Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Could Keith Urban Be The Next New Opry Member? New Ryman Stage

Sometimes when it comes to predicting who the next new Opry member might be, it is like connecting the dots. You have to look for clues and guess how Steve Buchanan and Pete Fisher are thinking. Not to pat myself on the back, but I did correctly predict Blake Shelton, the Oak Ridge Boys and Rascal Flatts becoming Opry members. (Just for purposes of total honesty, I did miss on Rhonda Vincent, which many of us still don't know why is not an Opry member).

Now, in looking at some upcoming Opry events, I am taking a guess, and understand that it is just a guess, that Keith Urban might become an Opry member, and the invitation might come as early as on the Friday Night Opry.

Keith Urban has been a very popular country music superstar for a number of years and he has played the Opry in the past, to a great reception. He has stated that he loves the Opry and Opry management seems to like him. In the past, they have featured Keith on the Opry website and have really promoted his appearances. Keith is a strong supporter of the Country Music Hall of Fame, as his benefit concert for the Hall is one of the most popular and successful fundraisers.

Now, to connect some dots. This week, Keith is scheduled for the Friday Night Opry. The first dot is that this will be Keith's first "official" appearance since his vocal surgery. I know he was scheduled for a couple of Opry shows that he had to cancel due to the surgery, but it is interesting that his first show back is at the Opry.

The next dot pertains to the Ryman Auditorium and it's famous stage. Gaylord announced this week that they will be replacing the stage at the Ryman with a new stage. The current wooden stage, the most famous in country music, has been there since 1951. The new stage will be more durable and be able to hold more weight, which will allow the Ryman to be used for more purposes. In the 1990s, when the Ryman Auditorium was renovated, the famous stage was not replaced but was sanded and refinished. According to Steve Buchanan, because of the age and condition of the stage, that can not be done this time. The new floor will be made of Brazilian teak, which is the same floor that is currently at the Grand Ole Opry House. The new stage will be slightly darker than the current one. Gaylord is not announcing what is going to be done with the old stage, other than it will be under 24 hour guard so that pieces of it do not disappear and that portions of the old floor will still be used on the edges of the new floor. (the complete story is in the Tennessean).

Now, to connect this dot. I saw one announcement that Keith will be the final performer on the old floor at the Ryman. If that is the case, that would hold some signficance. In the past, the Opry has used special events as a backdrop for inviting a new member. The final performance on the old Ryman stage would sure qualify.

The final dot is that Keith is scheduled to perform at the Opry in March and with an invitation in February, the March show would be the perfect opportunity to do the induction.

Granted, that is a lot of speculation on my part and a lot of "connecting the dots". But, I am throwing this out there and it will be interesting to see what happens.

My final thought on the old Ryman stage. First, I have to admit even though I have stood on the stage many times, I never really had thought that the floor had never been updated. I know that the wood is different where the circle was cut out, but I just never thought. Secondly, if the rumors are right that Keith will be the last performer to play on that stage, that is just plain wrong. It should be Jimmy Dickens, who is the only Opry member with a link back to when the stage was installed in 1951. Maybe he will be. Let's hope.

52 comments:

  1. Byron, your record is good, so I wouldn't be against you. Also, it seems to me that Keith Urban loves the Opry a lot more than a significant number of its members, not to mention its general manager and president, so it would be nice to see.

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  2. I've been thinking for a few years now that an invitation would be given to Rhonda Vincent, Gene Watson or Daily & Vincent. Would love to see all of them made Opry members.

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  3. Bryon I pray to god your right..Keith Urban deserves to become member of the Opry..he's humble, talented, awesome songwriter, guitar genius and just a great guy and loves the fans, he's great with people..I hope, I hope your right.

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  4. Bryon, I hope your prediction becomes reality. There will be a lot of Keith Urban's fans in the audience that night, welcoming him back after his surgery. What a wonderful night it would be for everyone if this came true!

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  5. Keith Urban deserves it he is a great guy!!!!!!

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  6. I truly hope you are correct. Keith is so deserving of this honor. I will be in attendance for the Feb. and March shows. That would be such special event for all of Keith's fans to witness.

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  7. If Keith is invited, it's long overdue. Keith has a love for country music that is untouched. He would represent the Opry and it's history in a respectful manner, unlike a few of the recent inductees.

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    1. Keith should have been invited a long time ago. He has great love and respect for country music and, as has already been mentioned....he represents country music with class and has done so much to take it internationally. Few country artists visited Australia until Keith. I know Keith would be thrilled and he sure deserves it!

