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A Little Less Talking and a Lot More Dancing

by Ruth Ann Ruiz
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By Ruth Ann Ruiz

The Post Newspaper Features Editor

It was an action-packed evening in a soothing, easy, rural kind of way at the Galveston Convention Center Saturday. 

Tables were decorated with simple flowers, the kind you might find in your grandma’s backyard. Cowboy hats were part of the attire but not required. Cowboy boots adorned many of the attendees’ feet, but again, were not required.

The Galveston Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Second Annual Country Music Fest and annual meeting attracted a crowd of country music lovers, business owners and civic leaders from around the region.

Celebrating 180 years as Texas’ oldest chamber of commerce, the Galveston Regional Chamber of Commerce (GRCC) included in this year’s Country Music Fest a reading of the original proclamation as written by state legislators in 1844. It declared the legitimacy of the chamber. 

In other news from the event, Steve Connor was awarded Galvestonian of the Year. 

As he accepted the award, he shared a sentiment that the audience seemed to enjoy. 

 “The Galveston Regional Chamber of Commerce is the best chamber of commerce in the state of Texas,” Connor said. 

The Galveston-Texas City Pilots, who have been ensuring safe navigation of ships coming into the ports of Galveston County since 1845, were the recipients of the inaugural Heritage Award.

The award will become a yearly tradition celebrating individuals and organizations with profound and lasting influences on the region’s maritime industry. 

Other recipients and the awards they received were as follows:

Dr. Donna Lang of Texas A&M University at Galveston received the H. Rudy Teichman Maritime Wheel of the Year. 

UTMB Health was named International Business of the Year.

Del Papa Distributing Company received the Regional Impact Award. 

Jay Carnes of Carnes Funeral Home received the President’s Award of Excellence.

MOTU was named Large Business of the Year. 

Window Box Florist (formerly Mainland Floral) and Treasure Island Trophies and Engraving received Small Business of the Year awards.

Texas Tail Distillery received the “Vic Pierson” C-Crewe Award.

Amanda Wiggins, Schooley Mitchell, and Shannon McAllister of Paul Davis Restoration were named Navigators of the Year.

The Daily News was named a Pioneer in Journalism.

Galveston Wharves received the Christie Mitchell Beachcomber Award.  

After all awardees had been honored, City Councilwoman Marie Robb gave a short address. She presented Gina Spagnola, CEO of the GRCC, with a key to the city of Galveston. Then U.S. Representative Randy Weber swore in the 2025 board members.

With the formalities of the night over, it was time for the music and dancing to begin. 

The Powell Brothers opened the music portion of the Country Music Fest. No sooner had they begun strumming their guitars and singing familiar country music tunes, the dance floor filled with couples moving, swaying and two-stepping to the rhythm. 

The Powell Brothers, a band with two brothers as the lead singers and guitarists came down from Houston.  They have performed at the 2019 World Series in Houston and at the Dallas Cowboys 2021 opening game on Monday Night Football. The band has also played at several rodeos in the state.

Not a beat of music or dancing was missed as the Powell Brothers exited the stage. Music continued through the sound system and line dancing began. Texas A&M students led the way in their bright red T-shirts. Their youth did not hamper them from knowing the steps to country line dance songs that originated in the ’90s.

Next on stage was Drake Milligan, and he, too, kept the crowd on the dance floor. 

The Elvis tune “Blue Suede Shoes” was his first song of the evening, and he won over the audience. From the youngest to the oldest, both male and female attendees seemed captivated with Milligan’s voice. 

When Milligan held a note for ten seconds or more, the audience gasped and then offered light applause.. 

Mulligan’s performance kept men stamping their feet and slapping their thighs and women commenting on how he sounded just like Elvis. 

Introducing the audience to one of his original pieces, he commented on how women tend to try on lots of outfits before going to an event.  He sang his song in such a loving manner, you would hardly know the title was, “I Hate Everything You Try On.”

Another of his originals, “Dance of a Lifetime,” was preceded by an expression of gratitude to the audience. 

“I always like to dedicate this one to everyone who comes out to my shows.” Milligan said. “I’m doing what I love, and as long as people keep showing up, I’ll keep playing.” 

As he sang out the loving words of “Dance of a Lifetime,” I was convinced one day this young singer will be listed as a Country Music Hall of Fame artist.  

Milligan is a Texan from Fort Worth who has a national following. His debut performance at the Grand Ole Opry was in October 2022.

As guests left the convention center, they were greeted by a cool night and a soft fog hugging the shores of Galveston Island. Thankfully, Winter Storm, Enzo was in everyone’s rearview mirror, unlike on the night of 2024’s event, when a winter storm was in the beams of everyone’s headlights. 

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