Lifestyles
Harmony House Concerts welcomes Nashville group 'The Close' on March 16
By Harmony House Concerts
Mar 16, 2025
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Sunday, March 16, 2025

Fannin County, Texas -- You are invited to an exciting afternoon of musical enjoyment.  We are proud to introduce you to a group of acoustic musicians and singers who have captured the attention of many audiences.  Enjoy kicking your shoes off and listening to their music.

"In a city known for its musical talent, The Close delivers a mesmerizing wall of sound that will leave you captivated. This Nashville-based trio creates emotionally resonant music with intricate harmonies and dynamic arrangements."  LISTEN NOW

Powerhouse musical trio is tuning up for album release party.

This fine group will feel right at home with guests at Harmony House Concert since they have acquired a following in Texas and Oklahoma.  Lori Rowton, the female vocalist is a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, our neighbors across the Oklahoma border. The Close will play two 45-minute sets with a 30-minute intermission for them to meet you at the CD table, have another cuppa java, visit the Necessary Room, or visit with one another.  Harmony House is all about making new friends and connections for performing artists and our guests. 

 

The Close is Shannon Walker, Lori J Rowton and James McKinney.

 

Make a reservation/s for this spring show by calling 903-583-2661, leaving your name, contact info (preferably, an email address), and number of tickets desired. I (Faye) will contact you ASAP to let you know I got your message and have you on the Reservation List. Reservations are $25 per person. Reservations are payable on the day of the concert at the  Reservation Check-In table in the dining room. You may pay in cash; checks made payable to The Close, LLC, or by Venmo.  Please get in touch with us if you find that you are unable to attend.  No-shows are a NO-NO!!  Seating is limited, so don't procrastinate.  We may have a sold-out show, but we can put you on a waiting list to call if there is a cancellation.  If you do not know how to get to Harmony House, leave that in your message and we'll be sure to give you our physical address or directions.  Reserve seats online here:  RESERVATIONS

 

Harmony House is located about 10 miles north of Bonham and about 65 miles NE of Dallas metroplex.  We moved a century-old house from Bonham and got to work making it a home.  We (Faye and Scott) left our urban lifestyles to live on 160 acres of natural land, www.WildscapeAcres.com.  Since we already had discovered the magic of live acoustic music and original singer/songwriters by attending venues in Dallas and going to the Kerrville Folk Festival and the Woody Guthrie Festival in Okemah, OK, we chose to open our home as a venue for these artists to come and widen their fan base and for you to be able to enjoy live music in an intimate setting. 

 

Everything is casual here, and we'll welcome old and new friends with open arms. We've been at it over 20 years now, so we've had a bit of practice.  Each performer who plays here leaves behind an energy and an imprint in the walls that resonates afterward.

 

Faye and Scott, your hosts, will provide a real cup of organic coffee, organic tea punches sweetened with various juices, and well water with no chemicals added.  We will also provide a variety of cheeses and crackers, along with some other tasty treats.  We do request that each guest bring a finger food to share with others--you can make this as simple as olives to a quiche Lorraine!  We do ask that you bring your own serving dish or tray and take home any leftovers.   There are tables in the dining room and in the master bedroom for you to put your "goodies" on---yes, you read that correctly--we use the entire house for a house concert.  Even the performing artists have their own space in my bedroom/office.  You'd be amazed how many picks we have now.

 

More about The Close:  www.theclosemusic.com

 

The Close is Shannon Walker, Lori J Rowton and James McKinney --- The Close is a Nashville-based band known for their distinctive blend of alt-Country, Folk, and Americana. Formed by members who share a deep passion for storytelling through music, The Close has quickly gained a reputation for their emotionally resonant lyrics, rich harmonies, and dynamic arrangements.  Their sound is characterized by a seamless fusion of genres, combining the raw energy of rock with the introspective nature of folk and the heart of Country and Americana. This unique blend is brought to life through the band’s intricate instrumentation and soulful performances, creating a sound that is both familiar and refreshingly original.

 

In a city renowned for its musical talent, The Close has carved out its own niche, earning praise from critics and fans alike. Their commitment to crafting authentic, emotionally driven music sets them apart as one of Nashville’s most promising acts.

