‘Gene Williams Country TV Show’ added to national feed for Retro Television Network

The Gene Williams Country Television Show will now be included on the national feed for Retro Televison Nework (RTN) following an agreement reached with RTN’s executives in January. This increases the number of markets in which the weekly television show taped live in Branson, Mo., can be seen by more than two dozen and places the show in 11 of the top 30 markets in the nation.

Bringing the number of markets in which the show can been seen to more than 200 nationwide, the new markets include Atlanta, which is ranked eighth, and Washington, D.C., which is ranked ninth according to the latest Nielsen national market rankings.

This announcement follows a November announcement by Williams that seven RTN stations had been added to the list of stations broadcasting his Lucas Oil Products sponsored show.

RTN first went on the air in July of 2005 in Little Rock with Equity Broadcasting, a station that has supported Williams’ show since its beginning more than 40 years ago. RTN saw fast paced growth and commitment to quality. Luken Communications, headquartered in Chattanooga, Tenn., became the new owners in January. The Gene Williams Country Television Show was part of RTN’s main focus in 2008 of the new “Classic Hits All Day – Fresh Talk All Night” format. With the 2009 switch to digital television, RTN added many affiliates in 2007 and 2008. RTN airs classic television programming from the 1950s through the 1980s, and original programming, making Williams part of the line-up along with the likes of James Garner, Tom Selleck, Robert Wagner and Johnny Depp.

A winner of four National Telly Awards, the Gene Williams Show features celebrity guest stars such as Mickey Gilley, Ed McMahon, the Oak Ridge Boys and Roy Clark. Celebrities perform with Williams’ band, the Country Junction Band, and are interviewed up-close-and-personal by the legendary Williams and his co-host Katie Lynn.

“This is part of my pledge of adding new cities where viewers will become Branson fans and enjoy the show’s country music, our comedy and our great band. In the Country Junction Band we have some of the best pickers in Branson and all of country music. We also have some of the best guest stars,” said Williams whose celebrity line-up is impressive.

In addition to Gilley, McMahon, the Oak Ridge Boys and Clark, Williams has welcomed Johnny Cash’s band The Tennessee Three, Doug Kershaw, Barbara Fairchild, Sons of the Pioneers, Jimmy Osmond, the Osmonds, Helen Cornelius, Leona Williams and Bob Anderson. The Blackwood Brothers, Dave Somerville, Charlie Louvin, Narvel Felts, Margo Smith, Jim Owen, Cal Smith, Stonewall Jackson, Norma Jean, Mary Lou Turner, Little Jimmy Dickens, Jean Shepard, Bill Anderson, Porter Wagoner, Buck Trent, Wanda Jackson, Johnny Lee, Fred Travalena and Razzy Bailey have also guest starred on his stage.

The Gene Williams Show has been taped live with a studio audience going on eight years in Branson. His show will begin taping at a new location beginning Sunday, Feb. 15, at the 50’s at the Hop Theatre in the Shoppes at Branson Meadows, 4230 N Gretna Rd. Admission for the studio audience is free and the doors open at 1 p.m. with taping at 2 p.m. Three shows are taped approximately every third Sunday. Taping dates include March 8 and 29, April 19, May 10 and 17, etc.

The newest stations for the Gene Williams Show are Augusta, Ga., WJBF; Davenport/Moline/Rock Island, Ill., WHBF-TV; Providence, R.I., WJAR; Rio Grande Valley, Texas, KRGV-TV, Prescott, Ariz., KAZT-TV; Raleigh/Durham/Fayetteville, N.C., WRAZ (TV); Chattanooga, Tenn., WRCB-TV; Steubenville, Ohio, WTOV-TV; Detroit, WXYZ-TV; El Paso, KFOX-TV; Evansville, Ind., WEHT; Seattle, KIRO-TV; Fresno, Calif., KAIL; Harrisburg, Penn./Susquehanna Valley, WHTM-TV; Huntsville/Decatur, Ala., WHNT-TV; Jackson, Miss., WJTV; Johnstown/Altoona/State College, Penn., WJAC-TV; Knoxville, Tenn., WMAK; Lincoln, Neb., KLKN; Madison, Wis., WKOW-TV; Memphis, Tenn., WLMT; Meridian, Miss., WGBC-TV; Mobile, Ala., WKRG-TV; Lafayette, La., KDCG-LP; Orlando, Fla., WRDQ; Chattanooga , Tenn.,WRCB-TV; and Washington, D.C., WJLA-TV.