The Singing Cowboy Visits The Birches for “Wild West Week”
Musician Rick Pickren performed "Songs of the Singing Cowboys" for The Birches Assisted Living's "Wild West Week."
Clarendon Hills, IL, September 03, 2016 --(PR.com)-- Residents of the Birches Assisted Living in Clarendon Hills, Ill. put on their cowboy boots and bolo ties last week in honor of The Birches’ third annual “Wild West Week.”
The week’s activities included a presentation on John Wayne, Wild West Bingo, a bolo tie making craft, the opportunity to ride horses at The Hanson Center and a presentation on Western artists Georgia O’Keeffe and Frederic Remington. But the highlight of the week came at the very end when musician Rick Pickren closed out the festivities with “Songs of the Singing Cowboys.”
Pickren, who came to The Birches in full cowboy regalia, played guitar and sang classic Western numbers like “Back in the Saddle Again,” “Red River Valley,” “Don’t Fence Me In,” “Rawhide,” and “Happy Trails to You.” Birches residents enthusiastically sang along, happy to revisit the Western songs that were so popular during their youth.
“Most residents were in their prime when Westerns were really popular,” said Birches’ Activities Director Katie Klitchman. “Everyone loved T.V. shows like Bonanza, Gunsmoke and Rawhide. And, of course, John Wayne was everybody’s hero. So you can imagine how excited they were to see a performance like this.”
Pickren performs at senior communities, libraries, historical societies, schools and museums throughout the country. But he’s also an accomplished actor and singer-songwriter. In fact, he’s shared the stage with a long list of country greats like George Strait, Merle Haggard, Alabama, The Judds, Dolly Parton, Joe Ely, Rodney Crowell, B.J.Thomas and Waddie Mitchell.
Pickren has genetic ties to the Wild West too. He’s a descendant of Buffalo Bill Cody, the fur-trapper, bison-hunter and gold-miner who started “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.” So clearly, Pickren’s love of the Wild West has deep roots—a fact that was obvious in his performance.
“He really brought that authentic Western feel to The Birches,” said Klitchman. “The residents were not disappointed. He made them feel like they were sitting out on the range listening to a cowboy sing.”
The Birches Assisted Living in Clarendon Hills, Ill. offers professional services to support the physical, social, intellectual and spiritual growth of the older adults who make it their home. The Birches offers purposeful programming and activities designed to promote a healthy aging lifestyle and a strong sense of community. For more information about The Birches, call 630-789-1135 or visit: birches.net.
The week’s activities included a presentation on John Wayne, Wild West Bingo, a bolo tie making craft, the opportunity to ride horses at The Hanson Center and a presentation on Western artists Georgia O’Keeffe and Frederic Remington. But the highlight of the week came at the very end when musician Rick Pickren closed out the festivities with “Songs of the Singing Cowboys.”
Pickren, who came to The Birches in full cowboy regalia, played guitar and sang classic Western numbers like “Back in the Saddle Again,” “Red River Valley,” “Don’t Fence Me In,” “Rawhide,” and “Happy Trails to You.” Birches residents enthusiastically sang along, happy to revisit the Western songs that were so popular during their youth.
“Most residents were in their prime when Westerns were really popular,” said Birches’ Activities Director Katie Klitchman. “Everyone loved T.V. shows like Bonanza, Gunsmoke and Rawhide. And, of course, John Wayne was everybody’s hero. So you can imagine how excited they were to see a performance like this.”
Pickren performs at senior communities, libraries, historical societies, schools and museums throughout the country. But he’s also an accomplished actor and singer-songwriter. In fact, he’s shared the stage with a long list of country greats like George Strait, Merle Haggard, Alabama, The Judds, Dolly Parton, Joe Ely, Rodney Crowell, B.J.Thomas and Waddie Mitchell.
Pickren has genetic ties to the Wild West too. He’s a descendant of Buffalo Bill Cody, the fur-trapper, bison-hunter and gold-miner who started “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.” So clearly, Pickren’s love of the Wild West has deep roots—a fact that was obvious in his performance.
“He really brought that authentic Western feel to The Birches,” said Klitchman. “The residents were not disappointed. He made them feel like they were sitting out on the range listening to a cowboy sing.”
The Birches Assisted Living in Clarendon Hills, Ill. offers professional services to support the physical, social, intellectual and spiritual growth of the older adults who make it their home. The Birches offers purposeful programming and activities designed to promote a healthy aging lifestyle and a strong sense of community. For more information about The Birches, call 630-789-1135 or visit: birches.net.
Contact
The Birches Assisted Living
Jenny Smiechowski
630-789-1135
birches.net
Jenny Smiechowski
630-789-1135
birches.net
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