Fayette County Country Music Club to Host January Opry Show Monday
The Fayette County Country Music Club will host their monthly Opry Show on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026 at the Knights of Columbus Hall in La Grange. The show starts at 7 p.m. and the doors will open at 5:30 p.m. Admission is $8.
Entertainers this month are Dan Whitaker, Ella Broussard and Robert Herridge, and Gene Hackemack.
Dan Whitaker is a songwriter from Chicago who now lives in Elgin. He has created and performed music nearly all his life, starting at 18 in the 1980s. His country music is blues, jazz and folk, a free wheeling style that takes you on an insightful journey through life’s joys and heartaches. As a recording artist he has created many albums featuring his original songs noted for their raw authenticity and craftsmanship. Onstage he either plays solo with his acoustic guitar and trusty harmonicas or performs as bandleader with his top-notch four piece honky-tonk band.
Deeply rooted in music— and Texas, Ella Broussard was born to fiddle. The girl who picked up her first violin at three years old now graces the stage as a freshfaced teenager bringing Country, Cajun, Western Swing, German and Czech music to audiences around our great state and beyond. Her happiest moments come from blazing toe-tapping tunes and watching her audience glide across the dance floor with grace, speed and smiles. At sixteen years old, she has performed and jammed alongside many notable musicians, and because of their teachings, her musical journey has become one of her greatest worldly treasures. One teacher/mentor/ band mate in particular is Gilley’s The Little Fiddler, Robert Herridge.
Robert Herridge saw his first guitar at eight years old and knew he wanted to play. Six years later he bought a guitar from a friend for $14 and taught himself. He later played bass for country music singer, Johnny Lee and the Roadrunners. In high school, Robert saw a fiddle for the first time and decided right then that he wanted to play the fiddle. He took lessons from a homeless wino in exchange for a six pack of beer.
Herridge went off to college as a science major, but music eventually took him away to play professionally. Later he met his mentor, Phil Parr, a blind singer/musician friend. He then joined a country/ rock band, Jimmie Lou and the Justins. His association with Johnny Lee landed him a full-time job (for 15 years) with the house band at Gilley’s nightclub in Pasadena.
He made several solo records as well as recordings with Johnny Lee. Robert has a number one hit song with his. Version of Cajun Fiddle. He also arranged and performed Cotton Eyed Joe for the movie, Urban Cowboy.
Today, he is a retired accountant and insurance agency owner and can be found playing fiddle, bass, keyboards, banjo, harmonica, accordion, guitar, mandolin in a variety of musical genres ranging from German, Czech, Polka, Country. From September through early November, he is on the Oktoberfest circuit all over the United States with the German band, Das Ist Lustig. Robert immediately begins work from early November through the end of December at Santa’s Wonderland in College Station.
Gene Hackemack was born in Burton, a 5th generation Texan, but had to learn English in first grade. A Vietnam Veteran who also served two years with Imperial Iranian Army Aviation Search & Rescue, he built and owned “Hackemack’s Hofbräuhaus” near New Ulm with his late wife Barbara and had live Polka Music weekends. Gene and singing partner Jason Keepers received a plaque from NASA in July 1995 for “1st Polka in Space” for waking up the Space Shuttle Crew with the “Beer Barrel Polka.” He traveled to Czech Republic as guest of Josef Vevoda, whose father composed that song. He retired from NASA 2006. Currently Gene resides in his home in the country between Brenham and Burton. He is a member of the polka band, “Alli & The Texas Polka Dots,” and also helps out other musician friends, like Bob Suttie, Chris Rybak, and Al Sulak.
So be sure to be with us on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026 for this great line of entertainment.