Arts & Entertainment
Sounds of Country Music Add New Flavor to Old Favorites at Sizzler Restaurant
The sounds of country music blend wonderfully with catfish, steaks and great burgers as Oxford’s Sizzler Restaurant.
Operated by Clay and Susan Paslay of Oxford since 1994, the Sizzler is located about four miles from Oxford on Highway 6 East. The restaurant was opened in 1974 by Bill and Glades Sparks and continues a tradition of good food and laid back dining that spans three generation of area residents and Ole Miss students.
Clay formerly served in an administrative capacity at Camp Lake Stephens, operated by the United Methodist Church near Oxford. Susan operated the food service.
“We had always wanted to own a business so the Sizzler was a good fit,” Susan said. “Clay grew up in a country store and learned to cut meat and I learned how to order food products as cafeteria worker at Camp Lake Stephens.”
Britnei Clowers a server at the restaurant had the idea of inviting area musicians to perform at the Sizzler. The weekend performances by area groups began in January have been increasingly popular.
“I just invited some friends from the Pontotoc and Thaxton area to perform on one night on the weekend, then we went to two nights. Now we have people calling the Sizzler to find out who the performers will be each weekend,” Britnei said.
This past weekend the performers were “2Broke College Girls”, a duo of Karly Clayton and Hannah Roye. Clayton is a senior at Mississippi University for Women majoring in educational psychology and Roye is a senior at Mississippi State University majoring in music therapy.
“We were singing separately at different venues in the area until several people suggested we work together,” Clayton said.
A number of fans of the two girls had suggested they sing together. “We met at a singing competition, formed 2Broke College Girls, and have been performing together for about two years,” Roye said.
Hanna began performing when she was a five-year-old, singing “Cruella De Vil” from the movie, 101 Dalmations, in a beauty pageant. The 23-year-old singer began performing heavily at age 18.
Clayton’s singing career began at an even earlier at age two in her home church located in Mooreville, Mississippi.
“My grandmother said I told her one Sunday to tell the preacher man I wanted to sing,” she said. “I sang ‘Amazing Grace’ and have been performing ever since.”
Clayton and Roye perform traditional country favorites but also write and produce their own music.
The duo got its name when someone asked what the duo was called and one of the ladies explained they were “just two broke college student trying to make a little money while in college.”
The name stuck and they have been a duet known as “2Broke College Girls” ever since. Nashville or perhaps Austin could be in their musical future, but the goal of finishing college and having a degree comes first.
“I was always taught to get an education and have a career to back up my interest in music,” Karly said. “We will just have to see how things go.”
As the duet winds down their college careers, making music is adding a new flavor to the Sizzler.
The restaurant is open 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Thursday through Saturday.
For comments or questions, email Callie Daniels Bryant at callie.daniels@hottytoddy.com.
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Cheryl Hanks
March 23, 2016 at 1:24 pm
My parents, William (Bill) and Gladys Sparks opened the Sizzler in 1972.