Thursday, April 11, 2013

Grand Ole Opry 4/12 & 4/13

The Grand Ole Opry has posted the line-ups for the 2 shows this weekend and both nights are looking pretty good. The Friday Night Opry will feature non-Opry members Crystal Gayle, The Isaacs and Lonestar. For The Isaacs, it continues the string of Opry appearances that they have been making over the last 6 months. They are popular and are well received. The same can be said for Crystal Gayle, who over the past year has increased the number of Opry shows that she has done.

While it would be easy to say that the highlight for Saturday's Grand Ole Opry will be the return of Scotty McCreery to the Opry stage, for many of us it will be the return of Stonewall Jackson that will excite us. For Stonewall, this will be his 1st Opry show of 2013. He did have a procedure done on his back and it is great to see Stonewall back. He will also be hosting the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree Saturday night/Sunday morning. Also appearing on Saturday will be The Grascals, along with Lennon and Maisy Stella, from the "Nashville" television show, who will be making their 2nd Opry appearance. One again this weekend, no Jimmy Dickens.

Friday April 12
7:00: Riders In The Sky (host); Kristen Kelly; Jesse McReynolds
7:30: Jim Ed Brown (host); Mike Snider; Lonestar
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson (host); The Whites; Chuck Wicks
8:45: Jeannie Seely (host); Crystal Gayle; The Isaacs

Saturday April 13
7:00: Jim Ed Brown (host); Mark Wills; Mike Snider
7:30: Riders In The Sky (host); Jimmy C Newman; The Grascals
Intermission
8:15: Connie Smith (host); Stonewall Jackson; Lennon and Maisy Stella; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Bill Anderson (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Scotty McCreery

For this week's look back into Grand Ole Opry history, I go back to 22 years ago this Saturday night, April 13, 1991, for the annual Grand Ole Opry reunion show. I know I have done a few of these lately, and I hope you enjoy the look back at when former Opry members came back to visit the show.

1st show
6:30: Mrs Grissoms
Grandpa Jones (host): Ball Headed End of A Broom
Bill Anderson: Still
Grandpa Jones: Dear Old Sunny South By the Sea

6:45: Hall of Fame
Bill Monroe (host): Blue Moon of Kentucky
Ricky Skaggs: Let It Be You/Honey, Open That Door
Bill Monroe: Southern Flavor

7:00: Shoney's
Porter Wagoner (host): Company's Comin'
Jim Ed Brown: The 3 Bells
Jan Howard: Heartaches by the Number
Jim & Jesse: It's A Lonesome Feeling
The Whites: He Took Your Place
Porter Wagoner: Ole Slewfoot

7:30: Standard Candy
Jimmy Dickens (host): Country Boy
Margie Bowes: When I Call Your Name
Zeke Clements: No More Smoke on the Water
Faron Young: Wine Me Up/Hello Walls
Jimmy Dickens: Another Bridge to Burn

8:00: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
Pee Wee King: Tennessee Waltz
Charlie Louvin: When You Can Only Dream That Far/When I Stop Dreaming
Bill Carlisle: No Help Wanted/Elvira
Opry Square Dance Band/Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Bill Cheatham

8:30: Pops Rite
Hank Snow (host): Send Me the Pillow You Dream On
Skeeter Davis: Who's Gonna Tell Marie
Ray Pillow: That Ain't No Way to Treat My Heart
Riders In The Sky: How The Yodel Was Born
John Conlee: Common Man
Hank Snow: My Little Old Home Down in New Orleans

2nd show
9:30: Dollar General
Porter Wagoner (host): Country Music Has Gone to Town
Wilma Lee Cooper: The Picture on the Wall
Jack Greene: There Goes My Everything/He Is My Everything
George Hamilton IV: Forever Young
The Whites: Doing It By the Book
Porter Wagoner: I'll Go Down Swinging

10:00: Little Debbie
Grandpa Jones (host): Better Time's A'Comin
Stonewall Jackson: Muddy Water
Jeannie Seely: One Step Away From Coming Home
Grandpa Jones: The Sweet Sunny South

10:15: Tennessee Pride/Sunbeam
Roy Acuff (host): I'll Fly Away
Faron Young: It's Four in the Morning/Hello Walls

10:30: Pet Milk
Ricky Skaggs (host): He Was On To Something
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
Ricky Skaggs: Lovin Only Me

10:45: B C Powder
Bill Anderson (host): Son of the South
Jim & Jesse: Dream of Me
Opry Square Dance Band/Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Rachel
Bill Anderson: Thank You Darling For Loving Me

