30 years later I see Kenny Rogers perform again

Kenny Rogers.  Yes, Kenny Rogers.  He is still performing.

I first saw Kenny Rogers perform when I was a wee little lad in the early 80's.  I saw him at the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE), where he performed 5 times between 1979-1985.

I developed a liking for his music as a child, likely thanks to my parents.  Additionally, it is music that's catchy and can easily be sung along to.

Kenny is 76 years old now, and I honestly have to say he's not the singer he used to be.  He doesn't have the range or the power he used to.  I do have to say though, that all these years later, he is a much better performer.  He knows how to talk to a crowd and how to make them enjoy the show as a whole, not just the music.

I learnt a lot of stuff about Kenny tonight.  He recently had a knee replacement and now prefers to sit for much of the show.  He's 76 and he has identical twin sons (not grandsons)... age 11.  He's a very funny man, the kind of guy I'd like to sit and have a drink with and just listen to him tell stories. 

We saw him perform at Casino Rama in Orillia, where for the first time, I actually did not notice anyone walk out during the show (people always walk out of shows).

As great as he is, and as much as I enjoyed the show, I do have to admit that he should retire.  I say this because there were a few times where he appeared to forget his own lyrics, or perhaps forget where he was (I don't say this jokingly because Alzheimer's and dementia are both very serious).  At one point he began to sing one of my favourite songs, "Coward of the County".  He skipped about 1/3 of the song, ended up jumping backwards in the song and repeated what he had just sung, and then there was a brief period of awkwardness where he just wasn't sure what he was singing.   I would have to guess this has happened before because the band was able to deal with it without skipping a beat.

All disappointment put aside, I did thoroughly enjoy the show.  I'm glad we went tonight because he did actually announce his pending retirement so that he can spend his golden years raising his children.   He also stated something to the effect of not wanting to have to be rolled out onto the stage in a wheelchair.

If you have the chance to go see Kenny Rogers perform, I can easily say you will enjoy the show.  Plus, if you do get the chance you shouldn't pass it up because you may never have it again.  I missed my opportunity to see George Carlin while he was still alive, and I still regret it to this day.

Thanks for reading.

Feel free to follow me on Twitter @bigbadbob77

My review of the "Wolf Chalet" in Tiny, Ontario (Perkinsfield)

Update: Sadly, once the Wolf Chalet closed for the season in 2016, it would never re-open due to a dispute with the landlord.

I've seen a number of posts lately on social media referencing the "Wolf Chalet" and some of their unique menu items.  I had hoped to stop yesterday when I had my wife with me, but the Chalet was closed.  Can't blame them, it was Easter, and it's not exactly tourist season yet.  There's also still snow on the ground.  No use being open if there's no customers around.

Today however, I had noticed a post that they would be open, and it just so happened I would be in the area.  Who am I to pass on an opportunity to support someone I've known for about 20 years now.

For those of you that know me well, you know that I like food.  Good food.  Tasty food.  If you serve me junk, I'm going to let you know that I don't appreciate what you've given me.

So I stopped at the 'Wolf Chalet' and congratulated Aaron on this endeavor and order a sausage on a bun with fries.  While my order was cooking Aaron insisted that I try some avocado "fries" as it's one of his signature dishes.  Now, I'm not fan of anything avocado.  I can't stand the ugly green bastards, but I have a policy to always try new things at least once, so I allowed Aaron to serve me one avocado fry.

Also while my order was cooking I had a chance to chat with Aaron about some other items he planned on serving.  After hearing his plans (which I won't reveal here) I can tell that he's quite serious about providing quality food at a decent price.

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About the food:

The GOOD:  Being someone that can't stand avocado I was quite surprised by the fry I was given.  I found it quite tolerable.  Which means that anyone that likes avocado would probably flip for the fries.  Aaron will offer you a hot creamy sauce or a cilantro mayo.  Both are quite good, but I HIGHLY recommend the cilantro mayo, it's tasty.

THE BETTER: The French fries and gravy were done exactly how I like.  They had a nice size cut and good texture and were served with just the right amount of gravy.

THE GOOD, BUT COULD BE BETTER:  Aaron, I hope you're reading this.  My one request is that you source a local supplier of SPICY HOT sausages.  My sausage on a bun was good, but next time I'd like something with a tear jerking heat built in.  Oh yeah, don't forget the diced onions as well.

My final word; I will revisit the "Wolf Chalet".  I'm anxious to try the poutine made with authentic Quebec cheese curds.  I would have tried it today, but I was in a sausage on a bun kind of mood.  Please, if you're in the area and looking for a bite to eat, stop by and support Aaron, I know he appreciates all the customers that come by.

The menu may be slightly limited for the time being, but I know Aaron plans on expanding the offerings once the operation kicks into high gear.  For now these are the main items the 'Wolf Chalet' offers on the menu:

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Avocado Fries
Sausage on a bun
Deep Fried Broccoli
Poutine
Deep Fried Mushroom Caps
& Georgian Bay White Fish; sourced from the Metis Fish Market, another local business, which is supplied by B. LePage Fisheries, yet another local business.  Therefore, if you order the Whitefish meal, you are supporting 3 local businesses at one time.