Dustin Evans (left center) joined the Company Cowboys band in place of his Dad, Kyle Evans at the band's 40th anniversary show. Company Cowboys members Brian Bergeleen (left) are shown with Dale Schimke (right/center) and Lennis Fagerhaug (right).

Exclusively on truedakotan.com (not printed in the True Dakotan “hard copy”)

Be sure to “click” on the blue headline or the “more” link as there are more pictures!

BY CRAIG WENZEL

A large group of people came to the restored 1905 Opera House in Wessington Springs last Friday night, helping the “Company Cowoys” band observe their 40th anniversary.

Original band members Brian Bergeleen, Dale Schimke and Lennis Fagerhaug were joined by Dustin (Fagerhaug) Evans as the band opened the show with a stunning, four-part harmony version of “The Star Spangled Banner” as a tribute to the eighth anniversary of the terrorist attacks of 9-11-02.
Charlie Bergeleen served as emcee at the program. He was encouraged to wear one of the group’s original polyester stage jackets by Company Cowboys lead guitarist Brian Bergeleen. He managed to get the jacket on, but noted it was a little warm in the sultry opera house.

Brian sang the first song he ever did “solo” — at the 1969 Springs Crop Show– when he belted out Johnny Cash’s “Folsum Prison Blues”. The crowd also delighted in Lennis’  first solo, “Rueben James” (You no-count share croppin’ colored man). Dale also sang his first solo (but I can’t remember right now what it was!)

In another reference to the 9-11 attacks of eight years ago, Dustin sang “If I die before you wake”, a song he wrote in honor of the men and women who are fighting the war against terrorism overseas.

Craig noted that he was an “honorary” Company Cowboy member. He played in place of band founder Kyle Evans when Kyle had surgery many years ago. “They (the band) left me standing there roasting in my own juices as the crowd wanted me to sing Kyle songs (that I didn’t know)”, he said at the show. Craig noted that Kyle would be proud that the band carried on without him after his untimely death on July 4, 2001. “And seeing Dustin (Kyle’s son) up there singing with the band was worth the price of admission.”

Craig sang Willie Nelson’s “Angel Flying too close to the Ground” as a tribute to Kyle and his music.

The Company Cowboys returned to the stage for a group sing that featured “How Great thou Art”. They were called back to the stage for an encore, where they played the great Kyle Evans song, “I’m in heaven on  a horse”.

This story and pictures did not appear in the True Dakotan as we had already put a lot of publicity into the project before the show.

Oh, by the way, all of the proceeds from the show went to the 1905 Opera House– which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Opera House is considered a prime example of turn-of-the-century opera house architecture. If you would like to help the Opera House committee keep that beautiful old building “afloat”, go ahead and make a donation. You can send the check to us at the True Dakotan, if you want. Just mark it “Opera House Donation” and send it to: True Dakotan, PO Box 358, Wessington Springs, SD 57382. They’ll really appreciate it.