RAPID CITY, South Dakota (KEVN) – Once home to the Grand Ole Opry, the Ryman Auditorium welcomed its 229th and 230th members Gary Mule Deere and Henry Cho. They were welcomed by Marty Stuart, a member and musician of 30 years, on January 6th.
Gary Mule Dear was born in Deadwood to Bruce and Laura Miller and grew up near Spearfish on the ranch. Gary graduated from Spearfish High School, after which he attended Black Hills State University for five years.
“I tried every job I could find, but my last job was digging graves in a cemetery with my partner in the dead of winter with a pickaxe and a shovel. I thought there must be something better than this. So I took guitar lessons in Rapid City from a guy named Ken Stone.He taught me four chords.Since 1959, I think since I started.” said Mule Deer.
He describes himself as a comedian-musician. He started by playing music and after his first performance began adding his comedy.
“During my first job, I had an accident in the middle of my first song, so I stopped and made a joke, and it worked. I’ve been doing both ever since,” says Mule Deer. says Mr.
The first song Mule Deer learned to sing and play was Johnny Cash’s Big River. Cash had a big impact on him.
One of Mule Deers’ guitars has been with him since 1977.
When he appeared on David Letterman many years ago, he first asked Sheryl Crow to sign his guitar. As of 2023, his entire back is filled with autographs from various guitarists and artists.
Gary gave his first performance at the Opry in 1993 when he was invited by Roy Acuff. Gary has made over 150 appearances and regularly performs shows at the Opry.
“Marty Stuart, a member of the Opry for 30 years, posing as the host of a new show, was going to call it Opry’s comedy… as they sat me and another comedian, Henry Cho. I asked them to do a Facebook Live, well, it was all set up, we were sitting there answering questions for Marty and at the end he said, by the way, Opry’s family would like to invite you ‘ said Mulediah.
Mule Deer says joining the original Grand Ole Opry, country music parenthouse, made him special. He said it was an honor to stand where Hank Williams and 228 other people stood.
Gary Mule Dear will be officially inducted into the Hall of Fame on March 10.
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