11:00: Coca-Cola
Hank Snow (host): Franie & Johnny
Jimmy Dickens: Me and My Big Loud Mouth
Justin Tubb: Keep Me From Blowing Away
John Conlee: Common Man/Rose Colored Glasses
Hank Snow: Whispering Rain

11:30: Creamette
Bill Monroe (host): Old Dangerfield
Mike Snider: Shuckin The Corn
Charlie Louvin: In the Pines
Riders In The Sky: When The Bloom Is On The Sage
Charlie Walker: Deep Water
Bill Monroe: Dark As The Night; Blue As The Day

On a final note, here is the line-up for the Tuesday Night Opry, April 16:

7:00: Mark Wills; Jeannie Seely
7:30: Blackberry Smoke; The Whites
Intermission
8:15: Aaron Tippin; The Greencards
8:45: Mandy Barnett; Darius Rucker

Nice to see the Opry's newest member back at the Opry. Enjoy the shows this weekend.

15 comments:

  1. Those "Old Timer's Nights" were always fun to see and listen to. Some of the early ones were a real history lesson, too, when they brought back Deford Bailey, Sarie, Honey Wilds, Sid Harkreader and Jack Shook. I often wonder if the current management would even recognize those names. Most modern Opry goers certainly don't. Kind of reminds me of the time I in the rotunda at the Hall of Fame and overheard a lady talking to her friends about how much she loved country music and then asked, "Who in the world are the Carter Family?" For an instant, I was afraid we would all be struck by lightning! :P

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  2. I still listen to my Margie Bowes albums quite often. Her sound was like none before or since. She wasn't a superstar, but like Marion Worth, she was to me. By the way, it would be interesting to see the comparison in number of Opry performances made by Crystal Gayle the last 5 years versus those made by Loretta Lynn.

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  3. Thursday's show:

    Members: Riders in the Sky (22nd appearance) & Pam Tillis (3rd)

    Guests: Striking Matches (4th appearance), Chuck Mead (2nd), Charlie McCoy (1st), Daryle Singletary (1st)


    So excited to see Stonewall Jackson back.

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  4. Fred, Bismarck:

    On the reunion show, nice to see Jimmie Rodgers so well remembered, almost 60 years after his death, with 3 songs: "Dear Old Sunny South" by Grandpa, and "My Little Old Home" and "Frankie & Johnnie" by Hank Snow. If Bill Monroe had given us "Muleskinner Blues," we'd have had the trifecta by the three great J.R. exemplars still going.

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  5. Danny, here is what I have regarding your comment on Loretta Lynn and Crystal Gayle and their Opry appearances.

    For 2013, this will be Crystal's 1st Opry appearance, while Loretta has not been there yet.

    For 2012, it was 2 for Loretta and 7 for Crystal.
    For 2011, it was 1 for Loretta and 2 for Crystal.
    For 2010, it was 4 for each of them.

    In 2000, Loretta made 12 Opry appearances and has not come close since. Loretta still tours, but I will say in fairness to her, she has had some well documented health issues over the past decade. But, I would still have expected more from Loretta at the Opry, considering how important the Opry once was to her career.

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  6. Jeannie Seely cancelled out for Friday Night. Mike Snider moved over and replaced her as the host on the final segment and Shelly Skidmore replaced Mike during the 2nd segment.

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  7. Friday Show:

    Members: Riders in the Sky (23rd appearance), Bill Anderson (21st), The Whites (20th), Mike Snider (17th), Jim Ed Brown (16th), Jesse McReynolds (14th), Little Jimmy Dickens (3rd)

    Guests: The Isaacs (4th appearance), Kristen Kelly (3rd), Chuck Wicks (1st), Crystal Gayle (1st), Lonestar (1st), Shelley Skidmore (1st)

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  8. So happy that Little Jimmy Dickens made a short appearance on last night's Opry. He was very well received by the audience - of course it's not too hard when it's Little Jimmy & he then informs everyone of his ages - haha!! God Bless him!!! Amazing how he, at aged 92, can still show up on that stage when members half his age ...

    Love The Isaacs too - gosh they have such fabulous voices. The Isaacs & The Whites - all that family harmony ... wow wow wow!!!

    Listened to the Dwight Yoakam concert which was broadcast LIVE from the Ryman Auditorium last night on XM/Sirius radio (if you have DISH Network they carry XM/Sirius music channels - whereas DirecTV no longer does - they carry some other music channels, which I don't listen to.) Dwight was on stage for 2 full hours & wove his entire set throughout many albums he has recorded, including his newest 3 Pears album of which he did an extended version of Dim Lights, Thick Smoke & it was loud, loud music of which the audience was most appreciative of - of course, the audience was appreciative of everything he & his band did & he was very appreciative & thanked everyone for making last night & tonight's shows at the Ryman two of his fastest sold out concerts.