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  8. Oh my goodness I so hope you are right, just reading your prediction has made me so excited!!! Keith deserves this so much, it is long overdue and I am keeping my fingers crossed that it will come true on Friday, I only wish I could be in attendance when it happens!!!!:)

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  9. I hope you're right. Keith's invitation is LONG overdue. He should have become a member long before certain new members.

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  10. GOOD LUCK KEITH!!! WE sure hope SOOO!!!!!

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  11. FROM YOUR MOUTH TO GODS EAR...WOULD BE WELL DESERVED ...AND WOULD MEAN A LOT TO HIS FANS !!

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  12. I would love for Keith to become an Opry member. For someone who is so vocal about his love for country music and his amazing talent he should be inducted!!

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  13. I sure hope you are right. I have been hoping Keith would get invited for the past several years. He does so much for country music. He just loves the Opry and this would be absolutely amazing for him.

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  14. I have been amazed for years that he wasn't inducted long ago... after all he was EOTY in 2005 and he is so openly and genuinely in love and in awe of the Opry... his Monkeys are rallying for this wholeheartedly... I have been to both AFTH (which btw collected over ONE MILLION dollars) and I already have my floor tickets for this years on April 8th.... I would love love love to visit my beloved Nashville in March also.... all I need is a good reason..... one AUSSOME reason...
    Starla (starla.gentrylongest@facebook.com)

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  15. I truly hope this is the case; I will be at the March Opry performance to see Keith-this will be my first time there, but my 18th time to see Keith. He is the best entertainer and this honor is definitely long overdue and well deserved!

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  16. I hope and pray to God about this just about every day. I would do anything for Keith to become a member or the Opry. He deserves it more than anyone out there, it literally could not go to a better man. We love Keith so much, and i will be there to support him on both nights as well, with everything crossed!!

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  17. Congratulations on your ability to connect the dots & of your track record on predicting Opry memberships, Byron. Maybe another column you could let us know who else you predicted would become members. I just knew Josh Turner & Carrie Underwood would become members & I had the feeling the last two times Keith appeared on the Opry that he might have been invited. When Trace Adkins, Josh Turner & Carrie Underwood were invited, I drove to Nashville for their inductions. It is a very special time in their lives & to be sitting in the audience watching their induction is very exciting as we see Opry history being made. The Grand Ole Opry keeps membership small but puts them all in elite status. I watch all of the awards shows & make it a point to count how many Opry members are in attendance. It usually is quite a few.

    Keith has such a love of & for country music & he shows how serious he is about it & that it is just not lip service. First, he moved to the U.S. from Down Under, in my opinion, that is quite a relocation to record & play music though Keith is hardly the first artist to move to the States to record & play music. He & his family reside in Nashville (marrying Nicole Kidman could have taken him to L.A. as it did Clint Black & Lisa Hartman Black.) I watched online as Keith & Nicole answered phones taking donations during a fundraiser Vince Gill held when Nashville flooded. His All for the Hall very successful fundraising efforts with Vince Gill tells me he is every bit as serious as Vince is in keeping the Country Music Hall of Fame growing & paid for. And he is keeping his promise that when he could resume singing after his surgery he would appear at the Opry & the All for the Hall concert/fundraiser date has been reset. Keith jumps right in with both feet & extends his helping hand & heart with whatever needs to be done within the community.

    And Byron who knows? Hopefully in the end a possible wrong won't even be made. Maybe there will be TWO last standing people on the Ryman stage Friday, should an invitation become reality with Keith & Little Jimmy Dickens, who has had the honor of officially inviting artists over the course of his years as a member.

    I think Keith is very deserving of Opry membership with his pal, Marty Stuart doing the actual induction. My understanding is that they are pretty good friends. (As of last week, Marty & the cast finished taping all the shows for the entire 4th season & hopefully we will see him more often on the Opry stage & that would start with inducting Keith.)

    I fully agree with David B. hoping that Gene Watson is invited to become a member soon & I think the Opry needs more bluegrass members, Rhonda Vincent would be a great addition. I think she is terrific.

    (Jeanene)

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  18. Keith is certainly deserving and has always been very vocal about his love of the Opry. I would LOVE to see this honor happen for him!!

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  19. I truly hope that Keith will be invited to become a member of the Opry. I'm very surprised, (and disappointed) that he hasn't been invited prior to this. He really deserves it, and I believe that he will be thrilled and honored to accept the invitation. He loves country music so much---as much as all of his fans love him!

