& Gene Show.

So popular has the local television special become, in fact, that it airs no less than three times over the holidays. Tonight at 8 p.m. is the second screening, and December 25 at 7.30 p.m. is the last -- both on ZBM-TV9. The first one aired December 15.

This year marks the seventh edition since Mrs. Jean Howes was first persuaded to showcase her talents and those of her band on local television.

From the original 60-minute, all-country format in 1993, the programme has evolved into a 90-minute musical variety show with something for everyone, and sponsors lining up to underwrite it.

This year, for the first time, dancers have been added to the mix, and while country music is still an important component, it only occupies one third of the programme.

Happily co-hosting the show with Mrs. Howes is one of Bermuda's best-loved professional entertainers, Mr. Gene Steede. In terms of the programme, the duo has been "an item'' for seven years, and Mrs. Howes has nothing but praise for her partner.

"Gene is the backbone of the show,'' she says. "I could never have done it without his personality and enthusiasm. He is very clever, and his presentation makes it so relaxing for the two of us together.'' Perhaps Mrs. Howes' modesty is a little misplaced, however, for it is she who spends a whole year listening to and selecting performers in her travels, working on the format, and organising sponsors -- no small task for anyone, let alone someone who is sightless, but then she has always been exceptional.

The story of how the annual Christmas special became a local institution goes back to 1993 when Mrs. Howes was a part-time employee of Mayfair Ltd., a company owned by Mr. Fernance Perry.

"I had organised several concerts to help the blind and other organisations over the years,'' she recalls, "and on this occasion I got all the country people together, including Jack Whitney, who had been retired for 30 years, and William (Cheese) Ray, who had never performed in front of an audience before. We put on a `Heritage of Country' concert at Astwood Hall, and everybody loved it.

"I invited Mr. Perry to come along and he really liked it. The next day at work he said, `You know Jean, that was beautiful. I think you should get those fellows together on TV and show Bermuda what talent we have'.'' More than a little daunted at the thought, it took some convincing on Mr.

Perry's part before his employee agreed to take up the suggestion, and the rest, as the saying goes, is history.

"The first show was in 1993 and we called it Bermuda Country Christmas,'' Mrs. Howes remembers. "We even had Joe Pimental on steel guitar. Cheese brought bales of hay and we did up the studio to look western.'' This year's programme, which took several days to record, includes a western segment in the same spirit, this time shot at Mr. Ray's stables in Southampton.

Her seven-strong regular band, with whom Mrs. Howes sings, plays piano and accordion, consists of Michael (Mick) Hickey on banjo, guitar and fiddle, Willie Wanklyn and Sammy Moniz on guitar, Jack Whitney on his famous one-string bass (he also plays guitar and mandolin), Donald Johnson on guitar and vocals, and harmonica players Bobby Barton and Frank Alves, who also sings. When time permits, Joel Cassidy also sings and plays guitar with the group.

The group, known as Jean and Friends, plays a wide variety of music including country, and in addition to appearing on the annual TV show, they regularly entertain patients at St. Brendan's Hospital, and the Alzheimer's and Extended Care units of the King Edward VII Hospital, and the Matilda Smith Williams Home.

Others performing in this year's show are Johnny Barnes, who will be singing with children from the First Baptist Church in Devonshire.

Country Christmas a Bermuda tradition They will be joined by the Ambassadors of Harmony, a men's a capella group from Wesley Methodist Church; St. Theresa's Youth Choir led by Michael Manhardt; the Virgil family; harmonica player Austin Smith with daughter Sheila on piano; soprano Elca Maranzana, accompanied by John York Skinner on piano and cellist Sarah Danby; Joel Cassidy singing a song written by his late brother, and his sister Tina; 12 tap dancing children from the In-Motion School of Dance, and the Boot Scooters line dancers, four-year-old fiddle player Mairead Hickey.

In addition, photographs of 15 local authors will flash on the screen to the musical accompaniment of Mr. Ron Lightbourne.

Noting that the participants are "everyday people'', the co-host says she also does her best to ensure they reflect the population.

"Our aim is to make it fully integrated,'' she explains. "I spend all year thinking who is going to be on the show and what they are going to do. I like to mix colours, religions and music in such a way that there's something for everyone.'' Mrs. Howes admits, however, that her band is all white, but not by design.

"I can't find black musicians who are interested in country music,'' she says. "I don't have any Charlie Prides in Bermuda!'' Even after all these years, Mrs. Howes still marvels at the success of Jean and Gene, and how much people look forward to it.

"It's wonderful really. The show is so popular. People stop me in the street all the time and ask me when it's coming on. They tell me they never miss it...'' Certainly the Bermuda Broadcasting Company has no hesitation in producing and programming the Christmas special year after year.

"It is our most popular holiday themed show, no question about it,'' says Pamela H. Willcocks, programming spokeswoman, says.

This is borne out by the calibre of companies whom Mrs. Howes has lured on board as sponsors. ACE and XL have supported the show for three years, the Bank of Bermuda since last year, and now Cable & Wireless.

"I try to get big sponsors because they don't want commercials in the show, and neither do I,'' she explains.

And just how does this indefatigable lady manage to net such big corporate fish? "Oh, I call them up and use a little charm,'' she confides, "but I don't handle the money. That goes straight to Bermuda Broadcasting, which covers production and air time costs.'' Acknowledging that the show is "a lot of work, but I love it'', Mrs. Howes says that while she discovered many years ago that she had an affinity for organising concerts, she credits Mr. Perry for his foresight in convincing her she had the ability to market this small-screen winner.

As for the future, Mrs. Howes says that, God willing, she will be back next year, but first she must deal with a cloud on her horizon.

During her recent annual check-up cancer cells were discovered, so on New Year's Eve she flies up to Boston for seven weeks of treatment. The news is imparted as matter-of-factly as if were about a holiday.

"I feel fine and I am very, very optimistic,'' she assures. "I'm going to have a trip to Boston, and God willing I'll be back to do it all again next year. He has been my guiding light all my life, and I believe He will continue to guide me. I would hate to think I'm not going to do the show again. People get really excited about seeing it.'' Initially, her son Terry and daughter-in-law Cindy will accompany her to Boston, and thereafter friends will fly up to keep her company. However, her beloved guide dog, Walnut, will not be making the trip for logistical reasons, and neither will her fiance m of two and a half years, local author Brian Burland.

"He has his health problems too, but we just believe God has a purpose for us, and we will keep going. We begin and end our day with prayers over the telephone, and God has been a great part of our lives.'' The duo met through their mutual love of writing -- Mrs. Howes has written two books of poems -- and their friendship turned to romance.

"We are the light of each other's lives, and he's a great escort. We go all over the place together,'' she smiles.

The 1999 Jean and Gene show will also air on ZBM-TV 9 on Christmas Day, beginning at 10.30 a.m.