The Grand Ole Opry has posted the line-ups for the 2 shows this weekend, 1 on Friday night and 1 on Saturday night. Some interesting artists are appearing this weekend including Pure Prairie League and Old Crow Medicine Show, both of whom will be appearing on both shows. Pure Prairie League has been around for a long, long time with a variety of line-ups. Of course their big hit was "Amie." The group has disbanded over the years and has gotten back together at different times. And at one time, Vince Gill was a member of the group. From what I can tell, Vince is not scheduled for any shows this weekend, so it is possible that he might pop in with the group.
Old Crow Medicine Show is a string band that has been around since the late 1990s, and have been very popular and have a nice sound to them. They have been at the Opry on numerous occasions over the years. Joining these two on Friday night will be Darius Rucker, along with Mandy Barnett, while on Saturday night, they will be joined by Andy Gibson and Billy Dean.
Friday July 6
7:00: Mike Snider (host); Jim Ed Brown; Mandy Barnett
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jesse McReynolds; Pure Prairie League
Intermission
8:15: John Conlee (host); The Whites; Old Crow Medicine Show
8:45: Riders In The Sky (host); Connie Smith; Darius Rucker
Saturday July 7
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jeannie Seely; Andy Gibson
7:30: Mike Snider (host); Jimmy C Newman; Jean Shepard; Pure Prairie League
Intermission
8:15: Riders In The Sky (host); Jan Howard; Billy Dean; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: John Conlee (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Old Crow Medicine Show
Over all, not a bad couple of shows. 12 artist on Friday night and 13 on Saturday night, with 8 Opry members on Friday and 9 Opry members on Saturday.
Sounds like a good lineup.
ReplyDeleteByron: Been wanting to ask since the resent passing of Andy Griffith this week. I know I saw him on the Opry at least once on the televised CMT's portion. This was a few years ago.
How many times did Andy appear on the Opry?
David, I don't know if I have an exact number or not, but I do know that I have line-ups with Andy on the Opry. If I remember right, he was on the televised portion of the Opry several time and I seem to remember one show he did with Marty Stuart that was very well done.
ReplyDeleteWe think of Andy as a great actor but he was also a fine musician and very popular with many in country music.
The only 2 Opry dates that Andy Griffith played that I am aware of is on November 13, 1999 and January 18, 2003. I am so glad I was there for both dates as those were the only times I got to see Griffith in person.
ReplyDeleteIn addition to being a huge Opry fan, I am a big fan of the TAGS like so many other people. I belong to the club based in Nashville started by Jim Clark whose newsletter is appropriately titled "The Bullet".
I went to several of the Mayberry Fan Reunions thru the years at different locales(Nashville, NC, Alabama, Ohio, Indiana) but Andy or Ron Howard never really participated in these type of gatherings. I did meet Don Knotts and got his autograph at a couple of the gatherings(great thrill) and also got to meet most of the other cast members over the years at these occasions. Most all of them are gone now.
The Tennessean reported this week that Andy Griffith made his Grand Ole Opry debut in 1954. It would be interesting to know if he made any appearances at the Opry between 1955 and 1998. I've listened and followed the Opry closely since the late 70s and I don't ever recall any appearances by him prior to the 1999 and 2003 appearances.
Thankfully, I have a lot of great pictures of Andy at the Opry in 99 and 03 that I will always treasure.