    Absolutely fabulous just doesn't seem like enough of a description of how he & his band performed. He sang some SERIOUS country music folks & all I can say is thank GOD for Dwight Yoakam. He has never strayed from the type of country music he wants to record & sing for his life's work. There is no mistaking the genre of music he does.

    For those interested, my understanding is that this performance will be rerun on July 4th on XM/Sirius (& again, Dish Network) - it was on the "Outlaw Country" channel 60.

    Have a good weekend everyone ....

    (Jeanene)

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  9. Jeanene, thanks for the Dwight Yoakam review. I have Directv so I cannot pick it up. Sounds like it was really good.

    Like you, I was glad to hear Jimmy last night. It will be interesting to see if he does another "walk-on" tonight.

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  10. Hey Guys What Are Your Thoughts On The Veterans Category After The Induction Of The Browns(Lets Face It They Are Going In Next Year No If Ands Or Buts)
    Im Fearful That The CMA Will Change That Veterans Criteria To 40 Years And Open It Up For Some 70s-80s Artists

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  11. Fred, Bismarck:

    I listened to the first hour of the Opry tonight, and I've gotta say I loved it. I thought it was terrific, beginning with the fiddle tune (and dancers) that introduced the hour.

    Jim Ed, Mike Snyder -- my favorite, with his rousing instrumentals -- the Riders, Jimmy 'C', the Grascals, seemed to me all just wonderful and in the tradition. Mark Wills was a waste, in my opinion, like AM country radio. But I admit the audience seemed to love him, so who am I, etc.

    Short, I guess, is that I will have to listen to more of the Opry before deciding Gaylord is doing such a bad job. Tonight, 7-8 CDT, the Opry seemed to me very respectful of tradition and plain good listening.

    Hot dog!

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  12. As one who listened to the Opry last night, I have to agree that it was a great show. Lots of variety and something for everyone.

    Jim Ed Brown was great as the host for the 1st segment. Sometimes we forget that Jim Ed is getting close to 80 but the voice is still there and he does a great job on the ballads. "Four Walls" on Friday night and "The 3 Bells" last night. Mike Snider didn't do any comedy on Saturday, but his instrumental work of his group on the old-time string music is awesome and right on.

    Riders In The Sky are the perfect hosts. Good comedy and some good western music. Jimmy C Newman was right on with the cajun music and he did a 2nd song last night, from 1954 "Fallen Star", the song that brought him to the Opry. The Grascals are among the best in bluegrass. "Last Train to Clarksville" was their first number and they turned it into their own.

    Connie Smith hosted for 2 weeks in a row and she does a nice job. She did mention what a privilage it was to host. Stonewall Jackson nailed it, as he always does on the Opry. He needs to be on more, not just a half dozen times a year. Lennon and Maisy Stella are darlings. It was their 2nd time on the Opry and they were just as good as the first.

    Scotty McCreery closed out the show and he is a young country singer who actually sounds country and sings country. The young fans, or shall we say the young girls, love him and you could tell by the response that he loves the Opry. He has made the Opry a regular stop lately and we should all appreciate him being there. He, along with The Grascals, would make great Opry members and it is those types of acts the Opry should be looking for, and not some of the others they have picked.

    I mentioned a few weeks back that there seems to be a new level of excitement at the Opry. The shows, as demonstrated again last night, have improved in quality and the crowds seem to appreciate it. It is as if many of the artists have stepped it up one notch. You see it when attending and you can feel it when listening. Hopefully it continues.

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  13. Stolen from my post last week, but I think it fits here:

    "My wife and I celebrated our 35th anniversary in Nashville this Thursday and Friday (Opry Country Classic and Friday Night 'Opry). (Keep in mind Jimmie Dicken's old joke about second honeymoons)
    I totally agree with Jeanene's assessment of the Sleepy Man Banjo Boys, and Fayfare's assessment of the improvement and increased energy in recent 'Oprys.
    The crowd was very large for both shows and one could literally feel the excitement at both the Ryman and the "new" 'Opry house.
    We all whine and groan about how things used to be better, but let me testify, they're pretty darned good right now in Nashville.
    I would encourage ANYBODY to see the 'Opry live. It's still a great live show."

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  14. I missed the Opry Saturday night. How did Stonwall sound? Glad to see him on the bill.

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  15. David, he sounded pretty good. I also caught part of the Midnight Jamboree, and he was fine there also.

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