Starring country singer-songwriter Brandon Jenkins with guests from Hiram & Solomon Cigars, Fossil Bluff Fine Crafts, and our very own artist Brian Broadway, the
third annual Waco Masonic Concert was a blast. 300+ attendees made for a full audience and more than thirty masonic lodges were represented. During the show, the new Grand Master of the Masonic Grand Lodge of Texas Tommy Chapman got up on stage so the crowd could wish him a happy birthday and good luck on his year in the Grand East.
Brother Brandon Jenkins put on a fantastic performance as he made his return to the Waco Masonic stage and Brother Mike Stanley, a local performer, provided the opening act. Johnnie Hutchins of Chalk Mountain #836 presented Bro. Jenkins with a custom masonic metal emblem.
Who Was That Man on the Big Screen?
During the show, an image of the Waco Suspension Bridge was cast upon the big screen with Waco 92’s logo. The photograph was taken in 1870 right after our lodge members built the Suspension Bridge. They owned it for several years and some of 
our lodge members worked as tollkeepers on the bridge. Also in the photo is a lone, mysterious pioneer. His name was Seth Mills and he was also a member of Waco Lodge. In the photo, each of his hands is on a Colt .45 as he had just returned from a trip during which he delivered a herd of cattle to the Kansas cattle market ON FOOT! Immediately following the photo, he used the cash from the trip to purchase a wagon so as to never have to walk to Kansas again. To read more about Seth Mills, click here.
Against that backdrop, fellowship and merriment filled the night air as Texas Masons and Waco citizens danced and sang along with Brandon Jenkins. Below is a list of some of the traveling men present at the concert:
Some of the Brethren Present
- Most Worshipful Tommy Chapman, Grand Master of the Masonic Grand Lodge of Texas
- Stanley Payne from Thomas B. Hunter Lodge #1356
- Gregory Wright, Rhit Moore, Papa Chris, Grant Gates, Gabriel Jagush, Mark McCaghren, and more from Fort Worth #148
- Brad Billings from Grapevine Lodge #288
- Matt Caldwell from Warren Lodge #56
- Kyle Wahlquist, David Ritter, Stephen Berryman, and more from Hillcrest Lodge #1318
- Johnnie Hutchins from Chalk Mountain #896
- Dave McHam, Brian Broadway, John-Michael Gillaspy, Tyson Holloway, and more from Waco 92
- Brother Robert Matthews representing Hiram&Solomon Cigars
- Brother Tom McGuire representing Fossil Bluff Fine Crafts
- Tony Marmino from Bellmead Lodge #1329
- Joe Rodriguez and friends from Rio Grande #81
- Doug McHam of Red Oak #467
- Ruben Bazan and brothers from Laredo Lodge #547
- Chapan Harwell and Jason Coffelt from JH Gurley Lodge #37
- Zachary Haston from Arlington #438
- Matthew Fisher and Mark Myers with Webb #1454
- Brandon Jenkins from Haltom City #1331
- BL Baxter from Glen Rose #525
- McCoy Betancourt from Hidalgo Lodge #1036
- Byron Weber from Brady Lodge #628
- Bobby Herren from Holland Lodge #1
- David Hill from Parsons Lodge #222
- Daniel McGettrick from Albert J. DeLange #1403
- Ismael Gutiérrez N II from El Paso Lodge #130
- Robert De Luna from Edwin J. Kiest #1310
- Cameron McSpadden from Jewel P Lightfoot #1283
- Robert Matthews Jr from Ford Lodge #270
- Jeff Bennett from REL Lodge #431
Some photos from the event are in the slideshow below. Clicking each slide will take you to a website relevant to that slide’s content such as a pictured brother’s lodge site or something else.
Laredo Men Always Make It
Center is Brad Billings of Grapevine #288 with Ruben Bazan and Miguel Inclan, both of Laredo #547, flanking him. Back right is Tazmanian Grant Gates of Fort Worth #148
BBQ and Country Music
The masons assembled filled their bellies with bbq while Brandon Jenkins got warmed up.
Waco 92's Upcoming Dynamic Duo
New Brothers John-Michael Gillaspy and Brian Broadway at the Waco 92 booth
3D Brad and Robert De Luna
Yet again Bro. Brad Billings and Bro. Robert De Luna of Edwin J. Kiest #1130 at right
The Fort Worth 148 posse
This group of men is becoming more and more notorious for their unsurpassed shenanigans in Texas Masonry. Earlier this year, they endowed a scholarship for perpetuity.
Bill Braddings and Ismael Gutierrez
Bro. Ismael Gutierrez of El Paso Lodge, another brother, and Bro. Bill Braddings at right
