenny Rogers. The Terry Awards The Terry Awards is an incredible organization founded by Terry Beene as a way to recognize entertainers in the Branson community. For more information about the awards, you can visit their website here. The event is open to the public and you can like their Facebook page for more updates and pictures. Many thanks to The Branson Insider for the pictures.

Our Most Captive Audience On The Road Again For the past several years our family has had the opportunity to travel and play music in different countries. We are set to return for our third Ireland tour in January of 2019 and are currently on our second tour in Canada this summer.  It is an honor to share the American culture through our music while creating fun memories and stories along the way. The full-time Branson show is our dream job, but it is fun to shake things up a bit, explore very different venues, and grow as a band. In addition to touring internationally, our new 2018 Branson show schedule allows us to take short road trips to a larger region. In June we played evening shows in the cities of Abilene and Hays, Kansas, through BDS Productions reuniting with old friends and making new ones.  We were treated so well and had a great time. It was a blast! We also added an early afternoon program at the Ellsworth Correctional Facility. This would be our first opportunity to perform in a correctional institution.  Randy and Emmett Franz said they had spent a lot of time in and out of prison (playing music, of course) and that it would be a great experience.  We accomplished all the extra paperwork for ourselves and our equipment for pre-approval. Surprisingly, both the banjo and Matt made the cut. Ellsworth Spiritual Life Center Inside Ellsworth Correctional Facility stands a small beautiful chapel called the Spiritual Life Center (SLC) which seats around 300. It is the pride and joy of the prison and the community.  The surrounding private and corporate community raised funding for the materials, and the “offenders” built it themselves. We passed through security and questioning, then were escorted to the chapel. It actually had a great stage and a complete sound system.  Everyone was so proud of the chapel and eager to assist us in any way. Two guards were stationed in the back of the room during the standing room only concert in case they were needed, but, truth be told, we have never played to a more appreciative and attentive crowd. They cheered for all the instrumental solos, clapped along during our upbeat bluegrass songs, teared up during Beulah Land, gave a standing ovation for More Than a Name on a Wall, and screamed out “GET IT, MAMA!” louder than we’ve ever heard. A Moving Experience After the show, every single man stood in line single file to get our autographs on specially made postcards with our pictures.  They thanked us for taking the time to visit their facility. They said they laughed at how Matt picked on us. It reminded them of their childhood and siblings. They loved how proud we were of Julianne as she sang and played her mandolin. I was humbled by how they said they saw Jesus in our family. They were grateful to us for coming out of our way to bless them.  One comment I remember in particular was from an older gentleman with tears in his eyes. As he shook my hand he said, “You made me feel free for an hour.” Bittersweet Reflections Overall it was a bittersweet experience.  We all walked to the van thoughtful of the contrasts we had witnessed, men who were paying the price of imprisonment for crime, yet some were full of love and hope there.  The Christian community was loving and strong for each other. The love shown from the chaplain, his wife, and the town who cared for these men and sacrificed to make it a better place.  We all agreed we wanted to reach out to this segment of society again. It was a great reminder of the hope and promise God offers everyone and how beautiful it is to share that message with others. Our dad has always prayed Philemon verse 6 over our family’s music. “And I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.” We all have so much for which to be thankful.

