A Branson entertainer and community leader is being honored this weekend in Texas. Clay Cooper, who headlines Clay Cooper’s Country Express show in his own theater, will be inducted into the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame. Cooper’s is one of the top-rated shows in Branson, Missouri. Cooper also serves the city of Branson as an alderman on the Branson City Council. The Texas Country Music Hall of Fame got its start in 1998, designed to celebrate contributions made by Texans to the country music industry. Clay Cooper was born in Wylie, Texas. He began performing in his hometown at the age of 14. "Clay wrote the song ‘A Little Ground in Texas,’ which charted on Cash Box," said a spokesperson for the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame. "His Branson show is very successful and has done a lot to keep traditional country music alive and well. He has been a great ambassador for the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame." Cooper will be honored during the 26th annual Texas Country Music Hall of Fame festival, which will include the induction show. The event will be held August 11-13 in Carthage, Texas. The induction ceremony will take place on August 12 at the Carthage, TX, Civic Center. The Classic Country Music Festival weekend will feature special guests Joe Stampley and Moe Bandy, another well-known name in the Branson area, as well as a host of Texas talent. Also inducted into the TCM-HOF will be country legend K.T. Oslin. The award will be given posthumously, as Oslin passed away in 2020 at the age of 78, the result of COVID complications. Cooper, his family, band and cast members will travel to Texas for the Country Music Festival weekend. "We’re very honored to honor Clay Cooper and Clay Cooper’s Country Express," said the TCM-HOF Representative. "And he’s bringing his entire show to Carthage, Texas. How about that?"  All of us at the Branson Globe congratulate Clay on the well-deserved honor!

"My grandma played piano in the local Baptist church back in Texas," Clay Cooper begins his story. "I would listen to her play the piano while my dad and his four siblings would sing in harmony. My dad played the guitar around the house and sang country songs, and I was hooked on country music at an early age." Cooper first began singing at the Wylie (Texas) Opry at the age of 14 and continued to perform there until 1986, when he joined the Texas Goldminors and moved to Branson. He started out as bassist for the band, he said in a March 2021 interview with Chris Myer of Play Branson -- something the pianist and guitarist didn't know how to do until someone handed him an instrument at a practice session! By the time he was 16 years old, Cooper was spending summers in a big house in downtown Branson with his bandmates and performing every day at the Ozarks Country Jubilee. Now he's in his 36th season with his own theater at 3216 W. Missouri 76 in Branson and his own show, Clay Cooper's Country Express, which he shares with wife Tina and their sons Colton and Caden. "When I decided to start my own business, we started out as a morning show," he recalled to Myer. "We had a five-piece band and my wife, Tina, and three other dancers. But I wasn't just a newbie coming to town, hanging a sign. I had a following. We had been performing for 5,000 people a day for nine years" at Country Tonite, where he was lead vocalist and emcee. In 2005, Cooper and his wife opened the Clay Cooper Theatre, and it worked, he says, because they pursued their dreams step by step.  He says he never could have imagined he'd have a 36-year career in Branson, but his success continues because "our show is more than country. It's just real people havin' a real good time. "I love to entertain people," Cooper enthuses. "I enjoy starting conversations with our customers and building that conversation into the performance each night. Seeing a smile on the face of our visitors feeds my love to entertain!" Somewhere along the way, Cooper also learned to cook, and when asked for his favorite recipe, he offers one that promises to be just as good on the patio in June as it is in front of the TV on fall football days. Clay Cooper's Taco Soup Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes Serves: 8 Ingredients: 2 lbs. ground beef 2-3 cans diced tomatoes 3 cans Rotel tomatoes 3 cans ranch style beans 1 can corn 1 package taco seasoning 1 package ranch dip or ranch dressing 1 tsp. chili powder Instructions: 1. Brown ground beef and drain fat. 2. Add all remaining ingredients. 3. Heat to desired taste. 4. Serve and enjoy! Do you know Northwest Arkansas celebrities who love to cook? Suggest them for Local Flavors by emailing groups1@claycoopertheatre.com.