Our Fundraiser: PURE COUNTRY 25th Anniversary Celebration
It has been 25 years since the release of the movie PURE COUNTRY, starring George Strait, and the fans of the movie and the music remain faithful and enthusiastic! It still ranks in the 10 best country music movie and the soundtrack remains as Strait’s bestselling studio album. This event was a celebration of the movie, the music, the new musical (debuted in May 2017) and was also a fundraiser for Downtown Mansfield, Inc. (DMi).
The PURE COUNTY 25th Anniversary Celebration took place on Friday, April 14th, 2017 at the Western Kountry Klub, 5728 Lake View Road, just south of Mansfield on Hwy 287. The Western Kountry Klub is an authentic Texas country dance hall where a portion of the movie was filmed. The Celebration was filmed for a special presentation on The Country Network.
Entertainers included noted singer-songwriter Jim Lauderbach, and Steve Dorff, who wrote several of the songs made famous by the movie. Afterward, the Mack & Dyan Band carried the boot-scooting’ until closing time. We held a very successful silent auction that featured an autographed movie script, guitars, posters and paraphernalia.
Dave Goodwin, President of DMi, shared, “An active non-profit relies on community support, and the 25th anniversary of PURE COUNTRY was a perfect opportunity to raise funds for the revitalization of downtown Mansfield and give attendees an opportunity to hear great music plus meet the songwriters, scriptwriter, and some of the cast.”
Playwright and screenwriter Rex McGee, author of the PURE COUNTRY movie, shared stories about the cast and production of the movie. Steve Dorff shared about the new musical, which debuted locally in May of 2017.
Actor Julie Johnson joined us as well. Julie’s mom played the grandmother in the film, and Julie reprised that role in the musical.
The Western Kountry Klub has been a dance hall for 50 years and has changed little since the filming of the movie. It is one of a few authentic country dance halls still in operation.
