Country Earl's Celebration Place

Country Earl is a household name in the Upstate region of South Carolina. A popular disc jockey on WESC radio in the 50s and 60s, Earl Baughman opened Country Earl's Celebration Place in Simpsonville, SC 40 years ago offering up a family-style buffet and live variety music show on the weekends. A true South Carolina attraction, Country Earl's Celebration Place is a favorite on the tour bus circuit, drawing regular group tours from North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia and other Southeastern states. In this video, Country Earl talks about his career in radio, the music he loves, and the country music stars he has met over the years. A self-described old-school musician, Country Earl proudly displays a photograph of himself and Johnny Cash, back when Cash wore white, in the lobby of his restaurant. He also has a 60-year-old steel guitar hanging in the lobby of Country Earl's Celebration Place along with a photo of himself with Elvis Presley's band. Also in this video, Earl fires up the Country Earl Show Band for some old-time country, rock-a-billy and gospel favorites that feature his signature steel guitar. And, he calls the Country Earl Cloggers to the dance floor for a clogging exhibition. An alcohol- and smoke-free restaurant, Country Earls Celebration Place is open for dinner and a show on Saturdays from 5:30pm to 11pm, and on Sundays for a lunch buffet from 11am until 2:30pm.