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  20. I pray that your prediction is right, and I support it. Keith's won every possible award that country music has to offer plus four Grammys. The one thing that he is missing is the honor of being inducted as a Grand Ole Opry member. I think he should have been inducted years ago because every time the Opry needs to fill in for some artist that can't make it, if Keith is in town and his schedule permits, he responds immediately. He has worked hard to further country music's image since he arrived in the states. His singles and albums not only go No. 1 in America but they go No. 1 in Australia and Canada too. In addition to all his stateside country music awards, he also won the Jim Reeves International Award for bringing country music to other countries besides the USA. He is a virtuoso guitarist with a beautiful voice. He could very well have made a successful career as a rock star, but he stays true to creating and playing country music out of a deep love for it and what it stands for. I agree with the positive comments on here--he is very much loved by fans for his music and showmanship as well as a wonderful human being who donates his time, talent and money for many charities and worldly causes. Keith is well deserving of Opry membership. He has made his basic home in Nashville for almost 20 years now and does everything he can possibly do to give back to his community. He and his lovely wife are raising two adorable daughters who were born in Nashville. Keith is humble and grateful for his success as a country music star and never misses an opportunity to say how much he enjoys playing country music.

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  21. I too truly pray that this will happen for Keith. He so deserves to be a member.

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  22. Crossing my fingers and praying real hard that your prediction comes true!

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  23. I do not believe Keith Urban will ever be inducted. I hope I'm wrong on this but I'd be willing to bet on this issue and have for a few years now. Nashville is very closed & closed-minded. Keith is not an American and never will be. Many people in Nashville still have an attitude about that fact. There have been plenty of opportunities so far and it hasn't happened yet. I predict it never will. Sad but true.

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    1. The Opry has members who are not American, one is Terry Clark.

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  24. Keith deserves so much to be inducted into the Opry. He is so talented in every way-singer, song writter, and musician. He is also very kind to his fans and an all around great person. He does many benefit concerts to help causes and loves living in Nashville. SO please induct him as it would make his fans and him so happy.

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  25. While I do not particular care for Keith Urban's music, there is no doubt that over a long period of time he has demonstrated his love for Nashville and the Opry. He is more than deserving of Opry membership, and he seems to be the type of person who would honor the Opry by actually showing up. I also think he would make a great ambassador for the Opry, as he already is for Nashville.

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  26. Anonymous, I disagree with it being a cultural thing and because he was born in New Zealand and raised in Australia. If you google the List of Grand Ole Opry members, you will see that there are some Opry members who are not from America.

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  27. Thanks for all the comments. Just remember that this is just speculation on my part, but we will see what happens. If I'm wrong, it won't be the first time.

    I will comment on a couple of things mentioned. The Opry has had several non-American members in it's history, including current Opry members Terri Clark and Stu Phillips. One of the all time great Opry members, Hank Snow, was Canadian also. From the Opry's standpoint, I really don't think they care where you are from as long as you take Opry membership seriously. I do think that the one thing that would hold Keith back from Opry membership, and probably already has, is what kind of commitment he would make to the show. Currently, Pete Fisher is asking new members to commit to 10 shows per year, and most of the ones he has brought on board have come pretty close. Most are in the 7-10 area. Saying you would like to become an Opry member and only appearing 1 or 2 times per year is not going to get it done. There are already too many of those individuals.

    As far as Marty Stuart, we need to see more of him at the Opry, but he was scheduled for the weekend of February 17 and took himself off the schedule. I did find it interesting that on Saturday night, Connie Smith made a reference to Marty being at home. Too bad he couldn't have driven her over and make a surprise appearance.

    (byron)

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    1. Thank you for the update regarding Marty taking himself off of the 2/17 Opry show, Byron. I now see that his name has been removed from that day's line-up & I see other names newly listed since I looked at the line-up in the last couple of days. Something is just not right & I fully agree with you, if Marty was at home he could have driven his wife to the Opry to sing a duet with her or something solo.

      In any case, I hope your prediction turns out to be correct & that Keith is invited Friday night & if your prediction is not correct, you still wrote a really nice article on him & his worthiness of becoming a member. We will find out Friday night (or March 9th.)

      Thanks again, Byron

      (Jeanene)

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  28. Long overdue, Keith deserves HIS moment! Please know, Keith, that we're pulling for you!There's no one out there who deserves it more!

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  29. So hoping your prediction is true! Keith is such an amazing artist and he loves Nashville and respects country music so much. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Keith to become a member. He so deserves this honor!

