Desert Messenger

February 5, 2020 www.DesertMessenger.com 25 www.facebook.com/ DesertMessengerNews By Jackie Deal "Nobody else wanted to do this. I have a corner on the market." Kerry Christensen laughs, "I make a living yodeling. Isn't that totally nuts?" One of the most delightful interviews I've ever done was with Kerry Christensen, yodeler, singer, and former Disney star. He says he does over 500 patterns of Euro- pean yodeling and has created over 500 patterns himself. The only yodeling I'm really familiar with is Yodeler Kerry Christensen cowboy and he somewhat condescendingly, but charmingly, says, "Cow- boy yodeling has about three patterns. If I did a whole show of cowboy yodeling you'd be bored out of your skull." In a two hour concert he can do about 18 different "nationalities" of yodeling. Not only does he sing and write yodeling "patterns," but he recently judged a contest in Seoul, Korea of 1000 yodeling contestants. The con- test was 12 hours a day for 5 days. He says the Koreans were becoming "Swiss-oriented" in their yodeling and they wanted him to teach them some new patterns. Kerry grew up in Idaho where he "drove tractor for 16 hours a day." Somehow I think yodeling might be easier and more fun, especially when he talks about being a yodeling and singing star at Disneyland and Epcot Center. It sounds like a better way to make a living. He began yodeling when he went to Austria and discovered Swiss yodeling. He uses an ac- cordion that is electronically programmed to sound like a bass and other accompaniments. Kerry says he lives near the Salt Lake City airport where he can "fl y out every week to do concerts." He has a wife and four grown children and six grandchildren. He says he feels young (he's only 65), "looks young, acts young and wants to live to be 120." Don't be put off by the idea of two boring hours of yodeling. This should be a fun-fi lled, musical concert by a Master yodeler, singer and a charm- ing, entertaining showman. And from what I could tell, an all-around nice guy! Mark the date on your calendar, February 22nd, at 7 p. m. at the Quartzsite Improvement Association (QIA.) It should be worth every penny of the $10 ticket. QIA is located at 235 E. Ironwood St., Quartzsite. 928-927-6325. Weeklong lane restrictions scheduled on State Route 95 in Parker beginning Feb. 12 The Arizona Department of Transportation advises drivers to plan ahead for lane restrictions on State Route 95 in Parker beginning in February. Maintenance crews are scheduled to do crack seal applica- tion work. The work is part of mul- tiple pavement preservation proj- ects on highways across the state. The following restrictions will oc- cur from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. beginning Wednesday, Feb. 12, through Friday, Feb. 14, then resume on Monday, Feb. 17, with an end date of Tuesday, Feb. 18. Alternating lane closures will oc- cur on northbound and southbound SR 95 between Mohave Road (mile- post 143) and Lakeside Boulevard (milepost 148). Hyw. 95 lane restrictions in Parker Motorists should anticipate a 3- mile lane restriction while crews progress through the work zone. A 16-foot vehicle width restriction will be in place. Learn more about pavement pres- ervation projects in your area by visiting https://azdot.gov/projects/ southwest-district-projects/pave- ment-preservation-project Schedules are subject to change based on weather and other un- foreseen factors. For more infor- mation, please call the ADOT Bi- lingual Project Information Line at 855.712.8530 or go to azdot.gov/ contact and select Projects from the drop-down menu. For real-time highway conditions statewide, visit ADOT's Traveler Information Site at www.az511.gov, follow ADOT on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT) or call 511, except while driving. DEADLINE : WED. FEB. 12 TH for the Feb. 19 th edition Desert Messenger News Email: editor@DesertMessenger.com 928-916-4235 www.DesertMessenger.com

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