The Grand Ole Opry has posted the line-ups for the two shows this weekend. With Christmas upon us, Saturday night is back to one show and the Tuesday Night Opry is in retirement until March.
Looking at the line-ups, Friday looks the better night this weekend with Opry members Vince Gill, Connie Smith, Mike Snider, Diamond Rio, Bobby Osborne, Bill Anderson and Riders In The Sky listed. Saturday night's Opry members include Jeannie Seely, Jesse McReynolds and The Whites, with Connie Smith, Mike Snider, Bill Anderson and Riders in The Sky joining them.
Friday night guests include someone who many of us would like to see as an Opry member, and that is Rhonda Vincent. Exile, Striking Matches and JT Hodges all are making appearances, in addition to Annie Bosko, who is making her Opry debut. Annie has been around Nashville for few years doing songwriting and back up vocals for a number of artists.
The guests on Saturday night include another act that wouldn't make a bad Opry member, Dailey & Vincent. Phil Vassar returns, as does Emily West, Craig Campbell and Collin Raye.
Friday December 18
7:00: Connie Smith (host); JT Hodges; Mike Snider
7:30: Diamond Rio (host); Annie Bosko; Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson (host); Riders In The Sky; Striking Matches
8:45: Vince Gill (host); Rhonda Vincent; Exile
Saturday December 19
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Phil Vassar; Mike Snider
7:30: Riders In The Sky (host); The Whites; Emily West
Intermission
8:15: Connie Smith (host); Jesse McReynolds; Craig Campbell; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Bill Anderson (host); Collin Raye; Dailey & Vincent
Again, my thoughts are that Friday is the better of the two nights.
And now, here is the posted Grand Ole Opry line-up from five years ago, the weekend of December 17 & 18, 2010:
Friday December 17
7:00: Riders In The Sky (host); Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Joey+Rory
7:30: John Conlee (host); George Hamilton IV; Del McCoury Band
Intermission
8:15: Mike Snider (host); Jean Shepard; Eric Church
8:45: Bill Anderson (host); Jan Howard; Jamey Johnson
Saturday December 18
7:00: Mike Snider (host); John Conlee; Steel Magnolia
7:30: Bill Anderson (host); Jimmy C Newman; Jack Greene; Del McCoury Band
Intermission
8:15: Marty Stuart (host); Roger McGuinn; Jim Ed Brown; Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jeannie Seely; Brad Paisley
And from ten years ago, the weekend of December 16 & 17, 2005:
Friday December 16
7:30: Porter Wagoner (host); Connie Smith; Jimmy C Newman; Del McCoury Band
8:00: Mike Snider (host); Billy Walker; Jean Shepard; Joni Harms
8:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Charlie Walker; Jeannie Seely; 3 Fox Drive
9:00: Bill Anderson (host); Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Radney Foster
9:30: Trace Adkins (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Riders In The Sky
Saturday December 17
1st show
6:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Connie Smith; Jim Ed Brown; Joni Harms
7:00: Hal Ketchum (host); Jamie O'Neal; Tracy Lawrence; Restless Heart
8:00: Porter Wagoner (host); Jimmy C Newman; Jean Shepard; Del McCoury Band; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Mike Snider (host); George Hamilton IV; Jack Greene; Trick Pony
2nd show
9:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Hal Ketchum; Mike Snider; Trick Pony
10:00: Porter Wagoner (host); Connie Smith; Restless Heart
10:30: George Hamilton IV (host); Billy Walker; Tracy Lawrence; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Jean Shepard (host); Charlie Louvin; Jack Greene; Jamie O'Neal
11:30: Jeannie Seely (host); Joni Harms; Del McCoury Band
For this week's featured line-up, let's go back just a few years to Saturday December 18, 1999:
1st show
6:30: Opryland Hotel/Banquet
Jimmy C Newman (host): La Cajun Band
Billy Walker: Ashes of Love/Blue Moon of Kentucky/That's All Right
Ernie Ashworth: She Doesn't Smoke, She Doesn't Drink, But She Lies
Jim Ed Brown: Memories of An Old Christmas Card
Jimmy C Newman: Jambalaya/Cajun Stripper
7:00: Shoney's
Jimmy Dickens (host): Family Reunion
Jean Shepard: O Come All Ye Faithful
Bill Carlisle: Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer
Mike Snider: Twas the Night Before Christmas
Jimmy Dickens: There's No Place Like Home on Christmas
7:30: Standard Candy
Jeannie Seely (host): Winter Wonderland
Osborne Brothers: Christmas Times A Comin'
The Whites: The Light At the Stable
Bryan White: Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow/The Christmas Song
Jeannie Seely: I'll Be Home for Christmas/Silent Night
8:00: Martha White
Porter Wagoner (host): Ol Slewfoot
Jan Howard: White Christmas
Jim & Jesse: The Fiddlin' Man
Jack Greene: There Goes My Everything/He Is My Everything
Opry Square Dancers: Cherokee Shuffle
Porter Wagoner: Brewster's Farm
8:30: Physicians Mutual
Bill Anderson (host): Santa Claus is Coming to Town
Wilma Lee Cooper: Bury Me Beneath the Willow
Ralph Stanley: O, Beautiful Star of Bethlehem
Hal Bynum: (?)
