This is the ‘Voice of Explore Branson?’

Not in an Ole Seagull’s world!

As of May 30, 2025, The Home Page of the Explore Branson website proclaimed:

“Meet the Sound Behind Explore Branson

“Known as ‘the biggest little indie-folk duo,’ National Park Radio is a nationally touring indie-folk power duo” based in the Ozark Mountains of Northwest Arkansas. With an impressive and consistently growing grassroots fanbase across the U.S. (and the world), we are proud to partner with Stefan & Kerrie Szabo by showcasing their beautiful harmonies,’ incredibly inspiring songwriting, and their unique and energetic live shows.”

This was immediately followed by a link entitled “CHECK OUT THEIR SPOTIFY.” When the link is clicked, the user goes away from the Explore Branson website to Spotify. When they get to Spotify, they are on a page where they can listen to National Park Radio only if they log on or become a member of Spotify.

“Ah, Seagull, why would the City of Branson and the TCED spend hundreds of thousands of marketing dollars to get people to the Explore Branson website only to give them a link on a Home Page that takes them off the website to somewhere else?” “Can’t really answer that one for you, but it sure seems counterproductive.”

“Could you tell me why is it counterproductive?” “Well, Grasshopper, it’s difficult to imagine how anyone leaving Explore Branson and going to Spotify helps to market Branson shows, attractions and other businesses, but as bad as that is, it’s not the biggest problem he had with it.”

“What’s the biggest problem?” “The Home Page of the very website promoting Branson, www.ExploreBranson.Com, and its shows declares ‘National Park Radio…nationally touring indie-folk power duo based in the Ozark Mountains of Northwest Arkansas’ how proud it is to partner with ‘Stefan & Kerrie Szabo by showcasing their beautiful harmonies,’ incredibly inspiring songwriting, and their unquiet and energetic live shows,” as the “Sound Behind Explore Branson.”

To an Ole Seagull, that’s ludicrous and insulting to the real sound behind not only “Explore Branson” but also the reason Branson has become one of America’s favorite tourist destinations: its great live music shows! With great Branson acts such as the Haygoods, Petersens, Duttons, Hughes and others, it’s inconceivable to him that anyone marketing Branson’s live shows could even consider using or declaring “National Park Radio” or any other “out of market group” as the “Voice of Explore Branson.”

“Did you ask them why they did it that way?” “No, it is as it is. This column is but the opinion of an old 84-year-old man on what is as it is.”

The Ole Seagull is reasonably sure that National Park Radio and the Szabos are wonderful performers. Still, he knows what outstanding performers Branson acts, such as the Haygoods, Petersens, Duttons, Hughes and others, are. He is sure that those deciding to feature a non-Branson music act on the Explore Branson home page, saying, “We are proud to partner with Stefan & Kerrie Szabo by showcasing their beautiful harmonies, incredibly inspiring songwriting, and their unique and energetic live shows,” believe that.

What’s sad to him is that they did not go through the effort, as effortless as that should be, to find a Branson act with “beautiful harmonies, incredibly inspiring songwriting, and the unquiet and energetic live shows” to use. Have they not heard the music of the Haygoods, Petersens, or many others? If they did, they hid it well and missed an opportunity to showcase them on the Explore Branson Homepage with a link to an actual Branson show!