Sisters’ concert: A Ryman experience

Published 3:00 am Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Messenger Photo/Jaine Treadwell The “Country Comes to Town” audience at studio 116 in Brundidge Saturday night gave “Sisters and friends” a well-deserved standing ovation.  From left, Judy Bryan, Naomi Miles, June Shaw, Emily Bryan, Pat Rogers and Geraldine Golden sang country, gospel and old meetinghouse songs in their debut concert. Trevor Bryan was the Sisters’ “band.” Randy Ross, not pictured, emceed the show.

Messenger Photo/Jaine Treadwell
The “Country Comes to Town” audience at studio 116 in Brundidge Saturday night gave “Sisters and friends” a well-deserved standing ovation. From left, Judy Bryan, Naomi Miles, June Shaw, Emily Bryan, Pat Rogers and Geraldine Golden sang country, gospel and old meetinghouse songs in their debut concert. Trevor Bryan was the Sisters’ “band.” Randy Ross, not pictured, emceed the show.

When Jimmy Hollis walked out of studio 116 in downtown Brundidge Saturday night, he said he felt like he had been to the Ryman Auditorium.

“I could not have gone anywhere – Nashville, Tennessee or Branson, Missouri – and been better entertained than I was at studio 116 Saturday night,” Hollis said, in speaking about “County Comes to Town” featuring Sisters Pat and Geraldine and friends.

The Sisters, Pat Rogers and Geraldine Golden, own and operate the popular country restaurant on Highway 231 south of Troy.

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“And all those girls at Sisters can sing,” Hollis said. “I was very surprised at how good they are. The quality of their voices was excellent. Their selection of songs was appropriate and the variety of the music made for a very entertaining night. It was as good as it gets.”

The Sisters’ performance at studio 116 was their first public appearance and also featured Pat’s daughter and granddaughter, Judy and Emily Bryan; the Sisters’ sister, June Shaw; and Naomi Miles, a friend and employee. Trevor Bryan was the Sisters’ “band.”

Kathy Sauer, Pike County Chamber of Commerce president, said “fabulous” is the word that comes to mind, “and fabulous it was.”

“I had no idea that there was so much talent contained in that one business,” Sauer said. “The audience joined in and had such a good time. There was just a wonderful spirit about the entire evening. The emcee Randy Ross was very entertaining and the man (Broshie Galloway) who went on stage and buck danced brought the house down.

“Those who were not there truly missed a wonderful evening … and we all loved the banana pudding.”

Geraldine was at the restaurant Monday but Pat was at home packing for the Grand Ole Opry or Hollywood or both.

“Cooking comes naturally for us and we’re more comfortable in the kitchen than we are on stage,” Geraldine said of the Sisters debut performance. “I was real nervous at the beginning but it got a little easier when I saw that we could do it.”

Geraldine worked the register at the restaurant Sunday and people told her they really enjoyed the show.

“One lady asked for our recipes so she could eat good when we closed the restaurant to go to Nashville,” Geraldine said, laughing.

The big question now is when will Sisters and friends be in concert again.

“If we can get up the nerve, we might be ready again in five year,” Geraldine said. “We did have a lot of fun and really appreciated people coming. I hope they did enjoy it.”

Geraldine turned serious for a moment, which is a bit out of character for either of the Sisters.

“I told Pat that there was an angel up in heaven Saturday night harmonizing right along with us,” she said. “Our mama, Juanita Golden, loved to sing. She would put us out in the swing and we’d sing and sing. Mama had the prettiest, sweetest voice I ever hear. I know that Saturday night she was singing right along with us again.”