Red Johnson, star of Midwest Country Theatre in Sandstone, often seen on the RFD-TV Network on both Dish and Direct TV, is coming to Hutchinson.

Appearing with Johnson will be Rich Bellert, featuring his own brand of cowboy poetry. The performers will share their talents at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 7, at the Maplewood Academy Auditorium in Hutchinson.

Johnson is an accomplished country music singer and songwriter. He bought his first guitar, a Silvertone from Sears, with money he earned from the sale of a calf. It was about this time that he wrote his first song, too.

Writing most of his own songs, Johnson cowrote with Bud Auge a signature song, “There’s a Grand Ole’ Opry Show Playing Somewhere,” in 1964. That song received such heavy airplay, it was picked up by Capital Records, and released on “The World of Country Music” album of the then 24 top country hits by such well-known artists as Buck Owens, Jeannie Shepherd and Tex Ritters.

In 2005, Johnson was inducted into the Minnesota Country Music Hall of Fame. In August, he’ll be honored once again when he is inducted into Americas’ Traditional Old-Time Country Music Hall of Fame at Missouri Valley, Iowa.

Joining Johnson during the Hutchinson show will be Rich Bellert, a man not afraid to step on stage in a Stetson hat and talk about lingerie.

Bellert began performing his own brand of cowboy poetry in July 2002. This will be the third year Bellert will appear with Sherwin Linton at the South Dakota State Fair in Huron, S.D. He has also appeared as a guest on stage in Branson, Mo.

If you go
Country music show by Red Johnson
When: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 7
Where: Maplewood Academy Auditorium, 700 Main St. N., Hutchinson
Admission: There’s no charge, but a free-will offering will be taken
Call: (952) 474-8607

(Kay Johnson is a staff writer at the Hutchinson Leader. She can be reached at johnson@hutchinsonleader.com [2])