Regarding Andy Griffith at the Opry, here is the running order from the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday November 13, 1999, when Andy Griffith was on:
ReplyDelete1st show
6:30: Opryland Hotel
Jean Shepard (host): Second Fiddle
Bill Carlisle: Gone Home
BR5-49: White Picket Fences/Don't Tell Andy; Don't Tell Aunt Bea
Jean Shepard: Secret Love
Jean Shepard: Let's All Go Down To The River/I Saw The Light/Will The Circle Be Unbroken
Jean Shepard & BR5-49: I'll Fly Away/Somebody Touched Me
7:00: Shoney's
Porter Wagoner (host): Sugarfoot Rag
Osborne Brothers: Kentucky
Connie Smith: I Love Charlie Brown
The Isaacs: I'm Gonna Move/Christmas Means Jesus
Porter Wagoner: Green, Green Grass Of Home/Old Camp Meeting Time
7:30: Standard Candy
Johnny Russell (host): In A Mansion Stands My Love
Kelly Willis: What I Deserve
Earl Scruggs: Foggy Mountain Breakdown
Andy Griffith: Whoo, Mule
Wilkinsons: Twenty-Six Cents/Don't Look At Me Like That
8:00: Martha White
Marty Stuart (host): Doin' My Time
Wilma Lee Cooper: I'm Going Home On The Morning Train
Billy Walker: You Gave Me A Mountain
Jeanne Pruett: Temporarily Yours
Square Dance Band/Square Dancers: Fire On The Mountain
Marty Stuart: Hillbilly Rock
8:30: Physicians Mutual
Vince Gill (host): Don't Come Cryin' To Me
Holly Dunn: We've Got The Love
The Whites: Help Me
T. Graham Brown: Hide & Seek/Turned The Water Into Wine
Vince Gill & Dawn Sears: My Kind Of Woman; My Kind Of Man
2nd show
9:30: Ray Stevens Show
Porter Wagoner (host): Dooley
Wilma Lee Cooper: Shackles & Chains
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
Marty Stuart & Earl Scruggs: Salty Dog Blues
Earl Scruggs: Flint Hill Special/Foggy Mountain Breakdown
Porter Wagoner: Where the Soul Of Men Never Dies
10:00: Lincoln-Mercury
Jean Shepard (host): A Phone Call Away
Osborne Brothers: I'll Be Alright Tomorrow/Rocky Top
Jean Shepard: I'm Not That Good at Goodbyes
10:15: Fluffo
Marty Stuart (host): The Whiskey Ain't Working Anymore
Jan Howard: Heartaches By The Number
Marty Stuart: The Long Black Veil
10:30: MS Queen
Vince Gill (host): Don't Come Home Cryin' To Me
The Wilkinsons: Jimmy's Got A Girlfriend/Twenty Six Cents
Vince Gill & Dawn Sears: My Kind Of Woman; My Kind Of Man
10:45: Joggin' In A Jug
Holly Dunn (host): There Goes My Heart Again
The Isaacs: Moses In The Burning Bush/I Saw The Light/Will The Circle Be Unbroken/Life's Railway To Heaven/Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
Opry Square Dance Band/Square Dancers: Durang's Hornpipe
Holly Dunn & The Whites: Daddy's Hands
11:00: Coca-Cola
The Whites (host): San Antonio Rose
Billy Walker: Cross The Brazos At Wace
Jim & Luke McReynolds: Sweet Little Miss Blue Eyes
Kelly Willis: Cardle Of Love/Heaven's Just A Sin Away
11:30 Ryman Reunion Celebration
Johnny Russell (host): Folsom Prison Blues
Connie Smith: Cincinnati Ohio/Once A Day
Charlie Walker: Pick Me Up On Your Way Down
T. Graham Brown: I Tell It Like It Used To Be
Very solid line-up for the shows. And I have to say that after their big hit Twenty-Six Cents, The Wilkinsons really faded away. I know they are still out, but they were another of the country acts of the 90s that had a hit or two and that was it.
I will check for any other Opry appearances by Andy in my files. I do have the 2003 line-up that I will post.
I had totally forgotten about BR5-49. They had a minor hit I believe on the old Moon Mullican song, "Cherokee Boogie"..
ReplyDeleteThanks, Byron. REALLY interesting lineup.
ReplyDeletePure Prairie League put on an incredible show, really lit the Opry up ! This band can still play with anyone out there today, and their pedal steel player is out of this world. Very strong vocals, with a lead guitarist that was on fire. Hot, hot show from one of the all time great bands.
ReplyDeleteGary Marksfield
PPL at the Opry was a blast ! Stunning musicianship from an extremely tight group of pro's, this band is highly recommended. John Call on pedal steel is mesmerizing, an incredible performer who is still second to none. Donnie Clark's blazing guitar, which combines magnificently with Call's steel, is something you have to witness live, there is nothing out there today that is comparable when these two get it going.His vocals are superb,a great lead singer and very gifted performer. Mike Reilly still has the same huge presence as always, with some terrific bass lines to go with his gifted vocals as well as stage persona. A very impresssive job by PPL who certainly were the show stoppers of the night. The Opry needs to get these guys back soon !
ReplyDeleteHank Parker