 

They most recently played the final concert for Texas Tastemakers, Fischer Haus Concerts.  They have shared the stage with bands such as Diamond Rio, Noah Guthrie and Good Trouble, Drivin N Crying and Michelle Malone, as well as opening for other notable acts.  

 

Summer Concerts Series and Festivals include:  Levitt AMP Whitesburg Music Series (Whitesburg, KY), Sundilla Music Series (Auburn, AL), Long’s Park Amphitheater Summer Music Series (Lancaster, PA), WIldflower! Arts & Music Festival (Richardson, TX), Fischer Haus Concerts (Fischer, TX), and the list goes on…

 

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Obituaries
  • Daniel Mathew Howard
    Bonham, Texas -- It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Daniel Mathew Howard, 67, on March 28, 2025, at Clyde W. Cosper Texas State Veterans Home in Bonham.
  • Danny Lee Rodgers
    Ivanhoe, Texas -- The funeral for Danny Lee Rodgers, 79, of Ivanhoe will be 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 1, 2025 at Ivanhoe Baptist Church with Pastor Josh Lott officiating. Burial will follow and the family has requested it to be private.
  • Doris Kirk
    Bonham, Texas -- Funeral services for Doris Lynn Kirk, 68, of Bonham, Texas will be held at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, April 1, 2025 at Boyd Baptist Church. Rev. Lynn Holly, Bro. Ronnie Ball, and Pastor Mike Allred will be officiating the service. Burial will follow at Mulberry Cemetery. A family visitation will be held on Monday night, March 31, 2025 at Cooper- Sorrells Funeral Home in Bonham from 6:00-8:00 p.m.
  • Billy Wayne Lightfoot
    Bonham, Texas -- Family visitation will be held at Cooper-Sorrells Funeral Home in Bonham on Friday night, March 28, 2025 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at Mulberry Cemetery Pavilion on Saturday, March 29, 2025 at 2:00 p.m.
  • Mary Katherine 'Kay' Howard
    Bonham, Texas -- Mary Katherine "Kay" Howard entered her heavenly home on March 24, 2025, in Bonham, TX at the age of 77. She was born on July 18, 1947, to Jack and Margaret (Ivey) Nichols in Leonard, TX.
  • Edith Elaine Kennedy
    Sherman, Texas -- Graveside services for Edith Elaine Kennedy, 93 of Sherman will be held at West Hill Cemetery in Sherman at 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 27, 2025, under the direction of Waldo Funeral Home. Family friends are invited to attend.
  • Delmar 'Del' K Peterson
    Bonham, Texas -- A graveside memorial service for Delmar "Del" K Peterson, 75, will take place at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, March 27, 2025, at Willow Wild Cemetery. United States Army Military Honors will be rendered.
  • Dorothy Leone Wintz
    Sherman, Texas -- A Rosary for Dorothy Leone Wintz, 92, of Sherman will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 27, at Waldo Funeral Home Chapel. Immediately following the rosary, the family will receive friends from 6:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. The Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, March 28, at St. Anne’s Catholic Church, with Father Merlito Abiog officiating. Burial will follow at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery.
  • David 'Dave' Lee Watson
    Bonham, Texas -- A Rosary for David "Dave" Lee Watson, 73, of Bonham will be held at 10:30 a.m. on April 3, followed by a Liturgy of the Word service at 11:00 a.m. at Wise Funeral Home Chapel in Bonham, TX. A luncheon will follow at 12:00 p.m. at the St. Elizabeth Grahmann Center.
  • Terrie Lynn Echols
    Bonham, Texas -- A celebration of life will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, March 29, 2025, in Cooper-Sorrells Funeral Home Chapel located in Bonham, TX for Terrie Lynn Echols who passed away on February 20, 2025, at her residence following a long courageous battle with Alzheimers. John Tynan will officiate.
  • Lori Lee Lacheney
    Bonham, Texas -- Family and friends are invited to celebrate the life of Lori Lee Lacheney, 73, at a memorial service visitation that will be held on March 18, 2025, 10:00 a.m. with service to follow at 11:00 a.m. at Cooper-Sorrells Funeral Home, 2022 N Center St. Bonham, Tx 75418. The service will be a time to share stories, reflect on memories, and honor the wonderful person she was.
  • Harold Stanford
    Bonham, Texas -- A graveside service for Harold Stanford, 98, will be held Sunday, March 16, 2025 at Owens Chapel Cemetery, beginning at 2:00 p.m. Dr. Jeff Johnson will preside.
  • Larry Carlisle Bursell
