Click on Photo to enlarge
Click on their name for
more information.
SHELLEY
PORTERFIELD
Shelley
was born in the Great Lakes area of
Illinois
, and was raised in southern
California.
After completing high school, she moved to
Texas
in 1993 to attend
UT/ARLINGTON
on a fast-pitch softball scholarship. She later transferred to
SAM
HOUSTON STATE UNIVERSITY and graduated with a major in
Spanish,
and
a minor in sociology.
After moving to
Texas
, and being exposed to the traditional sounds of country music, she began
singing and developed her own unique style. She has opened shows for
many top recording stars, including DARYL McCALL, JAKE HOOKER, RAY PRICE, CURTIS
POTTER, JUSTIN TREVINO, and GENE WATSON.
Since
becoming a member of the
Texas
Legend Band at the Wylie Opry,
she
has had the opportunity to perform with former MCA recording artist, KENNY
SERATT. Kenny was impressed with her talent, and complimented her very
highly.
She has
an incredible voice and a stage presence that excites audiences each week at the
Wylie Opry. In 2002, she received a“Terry Award” as
“Female Vocalist of the Year”. She also continues to work with her
former band,
“Choice
Country”, several weekends a year.
Shelly
is a former Spanish teacher and an athletic coach at
Sachse
High School
, in
Sachse
,
Texas
. She is also mother of 2 girls who are starting to sing
just
like “mom”. With her busy schedule, we feel very fortunate to have her
as
our
“Female Vocalist” with the
Texas
Legend Band.
BACK
JAMES
MARTIN
PIANO
PLAYER
PLAYED
AT THE LOUISIANA HAYRIDE BEFORE MOST OF WERE BORN.
BACK
EARL
BRIGGS
Earl was born in
Lancaster
,
Texas
, graduated from high school there, and forgot to leave. He still resides
not far from where he was born. Although there are no other musicians in
his immediate family, he was born with a love for music. His first
influence
was at the age of 8, when he started listening to an uncle who had a band.
At the
age of 12, his dad bought him his first guitar. It was a “Sears
Silvertone”. By the age of 15, he had found his first love in the
“steel guitar.”
He
acquired his love of the steel guitar by watching the steel player on the many
TV
shows of that era, featuring BUCK OWENS, ERNEST TUBB, JOHNNY CASH,
and
PORTER WAGGONER.
He
played his first public appearance at the “BIG “G” for some long,
forgotten
local star at the age of 14. When he was 15, he met DOLLIE MOSLEY, an
aging
local star, at the Lancaster
, Tx. Opry. She was looking for a steel player, to go
with
her 13 & 14 year old bass player and drummer. She hired Earl to
play the steel,
and
even bought him his very first steel guitar.
In
order to perfect his playing, he cut a deal with the Band Director at
Lancaster
High School
. He talked him into allowing him to put his steel guitar
in
the band room at school, even though he was not a band member. During
lunch
period
each day, Earl would go and practice. Even today, before rehearsal starts,
he
is at the Opry early practicing.
One of
the great country steel players from this area, was JULIAN THARP.
Earl
finally got to meet Julian, and even bought his first steel guitar from him.
He
started playing at the “BIG G”, FARMERSVILLE OPRY, and finally
at
the LANCASTER
OPRY.
From
1974-1976 he played “THE COUNTRY SPOT” in Arlington
, Tx.
with
Dick Bridges. In 1976, he joined the “Will Sherman Band” for 2 years.
During 1978
& 1979, he played with the late “Johnny Duncan”, and opened for such
stars
as “Wynn Stewart” & “Bobby Bare” at Panther Hall in
Fort Worth
, Tx.
Other
than an occasional job here and there, Earl was out of music until
he
joined Cowboy Weaver at the
Mesquite
Opry in 1981. He stayed there until 1986,
at
which time he left to join a “Heavy Metal” band. He also worked some
spots on
“Shooting”
Jim Newton’s TV show on channel 11.
After
many failed attempts, we finally talked him into joining the Wylie Opry
in
March of 1990. As they say: THE REST IS HISTORY.
