Our university hometown is nestled in the rolling terrain of the Heartland where the prairie meets the Ozarks. Boone County is named after the famous frontiersman Daniel Boone who moved his family to Missouri in 1799. During the 19th century, fleets of riverboats churned the waters of Big Muddy supporting the busy agricultural economy of the Missouri River Valley.
This month, the local city bank and community art league co-hosted their 59th Annual Boone County Art Show. Unintimidated by over 230 eclectic works of art submitted to the contest, the intrepid BRC founder entered his “Riverboat Gambler” 5-stringer into the exhibit, and his instrument (no surprise here) was the only banjo in the mix.
To his delight, it sold the morning that the exhibit opened.
While stopping-by to see the show, a curious patron made a withdrawal from the bank for an evening planned at a nearby riverside casino . He noticed the Riverboat Gambler and inquired what `lucky` card was beneath the pair of dice on the peg head? The banjo guy advised, “It`s the Queen of Hearts, and she may break yours.” 
Since 1995, the BRC founder`s band has been performing benefits for the local Children’s Hospital. Last month, our total donations to the Children’s Miracle Network surpassed $23K. Two-thirds of these tip monies have been collected at a family-friendly microbrewery where we have performed weekly since 2009. Located just across the street from the art show, the brewpub was recently the site of a video project recorded by university journalism students.
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