Thursday, August 2, 2012

Grand Ole Opry 8/3 & 8/4

The Grand Ole Opry has posted the line-ups for the 3 shows this weekend. Yes, there will be 3 weekend shows as thanks to an appearance by Opry member Carrie Underwood, there will be 2 shows on Saturday night. For Carrie, if you included the 2 scheduled appearances on Saturday night, that will make 7 Opry appearances for this year. And there is still 5 months to go. I appreciate the fact that unlike other younger Opry members, Carrie has found time to make a number of appearances, even with her busy touring schedule. It is an example that so many others, such as Blake Shelton, Clint Black, Alan Jackson, Martina McBride and Trisha Yearwood could follow. Thanks Carrie for remembering where the Opry House is.

Joining Carrie on Saturday night will be guest artists Love and Theft, Bucky Covington, Jeff & Sheri Easter and Andy Gibson, who will also be appearing on the Friday Night Opry. All of these artists have played the Opry previously.

Along with Andy Gibson on the Friday night Opry will be guest artists Crystal Gayle, The Isaacs, and Amanda Shires. Crystal continues to make a number of guest appearances on the Opry and I would not be unhappy at all if she were to become an Opry member some day. As far Amanda Shires, this will be her 1st Opry appearance. She is described as a 30 year old violin player who was once part of the Texas Playboys and has recorded 3 solo albums.

Finally on Saturday night, Stu Phillips is currently scheduled for the 2nd show. He has cancelled out his last several appearances on the Opry and has been dealing with some voice issues. Also, Stonewall Jackson is hosting the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree this week, so lord only knows why he is not on the Opry. To me, there is no reason why he is not.

Friday August 3
7:00: Mike Snider (host): The Whites; Andy Gibson
7:30: Jimmy Dickens (host): Jimmy C Newman; The Isaacs
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson (host); Amanda Shires; Crystal Gayle
8:45: Riders In The Sky (host); Connie Smith; Diamond Rio

Saturday August 4
1st show
7:00: Jimmy Dickens (host): Jeannie Seely; Andy Gibson
7:30: Jim Ed Brown (host); Bucky Covington; Jeff & Sheri Easter
8:00: Riders In The Sky (host); Jean Shepard; Love and Theft; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Bill Anderson (host); Carrie Underwood

2nd show
9:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jim Ed Brown; Love and Theft
10:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Stu Phillips; Carrie Underwood
10:30: Riders In The Sky (host); Jean Shepard; Andy Gibson; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Bill Anderson (host); Bucky Covington; Jeff & Sheri Easter

My guess is that if Stu Phillips cancels out, they will not replace him and just have Carrie Underwood do another number.

Before leaving this week's line-up, I do want to recognize that on August 1, 1964 (48 years ago), the Osborne Brothers joined the Grand Ole Opry. While Sonny is now retired, Bobby continues on with his Rocky Top X-Press group. Just as a look back, here is the Grand Ole Opry line-up from Saturday August 1, 1964, the night that the Osborne Brothers became new members. (As a note, this was during the Opry's history when they still had only 1 show per Saturday night, from 7:30-Midnight).

7:30: Luzianne
Wilburn Brothers (host): Hangin' Around
Margie Bowes: Understand Your Gal
Harold Morrison: Red River Train
Gordon Terry: Almost Alone
Wilburn Brothers: Impossible
Del Wood: Tiger Rag
Darrell Staedtler: I'm A Honky-Tonk Man
Wilburn Brothers: Medals For Mothers

8:00: Martha White
Don Gibson (host): Oh, Lonesome Me
Jim & Jesse: Cotton Mill Man
Billy Walker: Circumstances
Crook Brothers: Black Mountain Rag
Ray Pillow: Left Out
Don Gibson: He Walks These Hills
Billy Walker: Cattle Call
Jim & Jesse: Sweet Little Miss Blue Eyes
Don Gibson: I Can't Stop Loving You

8:30: Stephens
Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper (host): Don't Let Our Sweet Love Die
Stonewall Jackson: Don't Be Angry
Sonny James: The Minute Your Gone
Archie Campbell: Rindercella
George Hamilton IV: Abilene
Wilma Lee Cooper: Row Number 2; Seat Number 3
Stonewall Jackson: BJ The DJ
Sonny James: Ask Marie

9:00: Pet Milk
Ernest Tubb (host): Thank's A Lot
Stringbean: Comedy
Austin Wood: The Blues Don't Mean A Thing
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Ragtime Annie
Ernest Tubb: Letters Have No Arms
Jack Greene: Heartbreak Avenue
Leon Rhodes & Buddy Charleton: Red Top
Stringbean: Air Conditioned Cadillac Coupe Deville
Cal Smith: My Sweet Love Ain't Around
Ernest Tubb: Warm Red Wine

