In my young mind, Owensboro jumped into the ranks of much bigger cities in 1977 when the Executive Inn Rivermont opened downtown. The massive open-air lobby, the glass elevator, and the parade of big stars across the Showroom Lounge stage were mind-blowing for this sixth grader.

The Executive Inn Owensboro

Sometimes, we would just go down to the hotel to ride the elevators up and down. Cheap fun, and they didn't care. More often than not, though, that was a treat that came with eating in the Patio Dining Room, a restaurant my parents added to our "going-out" rotation. As for big-name stars? The Executive Inn Showroom Lounge was a mere two-hour drive from Nashville, making it a very attractive venue to Music City A-listers. One of the biggest, however, never made it to the stage. It was c

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