mikemcguff.com: Dave Ward leads celebration for Mickey Gilley

Dave Ward creates Honky Tonk Memories with Mickey Gilley

Kim Padgett, Mickey Gilley, Vicki Garcia and Dave Ward (Photo credit: Roswitha Vogler)

Dave Ward, longtime anchor of abc13 KTRK, was the Master of Ceremonies to honor a Houston-area legend. It was “a room full of roses,” yellow roses that is, as over 350 guests gathered for the Galleria Chamber of Commerce’s 11th Annual Texas Legends Gala honoring Texas country entertainer and recording artist Mickey Gilley on March 25, 2013 at the Omni Hotel at Riverway.

Attendees dressed in their Texas best mixed and mingled during the cocktail hour, which included a book signing with Mickey Gilley and JD Davis, author of Unconquered: The Saga of Cousins Jerry Lee Lewis, Jimmy Swaggart and Mickey Gilley and a big board live auction featuring a trip to Branson to visit Mickey at his namesake theater, a weekend stay at Deer Lake Lodge Spa and Resort and luxury car rentals from Platinum Motor Cars. Part of the proceeds from the evening benefited the Galleria Chamber of Commerce Scholarship Fund.

Chamber board members and gala co-chairs Kim Padgett and Vicki Garcia-Lehner welcomed Ward, who along with Pasadena Mayor Johnny Isbell, presented the guest of honor with a proclamation on behalf of both the City of Houston and Pasadena, officially naming March 25th as “Mickey Gilley Day.” Longtime fellow country stars and friends Neal McCoy and The Gatlin Brothers stopped by to congratulate Gilley on his evening via video projection.

Next on stage was the Texas Legend himself, Mickey Gilley, who regaled an audience of admiring fans with stories from his life as a recording artist, entertainer and business man. Guests seated at tables draped in red and black décor, highlighted by gorgeous Yellow Rose of Texas arrangements by Lexis Florist sang along with Gilley as he performed the classics “You Don’t Know Me,” “Stand By Me,” “Solitary Man,” and Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline.”

The surprise moment of the evening came when a giant, three-dimensional piano cake from For Heavens Cake was presented to Gilley in honor of his 77th birthday, celebrated earlier this month.

Guests for the evening included Galleria Chamber of Commerce Honorary Co-chairs Tony and Donna Vallone with Gala Auction Co-Chairs Brenda Cheney and Rhonda Schroeder, Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner “Cactus" Jack Cagle, Chief of Staff of Mayor of Pasadena Johnny Isabel Richard Scott and Sandra Scott, City of Houston Council Members Helena Brown and Jack Christie, Honorable Harris County Clerk Stan Stanart, Chamber Board Members Arthur Mooradian, Brett Binkley, Fred Stumpf, Lee and Corrine Vela, Mary Grace Gray, JD Busch, Kathryn Mumaw and Gabriele Merrill. Also, seen swaying to the music Sidney Evans, sportscaster Bob Allen, Bruce Padilla, Edward Sanchez, Sonia Soto, KTRK Miya Shay, Catarina Cron, Roland Maldonado, Sue Habib, Tracy Orolin and her steady Harry Faulkner.