Bluegrass and BBQ Festival Silver Dollar City’s Bluegrass and BBQ festival has arrived again and for the Petersen family this is the most wonderful time of the year! Bluegrass enthusiasts, including many family bands, from all over the country and even the world will be traveling to Branson, MO to participate and listen to their favorite music and musicians.  In the bluegrass community, the month of May in Branson becomes a big family reunion. KSMU Youth in Bluegrass Competition One of the highlights of the festival will be the 17th annual KSMU Youth in Bluegrass Band Contest on May 26 held in the Opera House at Silver Dollar City. Young bluegrass players, under the age of 21, accompanied by family members will compete as bands in two rounds for separate panels of judges. The contest is much more than a competition for the participants. It is a time of networking, building lifelong friendships, learning and encouragement for everyone involved. Frequently, the participants gather the evening before the contest to perform their songs for each other to offer constructive criticism and encouragement to their fellow musicians. On contest day, the bands cheer each other on both backstage and from the audience. The Petersen family thoroughly enjoyed playing in the KSMU contest for several years and had two second place finishes.  Even though their contest days have ended, the friendships have endured and grown over the years and they now enjoy going and cheering on the next generation of bluegrass kids. The Draw of Bluegrass Community The community of bluegrass musicians and fans is what initially attracted the Petersens to bluegrass music. In 2004, the Petersens were vacationing in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and attended their first bluegrass festival. After meeting several of the musicians and family bands at the festival, the Petersens fell in love with the bluegrass family and began their own bluegrass journey.  Fourteen years later the Petersens perform full-time as a bluegrass band with their own show in Branson, MO.  The Petersens perform three days a week at the Little Opry Theatre located inside the Branson IMAX Entertainment Complex and perform in special engagements in other venues by request. The Heart Behind the Bluegrass Festival The Petersens are very grateful to Silver Dollar City, the Herschend family and D. A. Callaway for providing their first stage and wonderful fans to play for at the Bluegrass and BBQ Festival. The heart and driving force of the festival is D. A. Callaway who encouraged the family from the very beginning giving them the Medicine Wagon stage for performances in 2007.  Mr. Callaway has encouraged  many families with his kind words and respectful treatment for bands at all levels of ability.  He has connected the bluegrass community in many wonderful ways by providing venues and making introductions.   His particular heart for young musicians and families playing bluegrass music together along with Silver Dollar City’s outstanding stages and patrons continue to inspire new musicians and promote established bands.  The Petersens’ opportunities to perform at the park allow them opportunities to grow as a band, gain new fans and play alongside the world’s best musicians.  The Petersens will be performing at the Bluegrass and BBQ festival this year on May 10th and 11th at the Dockside theatre. They will perform four shows per day at the following times: 11:15 AM, 1:30 PM, 3:45 PM and 5:00 PM. The Petersens in Branson If you are unable to catch The Petersens at Silver Dollar City, you can find them all year at the Branson IMAX Entertainment Complex. Their show is currently rated #2 on TripAdvisor out of 153 shows and attractions in Branson. They perform their Bluegrass and Gospel show on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2:00 PM and their all new Gospel show on Sundays at 2:00 PM. You can find their upcoming show schedule here.

Branson’s bluegrass family makes strong showing at SPBGMA international bluegrass championship Each February the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America (SPBGMA) hosts an event drawing bluegrass musicians from around the world to the Bluegrass Music Awards, National Convention & International Band Championship in Nashville, Tennessee. Many well-known bluegrass bands got their start through the band competition including Alison Krauss and Flatt Lonesome. Bands competed twice on Saturday, February 3 at the Sheraton Music City Hotel, with a final round on Sunday. Ten years ago, when the Petersens had just started performing, they competed in the championship and placed 24th out of 25 bands. 2018 was the first year they had returned to the event and the family was very excited to advance to 4th place overall. To help them prepare, The Petersens worked with John Chapman, a past winner and owner of the Acoustic Shoppe in Springfield, Missouri. Taking the band’s musicality to a new level is their newest and highly-praised member, Emmett Franz, on the dobro. Participating in the competition made The Petersens more polished than ever, and they are excited to showcase the songs throughout the 2018 season. For a complete show schedule, see the Show Dates page. Tickets for their Branson show can be purchased here.

