Play it up for Parker House

Country music will resonate from ponds and trees at the Willows Event Center, when a local band strikes up chords for a country house.

The Parker House Museum - a historic, landmark ranch house in Odessa - has scheduled its annual Spring Roundup on May 16, for a stompin‘ good time at the Willows pristine venue.

Executive Director Richard Cummins said he's expecting a good crowd for the museum fund-raiser, which includes a steak dinner from the Odessa Chuck Wagon Gang, drawings for prizes, silent and live auctions and some two-stepping to lively dance music from Jerry Dugan and Westwind.

"It's a dinner, and a dance, the whole ball of wax," Cummins said. "We're expecting like 400 people."

Restored to resemble its original appearance, the Parker House stands as a tribute to the ranching heritage and local history of Odessa with various indoor exhibits.

Cummins, an Odessa native and history teacher for Odessa College, said about 4,000 people each year visit the museum at 1118 Maple Ave. The fund-raiser on May 16 will help pay annual expenses and his part-time salary.

"Everybody will have a good time," he said. "We're also going to have a gunfight re-enactment by the West Texas Roughriders."

The evening will really kick off when Jerry Dugan and Westwind get attendees on their feet for traditional country dancing music.

Andy Pearce, the band's electric lead guitarist, said the group has played for Parker House events for the past three or four years.

In 2000, Jerry Dugan and the band announced its end to road life and a busy performance schedule, but they never truly disbanded.
"(Jerry) decided to quit playing but the phone kept ringing, so here we are," Pearce said.

While he considers his guitar work more of a hobby now, Pearce said he's played with the band off and on for about 26 years. Good food, good tunes and a good cause make the May 16 engagement something worth playing for.

"We need some more people to get involved and support this Parker House thing," Pearce said. "It's a project in the community worth supporting."

ON THE NET:
>> The Willows: www.thewillowseventcenter.com