    Bonham, Texas -- Family visitation for Larry Carlisle Bursell, 86, will be held at Cooper-Sorrels Funeral Home in Bonham on Friday evening, March 14, 2025 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at Cooper-Sorrels on Saturday, March 15, 2025 at 2:00 p.m., with internment following immediately after at Arledge Ridge Cemetery.
  • Stephen Mark Castleberry
    Bonham, Texas -- Please join the family of Stephen Mark Castleberry, 68, on Friday, March 21, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. for a celebration of life at Wise Funeral Home Chapel. The visitation will start two hours prior at 12:00 p.m.; the family knows that there will be many stories and memories shared so they have allotted extra time for this gathering.
  • Kenneth Dwayne Drake
    Bonham, Texas -- Funeral services for Kenneth Dwayne Drake, 58, of Bonham, Texas will be held at 2:00 p.m., Monday, March 17, 2025 at Boyd Baptist Church under the direction of Cooper-Sorrells Funeral Home. Brother Walter Semite will be officiating. Burial will follow at Little Jordan Cemetery. The family will receive friends at Boyd Baptist Church on Monday, March 17, 2025 from 1:00 PM until service time.
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Farm/Ranch
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Red River Scrapbook
  • A Bonham legacy at our feet
    You walk into the Credit Union of Texas, Don Toro or Studio 94 on the east side of the Bonham square, into Belle Rae's on the north, into Blessing & Butterflies or The Curiosity Shop on Main south of the Courthouse: do you look down? What do you see when you cross the threshold into these businesses? Do you see Bonham's past?
  • The friendship of Sam Rayburn and Harry S Truman
    I was curious about the relationship between Harry S Truman and Sam Rayburn because of a piece of corn. Currently at the Sam Rayburn Museum there is corn on the cob encased in resin on display in the "Gifts of a Nation" display case. No one is completely certain why Rayburn had it, but Truman has the same one. This is what led me to look into the friendship between Rayburn and Truman. The two men shared a tight bond throughout their political careers. courtesy photo of Harry Truman and Sam Rayburn at the Sam Rayburn House in Bonham
  • Bonham postcards on display at Fannin County Courthouse
    Bonham resident Kay Sisk has collected postcards of Bonham for many years, finding them at trade shows and estate sales. Some of the postcards were given away free by local businesses, and some were sold. The Fannin County Museum of History asked Kay to display some of her postcards in the display case on the 2nd floor of the courthouse.
  • Mabel Gilbert – Early Fannin County pioneer
    Please join us at the March meeting of the Fannin County Historical Commission on March 18 at 6:00 p.m. to learn about the contributions of Mabel Gilbert, a very early Fannin County pioneer, to Fannin County, Dallas and points west. Deborah Cornelius has written a historical novel about his remarkable life and times. Join us at 6:00 p.m. on March 18 at the Fannin County Historical Commission’s office at 1 Center Street in Bonham to meet Deborah and learn about Mabel Gilbert’s time in Fannin County.
  • 'A Time Before Texas' presentation attracts large crowd to Honey Grove
    A large crowd filled Lyday Hall at Honey Grove Library & Learning Center on Saturday, March 1, 2025, to hear what local archeologist Cody Davis and his cohorts discovered in the area that is now covered by Bois d'Arc Lake.
  • New residents find a new fight: sand and gravel mining in Fannin County
    When Kalin and Tricia moved their young family from the city to rural Fannin County, it was a dream they had worked and saved to make come true -- to escape the noise and chaos of the metroplex for a peaceful existence, surrounded by woodlands, wildlife and serenity. Then they heard bulldozers clearing trees.
  • Smithsonian highlights the experiences and impact of Japanese war brides in new traveling exhibition
    "Japanese War Brides: Across a Wide Divide" begins a national tour December 14 at Irving Archives and Museum in Irving, Texas. These young women left their homes to build lives within the complexities of postwar American society. Their experiences reshaped communities by challenging immigration laws and race relations. The arrival of these brides marked the largest women-only immigration event in U.S. history and, by 1960, had increased the population of Asian Americans in the U.S. by 10%.
  • Give a gift of Fannin County history