Earl
has been a member of the
TEXAS
STEEL GUITAR ASSOCIATION
for
almost 20 years. In 1992, 1996, 2001, & 2003 he was named “Honorable
Mention
Steel
Guitar Player of the Year.
He was named STEEL GUITAR PLAYER OF THE
YEAR,
in 2001 by the METROPLEX COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION. He was a
member
of that organizations All star Band, for 3 consecutive years, an honor that no
other
musician achieved.
He was
also STEEL GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR in the COAST TO COAST magazine awards , for
the years 2000 & 2002
Earl
said that he considered the highlight of his career was “coming to the Wylie
opry and having the opportunity to play with KENNY SERATT & MICKEY GILLEY.
We at the Opry, consider one of the highlights of our existence here, is
having
EARL BRIGGS as a member of the
Texas
Legend Band.
BACK
JIMMY
MASSEY
LEAD
GUITAR PLAYER
BASS
GUITAR PLAYER
AWESOME
VOCALIST AND COMEDIAN
BACK
JOHNNY
ROWLAND
Johnny
was
born
at
Fort
Sill,
Ok.
During
his
formative
years,
his
family
moved
around
a
lot
because
his
dad
was
a
military
man.
His
dad,
Les
Rowland,
was
also
a
music
man,
having
played
in
several
bands
as a
youngster
in
his
native
New
York.
While
stationed
at a
military
base
in
Graf
Germany,
Les
met
3
important
people.
The
first
was
his
wife,
who
he
married
in
1959.
He
also
met
Elvis
Presley,
who
was
stationed
there,
and
he
met
Charlie
Pride,
who
did
a
USO
show
at
the
base.
After
returning
to
the
States,
Johnny
was
born
in
1965.
The
family
lived
in
Lawton,
Ok.
for
the
next
10
years.
Another
tour
of
duty
sent
them
back
to
Germany,
and
this
is
where
Johnny’s
interest
in
music
began
to
take
roots.
His
dad
bought
him
his
first
set
of
drums
at
the
age
of
10 .
They
lived
in
Germany
for
the
next
3
years,
before
returning
to
Lawton,
Ok
once
again.
When
Johnny
was
15
yoa,
his
dad
bought
him
his
first
guitar
for
a
Christmas
present.
It
was
a
Fender
copy.
By
the
time
he
was
16
years
old,
he
had
joined
his
first
band.
His
first
musical
influence
was
Elvis
Presley.
Tho
he
still
has
a
love
for
Elvis’
music,
he
now
prefers
the
sounds
of
George
Strait,
Steve
Wariner,
Gary
Stewart,
and
Clinton
Gregory.
He
has
played
in
local
Oklahoma
artist,
Ralph
Spears
band,
and
also
with
Phil
Samson.
Phil
Samson
is
the
writer
of
the
hit
song,
YOU’RE
THE
REASON
GOD
MADE
OKLAHOMA.
In
1988,
he
married
his
wife
Lorrie,
and
they
have
a
son,
Zack,
who
graduated
this
past
year
from
Wylie
High
School.
They
moved
to
Texas
in
1994,
and
except
for
a
brief
period
in
1998-1999,
they
have
lived
here
ever
since.
During
his
sabbatical
back
to
Oklahoma,
he
was
a
third
place
finisher
in
the
1998
JIMMY
DEAN/TRUE
VALUE
SHOWDOWN
contest.
The
following
year,
1999
he
was
the
Oklahoma
state
finalist
in
the
same
contest.
Johnny
has
been
a
member
of
the
Texas
Legend
Band
as
our
drummer
since
2001.
In
the
last
couple
of
years,
since
the
retirement
of
Kenny
Seratt,
he
has
taken
over
the
duties
of
master
of
ceremonies
for
the
Opry.
Johnny
is a
man
of
many
hats,
and
is a
very
valuable
member
of
the
Texas
Legend
Band.
BACK
BRUCE
SCHLIEF
RHYTHM
GUITAR PLAYER
VOCALIST
HARMONICA
PLAYER
M.C.
BACK
MARY
MASSEY
BACK
LAURIE
SMITH
BACK
ASHLEE
DAWN
BACK