BY MURRAY BISHOFF Special to the Cassville Democrat

The Ozark Festival Orchestra will conclude its 45th season with its annual Marty Beckwith Memorial Pops Concert, slated for 3 p.m. on Sunday at the Monett High School Performing Arts Center.

The OFO welcomes two of The Texas Tenors, J.C. Fisher and Marcus Collins “and friends,” for a concert of favorite songs, selections from Broadway and film, as well as greatest vocal hits from the classical repertory for this special show.

The Texas Tenors, who have been Billboard Magazine’s No. 1 recording artists, three-time Emmy Award winners and 2022 inductees to the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame, were top finalists in the fourth season of “America’s Got Talent.”

They perform regularly in Branson and across the United States and Europe. This will be their first appearance in Monett to perform with the OFO.

The show, featuring J.C. Fisher, will include 14 selections, from timeless hits like “Unchained Melody” and “Danny Boy” to a medley from the Broadway hit “Les Miz.” The OFO will play on all the numbers, including Verdi’s “La donna è mobile” from “Rigoletto” and the beloved duet from Bizet’s “The Pearl Fishers.”

Inspirational selections include “You Raise Me Up” and Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America.” The concert will have music for all tastes, and a rousing orchestral treatment from the film “The Magnificent Seven.”

The last time the OFO hosted a Branson show was more than 20 years ago for one of the final performances of the Foggy River Boys.

Local players in the OFO on this concert are Christina Oliphant, Katie Oliphant, Michele Oliphant, Moira Oliphant, Jennifer Oliphant, Trent Oliphant, Cassville; LeAna Colf, Seligman; Holly Thompson, Eagle Rock; Nancy Hitchcock, Rocky Comfort; Sarah Willson, Purdy; Phyllis Garrett, Carol Dahlstrom, Marena Snarey, Elizabeth Snarey, Stefani Stovall, Monett; Murray Bishoff, Julie Waetke-Bishoff, Pierce City; and Jana Wilson, Aurora.

This is a special benefit concert to help the orchestra meet its annual expenses. Prices for tickets will be at the special rate for this event: $20 for persons age 12 and up, $50 for the VIP package, which includes prime seating, a photo op, meet and greet, and a souvenir. Children ages 11 and under will be admitted free. Advance tickets are available from www.ozarkfestivalorchestra.org.

The Marty Beckwith Memorial Pops Concert is sponsored by the family of Marty Beckwith, a founding member and longtime cellist with the OFO.