Ricky Skaggs: Wheel Hoss
Bill Anderson: Christmas in Your Arms
2nd show
9:30: Arista Records
Porter Wagoner (host): Fireball Mail/Night Train to Memphis
The Whites: He Took Your Place
Roy Drusky: If the Whole World Stopped Loving
Ralph Stanley: Room at the Top of the Stairs/Little Maggie/Lonesome River
Porter Wagoner: Green, Green Grass of Home
10:00: Lincoln Mercury
Jimmy C Newman (host): Diggy Liggy Lo
Bryan White: Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow/God Gave Me You
Jimmy C Newman: Big Mamou
10:15: Fluffo
Jimmy Dickens (host): Take An Old Cold Tater
Wilma Lee Cooper: Amazing Grace
Jimmy Dickens: There's No Place Like Home on Christmas
10:30: Ray Stevens Show
Jean Shepard (host): Head Over Heels in Love With You
Osborne Brothers: Today's Been A Lonesome Day. Rocky Top
10:45: Jogging In A Jug
Johnny Russell (host): Some day I'll Sober Up
Jim Ed Brown: Pop A Top
Opry Square Dancers: Sugar In the Goard
Johnny Russell: Making Plans
11:00: Coca-Cola
Bill Anderson (host): Orange Blossom Special
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
Jack Greene: Your Love Takes Care of Me
Mike Snider: Jingle Bells
Hal Bynum: (?)
Bill Anderson: Christmas In Your Arms
11:30: Ryman Reunion Videos
Ricky Skaggs (host): I'm Lost and I'll Never Find the Way
Charlie Walker: White Christmas
4 Guys: Go Tell It on the Mountain/We Wish You A Merry Christmas
Jim & Jesse: Are You Missing Me
Ray Pillow: Someone Had to Teach You
Ricky Skaggs: A Voice From on High
A nice Opry line-up. I hope everyone enjoys the Opry this weekend!!
Happy holidays to you, too, Byron. And I can't help but notice a couple of things:
ReplyDelete1. That 1999 lineup had not only real shows with real members, but real sponsors.
2. I think 10 members are in this weekend. What if ALL ten were on BOTH nights? Does the management honestly think people will buy tickets to see, say, J.T. Hodges instead of the bluegrass legends BOTH nights?
I will really miss the second Saturday night show... I love it when I can listen later on Saturday nights like the old days as I'm often out earlier in the evening. Aside from some of the usual names mentioned on this site that should be Opry members, if I could ask Mr. Fisher for one thing, I asked him to go back to the 8 to midnight schedule the Saturday night Opry ran on for so many years. (oldtimeopry)
ReplyDeleteJune 1999 was when Pete Fisher took over as the general manager of the Opry. The quality of the 1999 show was pretty good and it shows what he walked into when he took over.
ReplyDeleteThree Christmas songs have probably disappeared from the Opry now. No Place Like Home for Christmas, Old Christmas Card and Christmas Guest which respectively were done by Jimmy Dickens and Jim Ed and George IV were keeping alive. At least the bluegrass folks can keep Christmas Times a Coming alive for a while.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I had noted about that 1999 night was that Jan Howard was very sentimental on stage that night and discussed the first year they lived in Nashville and the three boys wanted snow so bad she went out and bought sleds and it actually snowed enough they could use them. She was obviously cherishing the memory of her young family. Hope she is on the mend.
On a different note, I was listening to some of my Opry recordings from the mid 90's a few days ago and Oswald and Charlie were on a lot of them including the night Marty and Porter welcomed Os as the newest member. And I got to thinking about how void the Opry is these days of the dobro. Very few of the bluegrass acts carry one. I miss that sound, especially Oswalds. It would be nice to hear Jerry Douglas and Earls of Leicester on the Opry again. They are great and are introducing a whole new group to Lester and Earl!
Jim
Knightsville, IN
We just can't have country music on the Opry can we? Phil Vassar trying to be Bruce Sprinstien on Santa Clause is Coming to Town! Sorry, I see it as no respect for the House, Opry, or the real country fans. But, how many attending now really even know what was on the Opry five, ten years ago, let alone 25 or more. Crowd was okay with so I known I'm in the minority.
ReplyDeleteJust had to comment.
On the other hand, last night was pretty good overall but for a couple of performers that seemed in pain.
Glad Mike has brought back some of his old jokes, seem to be going over good.
Jim
Knightsville, IN