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  30. Everyone has an opinion on what it takes to become an Opry member and who should be invited to be one. I certainly wouldn't complain if Keith was given that honor. Not only because of his obvious talent, but because of what he means to country music as an industry. His story and how he came to Nashville and how hard he had to fight to stay here and "make it" proves how committed he was and is to the genre. Not only that, but he is an important member of the Nashville community. He and his wife have chosen to raise their children here. Obviously Keith is fully ensconced in country music as a whole and has a particular fondness for the Opry. If he's not asked this time around, I certainly hope he'll be next in line.

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  31. I definitely think Keith is deserving to be an Opry member! I have been a fan of Keith for years now and have went to so many of his shows. He always says that his dream was to come to Nashville and I believe him when he says it! It is long overdue for him to be asked to join. I have attended All For The Hall, the past two years, and will this year, he has done so much for country music and he is truly gracious of any praise he receives.

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  32. Fred in Bismarck here:

    We wouldn't have a little multiple voting going on here, would we? A lot of the "anonymous" hosannas sure read alike.

    Just asking.

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  33. And do we know or care if you are really Fred in Bismarck? The discussion of Keith being invited as a member of the Opry has been around a long time in Keith fan circles. Let me guess...you aren't one.

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  34. I have predicted this in November, but as we know surgery stopped that from happening, a few days ago I seen the post about the new stage, and told friends this was it, it would be Keith's turn. My gut instincts better be right this time, the last one to be invited on the old stage and the first one to be inducted on the new stage, what an honor for a man like Keith after all he does for Nashville..........and for me I would love it to be either Marty Stuart or Vince Gill do the honors.......or one of his heroes like Don Williams etc......remember Charley Pride will also be on the Opry stage tonight, could it be......?
    All I know is I will be glued to Sirius Radio and hoping to hear those magical words....
    Good Luck Keith
    from Canada(New Brunswick)

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  35. I have been checking around with a few of my sources today in Nashville, and there is really nothing new to report. Maybe 50-50. Depends on who you ask. It is interesting that they have just Keith scheduled as Steve Wariner's guest during the final segment.

    We shall see.

    (byron)

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  36. As big a name as Keith Urban might well be the only guest on a segment, and given that the host is someone else who really knows what to do with a guitar, I can see some impromptu picking. But I have a funny feeling tonight is the night.

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  37. What exactly is so wrong with the stage that the only option is to replace it? Given its historical significance there has to be a way to repair and preserve it.

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  38. From the Tennessean:

    “The weak spots, dips and just the wear and tear of the shows that we’ve done over the last 18 years ultimately made it a necessity,” he said. “Being able to (build) a stage that really meets the demands of current production values is really very critical.”

    The new stage won’t be entirely new: Wood from the current stage will be incorporated into an 18-inch-deep strip that will run lengthwise along the edge of the new stage.

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  39. We'll, like I said it was just some speculation on my part and the dots did not connect tonight. But hey, that is what makes the Opry such a great subject. You never know what you are going to get on any given night. Keith did sound good tonight, so I am glad that his voice has recovered nicely.

    Also I might add, what a great, great show tonight. The new song by the Oak Ridge Boys and Bill Anderson is just awesome. Charley Pride sounded fine as did Del McCoury.

    (byron)

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  40. I just read some of the comments on the Tennessean website in response the article about the Ryman stage replacement and most comments are against the idea. One writer commented that it would be far better to replace the subfloor of the stage to strengthen it and preserve its historical integrity and I agree. Oak is a very strong and durable wood that can last for many, many years. Another writer also expressed fears that Gaylord would sell pieces of the stage for souvenirs and Ryman manager Williams pretty much confirmed this in the article...“I think everybody would like to have a piece of that stage wood,” Williams said, “and there’s going to be some exciting stuff coming down the pipeline on that.” Maybe I am being a bit over sensitive here but to me this would be the equivalent of running the Holy Cross through a wood chipper just to sell off pieces of it for profit. Isn't anything sacred anymore???

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  41. Well I guess we were both wrong :(......thought sure it was his turn, waited all night for that to happen, maybe next time, if it is true what I have read that they must do 7-10 appearances per year, could that deter anyone from being able to do the Opry that many times a year. I hope that his day will come very soon. Keep us updated to what you suspect will happen.......thanks
    New Brunswick(Canada)........

