Thursday, March 29, 2012

Grand Ole Opry 3/30 & 3/31

The Grand Ole Opry has posted their line ups for all 3 shows this weekend. The Opry continues it's spring schedule of 1 show on Friday Night and 2 shows on Saturday night. With the recent death of Earl Scruggs, I am sure that the Opry will dedicate the shows this weekend to Earl.

And it is rather appropriate that bluegrass will be heavily featured on the Opry this weekend with Ricky Skaggs scheduled for both shows on Saturday night, along with Sam Bush. Also scheduled this weekend is Jesse McReynolds, Bobby Osborne and Rhonda Vincent.

Joining Ricky on Saturday night will be Crystal Gayle, who many feel should have been an Opry member long ago. Joining them will be Keith & Kristlyn Getty, who are modern Christian artists. Also scheduled for Saturday night is Opry veteran Stu Phillips. Stu has not been on the Opry since before Christmas and to be honest, he has not sounded good at all in his recent appearances.

The Friday Night Opry will feature non-Opry members Randy Montana, Billy Yates and Elizabeth Cook. Finally, all 3 shows this weekend will feature Patty Loveless, who has one of the sweetest voices in country or bluegrass music.

Friday March 30
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Jimmy C Newman; Randy Montana
7:30: The Whites (host); Billy Yates; Rhonda Vincent
INTERMISSION
8:15: Bill Anderson (host); Jan Howard; Elizabeth Cook
8:45: Jim Ed Brown (host); Jesse McReynolds; Patty Loveless

Saturday March 31
1st show
7:00: Jim Ed Brown (host); Jimmy C Newman; Sam Bush
7:30: Ricky Skaggs (host); Jeannie Seely; Keith & Kristyn Getty
8:00: Mike Snider (host); Stu Phillips; Crystal Gayle; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Bill Anderson (host); John Conlee; Patty Loveless

2nd show
9:30: Mike Snider (host); Jim Ed Brown; Patty Loveless
10:00: John Conlee (host); Jeannie Seely; Sam Bush
10:30: Ricky Skaggs (host); The Whites; Keith & Kristyn Getty; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Bill Anderson (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Crystal Gayle

3 very nice shows for this weekend. 12 artists are scheduled for each show, of whom 8 are Opry members on Friday night and 9 are Opry members on each show on Saturday night. Also, among the missing again this weekend are Jimmy Dickens, Jean Shepard and Jack Greene.

7 comments:

  1. Wow, Saturday night is going to be a great show!

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  2. It has started perfectly: Jim Ed with a classic, Jimmy C. with Cajun, and Sam Bush doing a tribute to Earl. There was no announcement at the opening that the show was dedicated to his memory, but I also understand that that might be done only for those who were Opry members at the time of their death? Byron or anybody else can correct me on that one.

    By the way, tonight is the 4500th show.

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  3. I agree Mike, I listened to the 1st show last night and it was very good.

    As far as a dedication before the show, I do remember when they did a dedication for Waylon Jennings when he passed away. I know that Earl was no longer an Opry member, but Flatt & Scruggs did so much for the Opry, they should have done something. (maybe Bill Monroe still had something to do with that!!!)

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  4. Mr. Monroe may have sent down a thunderbolt. But did they dedicate the show to Waylon or just do a salute on the TV segment (admittedly more than Earl got)?

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  5. I listened that night and they did do a dedication to Waylon before the show started and also devoted the televised portion of the show to Waylon, which was hosted by Porter Wagoner, if I remember right.

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  6. Absolutely SHAMEFUL they didn't dedicate the Saturday night show to Earl. For goodness sake he was an Opry member fo 20 years and I guarantee he actually PERFORMED at the Opry hundreds of times MORE than any of the current 20 year members of the Opry, who if they died tomorrow, would have all kinds of tributes read from the Opry stage. That people like Earl and Tammy Wynette would give up their Opry membership and Johnny & June wouldn't rejoin because they couldn't make a certain number of shows says a lot when people like Randy Travis, Travis Tritt, Blake Shelton, Reba McEntire, Rascal Flatts, Terri Clark and other are lucky to play once every three or four years... Shame on you Pete Fisher!!

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  7. Gosh, I thought I heard on the beginning of one of the nights (can't remember which one) that it WAS in memory of Earl Scruggs. Was I hallucinating????

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