However, behind the orange suit, the comedic timing, and the crazy, Hee-Haw-style skits, lies a subtle, gentle sense of humor and — as show producer Mike Patrick oftens says — "a dandy of a gentleman" that many don't know: Jamie Haage.

A native Ozarker who grew up in nearby Kirbyville, Haage has spent his entire professional career in Branson show business, beginning while still in high school. And what may come as a surprise to many who have not seen him perform, Haage is first and foremost a musician and singer.

"My first instrument was actually an old banjo that dad found somewhere. I still have it. But I was too little at the time to hold it up like you're supposed to so I played it with a butter knife — like a steel guitar. But piano came pretty early and I learned to play bass a little bit and started drums early as well. When I was 13, I took fiddle lessons for a couple of years.

"It's hard to say what is my favorite. Fiddle, probably. It's a close tie: fiddle, piano, and steel guitar. I like all three of those really well."

The comedy, however, was more of an accident.

"Darrell Plummer [of The Plummer Family Show] needed a comedian for some reason. So 1986 was the first time I did Jim Dandy. But that was for only one summer! To begin with, I couldn't think of a name but there's the old saying, That's a Jim-Dandy of a car or He's a real Jim-Dandy. So I just went with it.

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