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  42. Yes that could deter membership. Artists make their living on the road, not from album sales anymore. Sometimes membership is offered way too late (Oak Ridge Boys) or way too early (Carrie Underwood). The Opry is trying to stay relevant, why not offer membership to Urban? It seems there's no rhyme or reason anymore as to when artists get invited. After it not happening last night when it seemed nearly everything aligned for it to happen - other than Nicole and his daughters being in town with him - Urban may be a later-career inductee like I believe Kenny Chesney could be. Still there's a chance in March and I can't stop hoping.....

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  43. Part of the mystery of the Opry is that you never know when there will be a new member or who it will be. Many times, artists are invited to be members, but do not accept. For example, the Oak Ridge Boys were asked to be members many years ago, but declined due to the fact that they realized that they could not appear at the show as often as they would have liked. Lee Greenwood is another who has admitted that he was invited to be a member and he declined. Opry management does not "formally" or "goes public" to invite anyone unless they know for sure an artist will say yes. You can imagine the embarrassment to the Opry if they asked an artist on stage to join and they declined. What Opry management will do is feel an artist out when they are guesting at the Opry and talk to the artist's manager or representatives to see if an artist was asked, if they would accept. While an artist will have a pretty good idea that an invite will be coming at some point, they really don't know when it will happen.

    Many comments have pointed out that an Opry member has to give up road dates to appear at the Opry. With only 10 appearances a year being asked of an artist, and not really mattering if it is on a Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday or Saturday night Opry show, it is not really that big of an issue to make the 10 That is just a few weekends a year and a couple of Tuesday nights. Many of the artists will make their appearances while they are in town recording new material. It is not like the old days when an Opry member had to make 26 Saturday night appearances each year.

    Regarding the issue of pay, don't think for a minute that the Opry pays every member union scale. There are side arrangements made and those arrangements go back to the days of Red Foley and Roy Acuff. In Roy Acuff's biography, it was noted that Roy and the major artists appearing received more than union scale and that practice continues to this day. Regardless, it is not like these artists are touring 12 months of the year and many live in the Nashville area.

    Finally, I can say for certain that Kenny Chesney will never be asked to be an Opry member. I still think Keith Urban is a possibility at some point. Who knows, he may have been asked if he was interested and turned it down.

    (Byron)

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  44. I would add that Carrie Underwood has been much better about her commitment to the Opry than many of the newer and younger members. Also, another example is Charley Pride. He was invited, I believe by Bud Wendell in the late 1960s when he was rising to the top. But his manager said no, due to touring and finances, and Pride has said it really pained him. Another request came in his later career and, blessedly, he said yes ... and one of my favorite Opry memories is the night of his induction. First, he asked for Jimmy C. Newman to do it. Second, he read a telegram from Henry Cannon on behalf of Minnie and when Henry said that Minnie was proud and Roy Acuff would have been, Pride broke down.

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  45. Great memory Mike and I remember that night well. My other great Charley Pride memory was when he was announced as the newest Hall of Fame member. If you remember, it was at at press conference with Brenda Lee and his reaction was priceless. He thought they were there to announce something else, and with his late friend Faron Young being announced as being elected with him, it was a great moment.

    I have no issue with Carrie Underwood as an Opry member and you are right, she has been pretty good at honoring her commitments. In fact, most of those who have joined since Pete Fisher took over as the Opry's manager have been good at being there. He has missed on a couple. Can we say Blake Shelton???

    (byron)

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  46. I was there in the audience Friday night, and I did feel that everything was aligned for him to be asked. But Nicole and his daughters not being there gave me a suspicion that it wouldn't happen. I am still hoping for March 9th.. or someday soon. In an interview about a year ago, Keith was asked what some goals were that he had not reached yet, and he said, very loud and clear, that he would love to become a member of the Opry someday. So that says to me that he is ready for the commitment. I hope it happens very soon. He deserves it so much. Keep us posted, Byron! :)

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    1. I don't live in Nashville. I'm not truly a country music fan. I'm not a country music historian. However, I don't think I need to be any of those things to point out the obvious - any organization that would nominate "Red Solo Cup" for an industry award can't claim to take itself or its genre very seriously (and that one is courtesy of a red, white and blue native); any institution that fails to recognize an artist who has done as much for them as Keith has done for the Opry is simply ungrateful. Discussions about where an artist was born and how many performances he will honor is irrelevant in this case.

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  47. Would like to read your thoughts on why Kenny Chesney is not an Opry member. He has won CMA ETOY four times, sells out stadiums like nobody else in country music, has hit after hit, etc. Is it that Kenny will not commit to playing at the Opry for the minimum limit each year...if so, who on earth cares! If the Opry could get him on that stage twice a year, that should be enough.

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