What in the world do Jeannie C. Riley and the song Harper Valley PTA have to do with Holiday World?
The Grammy Award winner’s connection is with Santa Claus Land, actually; she performed her hit Harper Valley PTA in concert here on Sunday, June 11, 1978.
That’s 41 years ago!
This ad is from our archives
Something else in that folder … an article that ran in “Santa’s Country” weekly newspaper. In it, Ms. Riley is quoted as saying, “I’ve never seen anything like [Santa Claus Land]. I didn’t know there was a place where kids could go to sit on Santa’s lap and talk to him.”
Her husband, Mickey, chimed in: “This place could really grow into something big. The countryside around here is beautiful. I love it. And the hospitality is unbelievable.”
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I have always loved Jeannie C. Riley and her song Harper Valley PTA. We would sing it to my mother, her name being “Mrs. Johnson”. She was nothing like the one in the song, but it put a smile on her face. Happy Birthday Ms. Riley.
I am 57 yrs old and well beyond my school yrs. I am from Evansville, Indiana and when I was in the 4th grade in Henderson, Ky at Audubon School here, my self and 4 other girls in my class sang Harper Valley PTA at a pta meeting. It was a hoot!! We loved that song and Miss Jeannie as well. So, just wanted to give her a shout out and say Happy Birthday!!!!!