Updated Opry schedule:
As predicted, Mandy Barnett was added to the 2 Saturday shows, while T. Graham Brown was added to the Friday Night Opry.
Here is this week's Grand Ole Opry line-up:
Friday July 24th:
7:00: Jeannie Seely(host); Jim Ed Brown; Mark Wills
7:30: Jimmy Dickens(host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Point Of Grace
8:00: Bill Anderson(host); Jan Howard; T. Graham Brown
8:30: Vince Gill(host); Connie Smith; Mike Snider
Saturday July 25th:
1st Show
7:00: Jimmy Dickens(host); Connie Smith; Mandy Barnett
7:30: Jeannie Seely(host); The Whites; Cherryholmes
8:00: Mike Snider(host); Jim Ed Brown; Clay Walker: Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Bill Anderson(host); Jimmy C. Newman; Carrie Underwood
2nd Show
9:30: Jimmy Dickens(host); Connie Smith; Mandy Barnett
10:00: Mike Snider(host); The Whites; Clay Walker
10:30: Jim Ed Brown(host); Stu Phillips; Cherryholmes; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Bill Anderson(host); Jimmy C. Newman; Carrie Underwood
Comments:
>Obviously there is a slot on each of the 3 shows for an additional artist. Usually when this happens it ends up being someone like Buddy Jewell, Mandy Barnett, or Rebecca Lynn Howard.
>Mark Wills will be in the Opry shop on Friday night signing for fans.
>Clay Walker is scheduled for both Saturday shows. At one time, he was one of the up and coming stars of country music. But after a few hit records, his career peaked and then started to fade. He has battled health issues.
>Jimmy C. Newman is usually on early in the shows. On both shows Saturday night, he is in the final segment.
>Carrie Underwood will be making her 5th and 6th Opry appearances for the year. She is on pace to make the 10 that is asked of new members. Last year, she appeared 9 times.
>Stu Phillips makes one of his once-a-month appearances on the Opry. He is one of the veterans(Charlie Louvin, Ray Pillow among others), that has had his appearances reduced.
>Mel McDaniel has been moved from the Nashville hospital where he was recovering from his heart attack to a rehabilitation facility. Best wishes to Mel as he continues his recovery.
Finally, I leave you with this rumor. Could the Opry be finished with GAC? I am checking sources, but one clue is that all references to Opry programming and Opry live have been removed from the GAC website. This is usually a clue. You can still archive a few items, but any reference to the Opry's return have been removed. We will investigate and make some calls to people we know. In a way, I hope it is true and that RFD-TV could make a move for the Opry.
Until next time.....thanks!!!
Unfortunately, I don't get RFD-TV (I don't get GAC, either, but I don't consider that all that unfortunate). But I would hope that RFD-TV would take the approach TNN did: show the Opry as it happens, rather than the management setting up a special, non-Opry-style show.
ReplyDeleteI don't like the reduced schedules for some of the longtime performers. I understand the point. But I return to this: Charlie Louvin? A Hall of Famer with appeal to younger crowds? I don't get it.
Not surprised that the Opry and GAC may have parted. A few weeks ago I was hearing this from my source on the Opry side while GAC still was telling you that new shows would be back in the fall. Hope that the Opry can do something with RFD because no TV for the Opry is "out of sight. . out of mind" and having no TV really makes the Opry less relevant in the realm of modern day country music. My concern with RFD is that economically they may not be able to swing a deal either. It seems that Crook and Chase have scaled down their show to a more low budget format and it is no longer a live performance show. Ralph Emery seems to be gone. Imus has went to a lower cost location rather that the fancy studio he had early on.
ReplyDeleteI have noticed that Crook and Chase have been broadcasting new shows, with selected highlights from past shows included. Looking at the guest list for these shows, it is obvious that the taping was taking place either before, during, or after the Thursday night Opry Country Classics shows, as the guests were all from the line-ups of those shows.
ReplyDeleteRegarding televising the Opry, the options are very limited, even in the world of 200+ cable channels. They are going to have to work hard to find a deal that reaches a large number of their fans. I know at one time, they were considering public television, wish could not commit to live clearances in all markets and Turner broadcasting. That was several years ago when TNN switched to Spike TV.
ReplyDelete