It seems like there is never a dull season for the Petersens. The band could not be more excited for 2018 with its brand new Branson show schedule, Ellen free from graduate school, and another Canadian tour in the works. Julianne is currently a sophomore at Gloria Deo Academy and is enjoying taking some dual-enrollment college classes through Drury in Springfield. Matt has taken over many of the band responsibilities and has become quite the businessman. The Branson bluegrass show will kick back off January 20th at 7:30 PM at The Little Opry and continue on Saturdays through the end of February when the new schedule begins. The band will miss the first Saturday in February as they head to Nashville to compete! Keep reading for more news and updates on the Petersens. In the fall, Ellen graduated with her Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a graduate certificate in Marketing from Missouri State University. Ellen worked as a graduate assistant in the College of Business Graduate Programs Office throughout her time as a student in order to graduate debt-free. Working to pay for her education was not a foreign concept to Ellen as Kaite, Matt, and Ellen all worked their way through College of the Ozarks to earn their bachelor degrees. Ellen received attention from the Springfield News-Leader for her unique path through business school and music and the article can be found here. Ellen will use her MBA to help run the bluegrass band and teach part-time business classes to undergraduate students at Missouri State. Katie has loved teaching fiddle and piano to students in the Branson and Springfield area the past couple of years. She teaches all ages and skill levels and enjoys passing her love of music on to others. Pictured here are some of her fiddle students at their 2017 Christmas recital. If you or someone you know is interested in fiddle lessons, Katie can be reached by email at kathrynlpetersen@gmail.com. The Petersens enjoy visiting Nashville every now and then for the country music scene and to see several friends who have moved there over the years. We always make it a point to see a show at the Station Inn when in town and while seeing Fireball Mail perform there in January, the band was called on stage for an impromptu performance! The bluegrass community is always so encouraging and supportive and instances like that are always a wonderful reminder of how great this culture of bluegrass truly is. The Petersens are heading back to Nashville the first weekend in February to compete in the SPBGMA International Band Championship. A schedule for events for the convention can be found here. We would love to have you join us and cheer us on!

CD Release Party for Shenandoah The Petersens are excited to announce the completion of “Shenandoah”, their newest album. To celebrate the nine-month project, The Petersens’ Sunday, October 22 show has been designated as the Shenandoah CD Release Party.  At this concert, The Petersens will play through the entire Shenandoah CD track-by-track sharing the history and inspiration behind each song as well as some of the funny things that happened along the journey. About the Album The Petersens began working on Shenandoah back in January. This is the second album that John Chapman from The Chapmans has produced for them in the DigiGrass Music studio in Ozark, MO. The album features a mixture of original music, gospel, acapella, and, of course, some hard driving bluegrass. While the recording process started in January, thanks to Ellen’s busy graduate school schedule, Katie moving to Nicaragua for the Spring (more details here), Matt finishing his last semester of college at College of the Ozarks, and Julianne breaking her wrist, the actual album was not finished until early October. Needless to say, The Petersens are VERY excited to share their music with everyone. The release party is one of the last shows of the regular season as Christmas shows start in November. The Petersens’ show schedule switches from Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 5 PM to just Sundays for November and December. The Real Hero This album would not have happened without the one and only John Chapman. He is quite possibly the only person the Petersens know that is busier than themselves. John spent countless days working in the Acoustic Shoppe, teaching lessons till 9 PM, and THEN working with the Petersens far into the night. He helped choose the songs, arrange the selections, and then coached them every step of the way in the studio. From laying down the guitar, teaching Ellen banjo licks, and adding many extra special effects to the album (which may or may not have included hammering on pipes), John went above and beyond to make Shenandoah an album we are all proud of. The Petersens want to extend a huge thank you to all of the Chapmans for putting up with us and making our album sound so amazing. Event Details The Shenandoah CD Release Party will be held at the Little Opry Theater.  The Little Opry Theater is located inside the Branson IMAX Entertainment Complex. The theater is a perfect venue for the event as it is where The Petersens have their weekly bluegrass shows. The theatre seats just over 200 people and we recommend early to reserve your seats. To reserve tickets for the 5 PM Sunday, October 22nd special show, call the IMAX  box office at 417-335-4832. For more current event details, check out the event page on Facebook.