Lowe family honored during Musical Founders' Week

Each year, beginning on April 27, the city of Branson celebrates Musical Founders' Week, honoring the entertainers and shows that made Branson what it is today.

Howden (FILE)

"When the mayor and I first began proclaiming entertainer holidays, we wanted to start at the beginning of Branson's entertainment history,' explained Marshall Howden, Branson City Alderman and founder of the Song of Hope Organization. "Therefore, in 2022, the mayor proclaimed April 27 as Mabe Family Baldknobbers Day and May 4 as Harold Bell Wright Shepherd of the Hills Day. So, our Song of Hope Organization started celebrating the week in between those holidays as Musical Founders' Week in Branson. The theaters really got behind it the first year, with about a dozen of them posting the Founders' Week logo on their digital marquees."

Howden continued, "What we realized after we proclaimed the 30 official entertainer holidays in Branson is that Founders' Week could honor other founding families and musical acts that were integral to Branson's emergence on the national stage."

In 2023 the Song of Hope Organization honored the Braschler Family during Founders' Week, and in 2024 Founders' Week celebrated the Plummer Family.

This year, the Song of Hope Organization recognized the Lowe Family as history-makers and legends in the Branson music scene. The Lowe Family opened a music show on Indian Point Road near Silver Dollar City in 1981. They moved their show to a new theater on Branson's 76 Country Boulevard in 1983, where they charmed and delighted crowds nightly with their beautiful harmonies and stellar country music. Theirs would also be one of the first theaters to host shows by visiting artists such as Jerry Reed, Porter Wagoner and Riders in the Sky, to name a few. In 1986 the Lowe sisters became the first of the then-Branson entertainers to perform on the Grand Ole Opry.

The Song of Hope Organization also made another announcement.

"When we made the plaque of all 30 of the historical entertainer holidays that hangs at City Hall, we realized we wanted to do something extra special for the Plummers," said Howden. "Therefore, going forward, Founders' Week will be known as Plummer Family Founders' Week, but we will continue to honor different founding musical acts along the way."