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Country Stars Amaze Fans with Acting Roles in “Rio Diablo”

by
  • Arden is a Senior Country Music Journalist for Country Thang Daily, specializing in classic hits and contemporary chart-toppers.
  • Prior to joining Country Thang Daily, Arden wrote for Billboard and People magazine, covering country music legends and emerging artists.
  • Arden holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Tennessee, with a minor in Music Studies.

Many of our favorite stars in country music have expanded their singing career to play roles in several movies. These artists stood up and proved that they’re not only gifted with golden voices but also with acting flairs. Dolly Parton, Shania Twain, Kevin Costner, Kris Kristofferson, and Trace Adkins are just some of the country icons who made their fans more astounded with their talents as they appear on the silver screen.

They delight fans with their music but they have not prevented themselves from doing other things to entertain their supporters. And so, these important public figures ventured on breathing life to certain characters in different movies or television shows. This resulted in more followers gained and having cemented their reputation as seasoned artists.

The Made-for-TV Western “Rio Diablo”

Do you remember the 1993 TV movie “Rio Diablo?” This CBS made-for-television western show was dominated by high profile country singers namely Kenny Rogers, Travis Tritt, and Naomi Judd. Each of them had their respective singing career and were making big names in country music back then. Although, the three still occasionally perform on stage at present.

The Country Music Stars in the Cast of Characters

Kenny Rogers plays Quinton Leech, a bounty hunter who’s determined in chasing down the outlaws. He is a partner and mentor to a young farmer named Benjamin Taber played by Travis Tritt. The “Foolish Pride” singer just had his debut in the filming industry with this movie. Meanwhile, Naomi Judd was Flora Mae Pepper in the movie. She was the glamorous Miss Kitty who owns the brothel that doubles as a safe haven. Their paths crossed when a shoot-out and bank robbery rocked the little town of Del Rio where they live.

Rio Diablo, Kenny Rogers, Naomi Judd, Travis Tritt, COuntry Stars, Acting Roles
Country music artists who star in the movie “Rio Diablo:” Kenny Rogers, Naomi Judd, and Travis Tritt | image via ebay.com

Benjamin was a newlywed to his Mexican bride Maria (played by Laura Harring). They were in town when the incident happened. Maria went missing right after the deadly shooting and was believed to be abducted by the gang of robbers. Because of this, Benjamin became determined to seek revenge when he bumped into Quinton. The two became partners in their pursuit to capture the bank robbers, though each has their own reason for it.

The Film Makers

“Rio Diablo” was co-written by Frank Q. Dobbs, David S. Cass, Sr., and Stephen Lodge. Moreover, the film was under the direction of Rod Hardy. The movie also had a team of producers comprising of Kelly Junkerman, Frank Q. Dobbs, Ken Kragen, and Larry Levinson. They first took the project to NBC but ended up with CBS after the former said passed on it. After a six-week preparation, the film was released on February 28, 1993.

The film has been reviewed favorably by several sites, including Amazon.

You can watch the movie below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSjPmpRrZyE

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