50 years ago in Expo history: Singer Nabors amazes crowd with surprise operatic voice at World’s Fair

Jim Nabors performed for a near-capacity Expo ’74 crowd at the Coliseum. Anybody expecting to hear the goofy sounds of his character Gomer Pyle were in for a surprise.

“Nabors opens his mouth to sing, (and) the country twang in his voice disappears and out comes the incredible vocal power and control of a polished Metropolitan Opera singer,” The Spokesman-Review critic wrote.

Nabors sang Broadway standards (“The Impossible Dream”) along with hymns (“How Great Thou Art”) and country hits (“Your Cheatin’ Heart”).

The opening act was a family rock band called the Allen Family, and the Chronicle reviewer was especially disdainful.

He said the band’s “blaring” contribution to the evening was like putting “chopped onions and soy sauce on a bowl of chocolate ice cream.”

Over at the Opera House classical guitar legend Christopher Parkening wowed the crowd with his mastery and virtuosity.

From 100 years ago: A bunch of drunken hogs added to the excitement of a nighttime moonshine raid on a farm near Tyler.

During the raid by Prohibition officers, mash from 38 barrels was poured on the ground and “devoured by the porkers, who them made themselves a ridiculous nuisance to the officers as they went about their work of destruction.”

The big still, camouflaged as a haystack, was dismantled by officers and set afire.

As the flames began to leap, one of the officers called out to the detained suspects, “Kiss your $1,100 goodbye, boys!”