9:30: Kelloggs
Leroy Van Dyke (host): Your Money
OSBORNE BROTHERS: CUCKOO BIRD
Cousin Jody: Televison Set
Willis Brothers: I'm Gonna Buy Me A Jukebox
Leroy Van Dyke: Funny How Time Slips Away
Stan Hitchcock: Looking Through A Teardrop
OSBORNE BROTHERS: MULE SKINNER BLUES
Leroy Van Dyke: Auctioneer

10:00: Schick
Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper (host): Big Midnight Special
Del Wood: The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise
George Hamilton IV: Before The Day Ends
Wilma Lee Cooper: Tramp On The Street
Stoney Cooper: Sally Ann

10:15: SSS Tonic
Stonewall Jackson (host): Don't Be Angry
Wilburn Brothers: Trouble's Back In Town
Margie Bowes: Overnight
Stonewall Jackson: Waterloo

10:30: Harvey's
Don Gibson (host): Blue, Blue Day
Stringbean: Cumberland Gap
Billy Walker: Forever
Don Gibson: Where No One Stands Alone

10:45: Newport
Ernest Tubb (host): Be Better To Your Baby
Crook Brothers: Sally Goodin
Jack Greene: Take Me As I Am, Or Let Me Go
Ernest Tubb: Have You Ever Been Lonely
Leon Rhodes: Under The Double Eagle

11:00: Coca-Cola
Sonny James (host): ?
Jim & Jesse: Gosh, I Miss You All The Time
Archie Campbell: The 12th Rose
Fruit Jar Drinkers: Bile Them Cabbage Down
Sonny James: Till The Last Leaf Shall Fall
Gordon Terry: Forty Acre Farm
Archie Campbell: Comedy
Jim & Jesse: It's A Long Way To The Top Of The World
Sonny James: Ask Marie

11:30: Lava
Leroy Van Dyke (host): Walk On By
OSBORNE BROTHERS: TAKE THIS HAMMER
Don Winters: Baby, I'm Waiting On You
Willis Brothers: I'm Gonna Buy Me A Jukebox
Leroy Van Dyke: Dim Dark Corner
Cousin Jody: Wabash Cannonball
Stan Hitchcock: ?
Willis Brothers: Truck Driver's Queen
Leroy Van Dyke: Black Cloud

Congratulations to the Osborne Brothers!!




8 comments:

  1. Congratulations indeed to Bobby and Sonny and company, and I'll second your motion on Carrie Underwood. Clearly, she takes her Opry membership more seriously than most in her class of performer.

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  2. Fred in Bismarck:

    Wonderful, wonderful -- what a night in 1964! I note the Osbornes sang a couple of selections from their wonderful new Decca album, "Voices in Bluegrass," which is still in my rotation all these years later. They were at the top of their game in 1964, for sure!

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  3. A very good Friday Night Opry last night. The Isaacs are just fantastic with their great family harmony. Jesse McReynolds was on instead of Jimmy C. I think they just made a mistake in the printed line-up.

    I still don't see why Crystal Gayle has not been asked to become an Opry member. I thought last night would have been a good time to ask her, especially with her sister's 50th Opry anniversary in September (rumor), and Crystal scheduled for that night. That could have made for a special Opry moment. Just my thought.

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  4. I agree on Crystal Gayle. She would be a great Opry member I believe. I think her touring schedule has reached the point where she could (hopefully) be a faithful Opry member. She could add a part to the Opry, that in a way, I believe is missing - the 1980's. After the death of Mel McDaniel, the only standby Opry stars of the 80's (that I can think of off hand) are John Conlee, The Oaks, Ricky Skaggs, The Gatlins and The Whites; Randy Travis, Ronnie Milsap, Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton are missing in action (for the most part); Barbara Mandrell and Ricky Van Shelton retired.

    Gene Watson and Gary Morris appear a lot. They could possibly help out in that area too. I like Janie Fricke, but I do not know if she has ever been offered Opry membership (or even time) for that matter.

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  5. Byron, as I think about it, wouldn't it be a GREATER moment if they asked Crystal to become a member on Loretta's 50th anniversary show?

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  6. There was discussion that Stu Phillips might cancel. Fortunatly he didn't. Compared to his most recent performances,which has been a while, he sounded pretty good. Weak, but not all broken in voice as on the last several performances. He and Jeannie Seely had a good exchange as well.

    It was interesting to hear Bill Anderson do the same song twice. I was impressed at how well the crowd reacted to his mistake on the first show.

    Jim
    Knightsville, IN

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  7. Yes Jim, I was glad that Stu made it. In his time, I always thought he was a fine ballad singer. Certainly underrated.

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  8. My family, friends and I have attended the Opry MANY times and paid for both shows when Carrie Underwood appeared. We love her and her dedication to the Opry and the country music genre. We don't think there has ever been a better female vocalist in Nashville than Carrie. My Grandparents have always attended the Opry along with my parents but I followed Carrie into the country genre. We absolutely love Bill Anderson (my Grandmother's favorite) and happy that he is there when Carrie is there. We love Little Jimmy and think he is adorable. We also think others should follow Carrie's lead and appear more on the Opry.

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