    The Fannin County Museum of History has several Fannin County history books for sale that might be just perfect for someone you know. The books are available for purchase at the Museum and are also available on Amazon.
  • Historic Christmas newspaper front pages from Fannin County
    Historic Fannin County newspapers often featured beautiful front pages for their Christmas editions. An exhibit of these newspapers is now on display on the 2nd Floor of the Fannin County Courthouse. Visit the courthouse during this season to view this display and beautiful decorations.
  • Lake Ralph Hall update: Five streams are springing to life
    Upper Trinity's contractors are finishing up construction on five new streams near future Lake Ralph Hall, which will flow into the North Sulphur River. The newly connected tributary streams are naturally beginning to flow with rainwater this fall, bringing life back to areas impacted for decades by severe erosion and loss of habitat. Restoring the tributaries of the river to their natural, curved paths helps mitigate the area's severe erosion and provide previously lost habitat.
Columnists
  • Texas History Minute -- Price Daniel, part 1
    Price Daniel was one of the few men in Texas History to serve in all three branches of state government – as governor, state legislator, and state Supreme Court justice.
  • Legislators can save Texas $33 million annually by streamlining SNAP six-month eligibility checks
    The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) joins a coalition of more than 80 organizations in the Texas Food Policy Roundtable in urging state lawmakers to pass HB 2202 / SB 1031. These companion bills would streamline six-month SNAP eligibility checks and decrease error rates by using technology and verified data sources to save the state time and money.
  • 'Chuck Shumer* is no longer Jewish--he is Palestinian!'
    In mid-March 2025, President Trump pontificated what is the title of this op-ed. Not only is he confused between what is a religion and what is an ethno-nationalism; but he is also suggesting that to question Israel is to nullify your religion if you are Jewish.
  • Hands Off Rally at Grayson County Courthouse April 5
    Whether you are outraged by skyrocketing healthcare costs, job costs, job cuts, attacks on our privacy, or the gutting of essential services - this moment is for you.
  • An opportunity to plan
    In 1987, the Texas Legislature enacted Chapter 391 of the Texas Local Government Code. The expressed intention of this law was to encourage and permit local governments to join together and cooperate to improve the health, safety and general welfare of their residents and to plan for future development of their communities, areas and regions. The law provides for the creation by local governments of what has come to be known as 391 Commissions.
  • Beyond production: The hazards of Battery Energy Storage Systems
    As the world embraces cleaner energy and electric vehicles (EVs), the production of renewable energy and its storage is driving a shift towards more sustainable technology. However, behind this transition lies a growing concern. Lithium, a key component in batteries, presents significant environmental and safety hazards that are often overlooked.
  • We remember timely quotes, especially when they speak to present circumstances
    "Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me."
  • Fannin County Fire Marshal
    Is it time for Fannin County to appoint a county fire marshal? What factors should be taken into consideration in answering this question?
  • Texas History Minute -- Allred
    Gov. Jimmy Allred became governor of Texas in a desperate time for Texas. The Great Depression created many hardships for families and crippled state finances.
  • Today’s Two Musketeers are starkly different from The Three Musketeers in 17th century France!
    Alexandre Dumas’ The Three Musketeers tells the story of three fictional heroes (joined later by a fourth) whose task was to protect Kings Louis XIII and Louis XIV.
  • Texas History Minute -- measles
    Hospitals watch as children fill the wards. The diagnosis, numbering in the hundreds, would be the same: the dreaded measles.
  • Truck traffic, weighing the consequences
    Like most Texas Counties, Fannin County is dependent on truck transportation. If we have something in this County, with the exception of land, water and sky, it most likely made part of its journey here by truck. Unlike some of our neighbors, we do not have optional rail or water transportation. Our air service is limited. Our economy is for the most part supported by trucks.
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