Branson Welcomes
The McFaddens

© 1995 Bart Swartz

The McFadden Brothers in action as Wayne Newton looks on

Kansas City has long been considered one of the capitals of the jazz music scene. And for years, area musicians have introduced the city's unique sound to audiences worldwide. Most recently, Kansas Citians Lonnie and Ronnie McFadden have taken their popular "McFadden Brothers" act -- a combination of Kansas City blues and jazz, electrifying tap-dance, and a touch of vaudeville -- to, of all places, Branson, Missouri.

The brothers, who have spent most of their lives as entertainers, saw an opportunity to take their show to an area hungry for new music.

"Branson was making the transition from a country music town to a place more suited for all around entertainment," says elder brother and trumpeter Lonnie. "We wanted to play an important role in that transition."

While a move to Branson may not seem like a logical career move for a pair of Kansas City jazz entertainers, the McFaddens have always tried to introduce new audiences to their sound. And it all began at a young age thanks in part to the influence of their father, Jimmy McFadden, a tap dancer with the Three Chocolate Drops and a bandleader with the original Deans of Swing.
"In the old days, Dad used to come home with stories of gigging and living on peanuts and Pepsi," says Lonnie of that first taste of the entertainment business. "That was the life we knew we wanted to live."

"(Later), when we got into playing," adds saxophonist Ronnie, "Dad would bring home Louis Armstrong and Charlie Parker albums for us to listen to. I remember he wouldn't just tell us the music was good, he would tell us why it was good."

As teenagers, the McFaddens traveled the midwest playing in a top 40 group called "Lonnie and the Band." After that road show ran its course, "The McFadden Brothers" band was born.

In order to complement their musical and dancing skills, the brothers began developing a stage persona -- a more complete presentation that was inspired by St. Louis newsman and playwright, John Auble. Auble, who already knew of Jimmy McFadden, learned of the young brothers and journeyed to Kansas City in the early '80s to see Lonnie and Ronnie perform. Several months later, Auble wrote "Steps: The Pops McFadden Story." Lonnie and Ronnie starred in the play, which enjoyed a long run in St. Louis in 1985.

The McFadden Brothers in action as Wayne Newton looks on.

"I remember that time well," says Lonnie. "Dad flew into St. Louis for the opening show. He passed away two weeks later, so getting to perform this play for him was very special for us.

"Steps" was a throwback to the days of vaudeville, and the characters the McFaddens portrayed in that play are still largely evident their shows today.

By the 1980s the McFadden Brothers had become a hot commodity. They played major jazz festivals in Europe and Japan, appearing on the same bill with such jazz greats as Miles Davis and Wynton Marsalis while enjoying international exposure and acclaim. "Until 1993," says Lonnie with a sense of irony, "we were better known in Europe than in Kansas City."

It was in 1993 that the brothers grew weary of the constant travel and returned to Kansas City. They took a steady gig at the Allis Plaza Hotel thus marking the first time the McFaddens had played an extended engagement in their hometown. It also meant that it was only a matter of time before the brothers would discover Branson. And Branson would discover the McFaddens.
On days off from the Allis Plaza, the brothers would head south to audition at Branson's many theaters and clubs. After several unsuccessful tryouts, they auditioned for Wayne Newton whose new Branson theater was just getting ready to open. Word was he still needed performers for his show.

"We basically bum-rushed the theater," says Ronnie of the unusual first audition. "We took all our equipment into the theater and started doing our act for Howard Cotner, the theater manager. Fortunately, Cotner thought our act was great and asked us to return the next day to audition for Wayne."

The McFaddens did return the next day, and with Wayne Newton watching secretly from behind a curtain, they started in with their act. Said Cotner, "Wayne was totally blown away by their performance."

It was a Wednesday when Wayne stepped out from behind that curtain and offered the McFaddens a job. Opening night was that Friday.

"We didn't care about the short notice," says Lonnie. "We were ready to go." The brothers returned to Kansas City to take care of business, then returned to Branson two days later to start a new chapter in a storied musical career.

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"We're playing in front of 5,000 people daily; you can't ask for better exposure than that." -- Lonnie McFadden

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The McFadden Brothers began as Wayne Newton's opening act and were given 25 minutes to perform. But, as Ronnie puts it, "We'd get on a roll some nights and play for up to 45 minutes." Eventually, in the interest of time, management dropped the opening act idea and the McFaddens became part of the orchestra with a special feature in the middle of Newton's show. It's the format that remains in place today.

"It's been great," says Lonnie. "We're playing in front of 5,000 people daily; you can't ask for better exposure than that." Not only are the McFaddens getting some priceless exposure by sharing the stage with Wayne Newton, but Newton introduces them to each crowd as, "two up and coming stars you saw here first."

The McFaddens have already seen a great deal of change in Branson. "The nice thing (about Branson) is that we didn't have to change our act," notes Lonnie. "We've found that no matter what type of music is being played, people enjoy a quality show."

The McFaddens have also found themselves touring again when Newton takes his show on the road once a year. This year the Newton entourage toured the Eastern seaboard with the brothers once again in the role of opening act. ("They received standing ovations at every show," says Howard Cotner.) Eleven months out of the year, however, the McFaddens are calling the Wayne Newton Theater in Branson home.

Somewhere down the road, the McFaddens would like to headline their own show. But they are in no hurry. Says Ronnie, "This experience has been great. And things are going very well for us right now. We've learned so much from Wayne about timing and delivery. Everything he tells us seems to work, and we see our show constantly improving."

Until the opportunity to headline comes up then, the McFadden Brothers will keep packing the house, entertaining the crowd, and, most importantly, exporting that patented Kansas City sound to yet other parts of the world.


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