The husband-wife duo of Wayne Massey and Charly McClain will head the entertainment lineup for seven performances at the 1991 Days of '47 World Champion Rodeo. However, they won't be there on opening night.
The rodeo opens Tuesday, July 16, in the Salt Palace arena. That date also marks the closing of the 56th annual National Association of Counties convention in Salt Lake City (July 13-16). To wind up the convention in typically Western style, delegates will attend the rodeo and be entertained by country virtuoso Roy Clark, who recently celebrated his 22nd year as host of "Hee Haw," ranked as the country's No. 1 syndicated TV show.Some of Clark's awards include being inducted this past year as a member of the Grand Old Opry in Nashville, an "Entertainer of the Year" award from the Academy of Country Music and a Grammy for his recording of "Alabama Jubilee."
His hit recordings have included "Yesterday When I Was Young" and his own 12-string version of "Malaguena."
Massey and McClain will perform at the rodeo July 17-20 and 22-24. (The rodeo begins at 7:30 all nights except for the 24th, when it starts at 6.)
McClain is a veteran country performer with 16 Top 10 hits, including "Who's Cheatin' Who?", "Sleepin' With the Radio On," "Just One Look in Your Eyes" and "Surround Me With Love."
She met actor-singer Massey when he was brought in to play a love interest in her music video, "Fly Into Love." The title song became prophetic and they were later married.
Massey was raised in Southern California in a musical family. He was also interested in athletics and was drafted as a pitcher by the California Angels, but a shoulder injury short-stopped this career, so he continued his formal education, earning an MBA and becoming a production analyst.
During this time, however, Massey continued to develop as an entertainer by singing in clubs and taking drama classes. He landed several TV and film jobs, including a five-year stint as Johnny Drummond on the ABC daytime drama, "One Life to Live."
Massey and McClain have combined marriage and career with several vocal collaborations, including such duets as "Down to Me and You" and "You Are My Music, You Are My Song."
Massey was nominated as the ACM's "most promising male vocalist" in 1984 and is now focusing on his own music with the release of his debut Mercury LP, "Wayne Massey and Black Hawk." Massey also produced McClain's self-titled Mercury album.
Joining Massey and McClain as part of the rodeo entertainment will be John Payne, who was Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association "specialty act of the year" for 1989 and '90. His nickname is "The One-Armed Bandit."
The Days of '47 rodeo is one of the world's largest, with champions competing for nearly $140,000 in prize money.
Tickets for the July 17-24 rodeo performances are $6, $7, $7.50 and $9, with children (under 14) and senior citizens admitted for half price on July 27. Admission on opening night (July 16) will be $12 for all seats. Tickets are available at the Salt Palace box office. Call 363-7681 for further information.