Wednesday, June 6, 2018

Grand Ole Opry 6/8 & 6/9

With the CMA Music Festival wrapping up this weekend, the Grand Ole Opry will be presenting one show on Friday and Saturday night, along with a special Opry Country Classics show at the Ryman Auditorium on Saturday afternoon.

Grand Ole Opry members appearing both nights include Jeannie Seely, Mike Snider, Bill Anderson and Riders In The Sky. They will be joined on Friday night by The Whites, Connie Smith and Marty Stuart. Saturday night, Charley Pride is scheduled, along with Dailey & Vincent and Bobby Osborne.

As to guest artists, Heather Land, who is making her Grand Ole Opry debut, is scheduled for both nights, while The Wandering Hearts will be making their Opry debut on Friday night, as special guests of Marty Stuart. Joining those two on Friday will be Easton Corbin and Trent Harmon. Along with Heather Land on Saturday night will be The Sisterhood, "Nashville" star Charles Esten and Jamey Johnson.

Friday June 8
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); Easton Corbin; Mike Snider
7:30: Riders In The Sky (host); The Whites; Trent Harmon
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson (host); Heather Land
8:45: Marty Stuart (host); The Wandering Hearts; Connie Smith

Saturday June 9
7:00: Jeannie Seely (host); The Sisterhood; Mike Snider
7:30: Riders In The Sky (host); Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press; Charles Esten
Intermission
8:15: Bill Anderson (host); Heather Land; Opry Square Dancers
8:45: Dailey & Vincent (host); Charley Pride; Jamey Johnson
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As mentioned, the Wandering Hearts will be making their Opry debut on Friday night, at the special invitation from Marty Stuart. When Marty did his tour of England last year, this group opened for Marty and he was so impressed that he invited them to Nashville.

London country-folk-pop quartet the Wandering Hearts became a part of the British Americana scene in the mid 2010s. The group began in 2015 when Tim Prottey-Jones and Tara Wilcox met. Shortly thereafter, they were introduced by mutual friends to A.J. Dean and Francesca "Chess" Whiffin. They got together to visit and immediately hit it off. Originally named Paper Hearts, they recorded two demo songs "Today Is Ours" and "Sunshine." The group made an immediate impression, with their deft finger picking, rousing choruses, dark-hued lyrics, and sweet, close vocal harmonies being compared to groups such as Fleetwood Mac, The Civil Wars, Tom Petty, and Simon & Garfunkel. Re-branding themselves as the Wandering Hearts, to avoid confusion with other groups that had similar names, they began playing at a number of high-profile festival shows and in 2017 released their first single "Wish I Could." Their debut album was released later that year.

Also making her Grand Ole Opry debut this weekend is Heather Land, who is scheduled for both the Friday Night Opry and Saturday's Grand Ole Opry. Heather is described as a comedian with "wit, peppered with some sarcasm and a whole lot of truth." She is from Tennessee and as a writer and has a blog that features an ongoing series of "I Ain't Doin It" videos, that have been viewed by millions. On a video that she has posted regarding this week's appearances, she said that the Opry has given her eight minutes for her comedy. She said perhaps the Opry doesn't know what it is in for. Hopefully, something good.

Besides the Opry shows, there will be several autograph signings taking place. After the Opry Country Classics show on Saturday, Jeanne Pruett will be signing her book "Satin Sheets, I Remember," while Charles Esten will be at the Opry Shop signing copies of his various CDs.

And speaking of Opry Country Classics, there will be a special classics show taking place Saturday afternoon at the Ryman Auditorium.

Host: Larry Gatlin
Spotlight Artist: Charley Pride
Also Appearing: The Gatlin Brothers; Mandy Barnett; William Michael Morgan; Mark Wills

And for those headed to the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree, Jeannie Kendall will be the host.
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And now, here is the posted Grand Ole Opry line-up from 10 years ago, the weekend of June 6 & 7, 2008:

Friday June 6
8:00: Charley Pride (host); Connie Smith; Riders In The Sky
8:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jimmy C Newman; Mark Wills
9:00: Bill Anderson (host); Jeannie Seely; The Four Guys
9:30: Ricky Skaggs (host); Jean Shepard; Jack Greene; The Whites

Saturday June 7
1st show
6:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); Jim Ed Brown; Sunny Sweeney
7:00: Dwight Yoakam; Joe Nichols; Jennifer Hanson; Charley Pride
8:00: Mel Tillis (host); Jan Howard; Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys; Opry Square Dancers
8:30: Bill Anderson (host); Jean Shepard; Riders In The Sky

2nd show
9:30: Jimmy Dickens (host); The Whites; Charley Pride
10:00: Mel Tillis (host); Jack Greene; Jennifer Hanson
10:30: Jeannie Seely (host); Jean Shepard; Joe Nichols; Opry Square Dancers
11:00: Bill Anderson (host); Sunny Sweeney; Riders In The Sky

What was special about that weekend was the appearance of The Four Guys. The group had been fired from the Opry by Pete Fisher in April 2000. Sam Wellington writes about the firing and his feelings about it in his excellent book, "In the Beginning, There was the Men's Room." The 2008 appearance was the first, and only time that the group has appeared on the Opry since being terminated. For those who did not listen that night, Bill Anderson gave a very nice introduction and the group was well received.

Now from 25 years ago, Saturday June 12, 1993:

1st show
6:30: Jim Ed Brown (host); Skeeter Davis
6:45: The Four Guys (host); Bill Carlisle
7:00: Del Reeves (host); Charlie Walker; Jeannie Seely; The Whites; Connie Smith
7:30: George Jones (host); Lorrie Morgan; Johnny Russell
8:00: Porter Wagoner (host); Jean Shepard; George Hamilton IV; Brother Oswald; Opry Square Dance Band; Melvin Sloan Dancers
8:30: Hank Snow (host); Jeanne Pruett; Roy Drusky; Mike Snider

2nd show
9:30: Porter Wagoner (host); Roberta Rast; Ray Pillow; Lorrie Morgan
10:00: The Four Guys (host); The Whites
10:15: Billy Walker (host); Connie Smith
10:30: Del Reeves (host); Stonewall Jackson
10:45: Jim Ed Brown (host); Mike Snider; Opry Square Dance Band; Melvin Sloan Dancers
11:00: Hank Snow (host); Jean Shepard; Justin Tubb; Brother Oswald; Bill Carlisle
11:30: George Hamilton IV (host); Jeanne Pruett; Roy Drusky; Charlie Walker

Finally, it was 34 years ago, Saturday June 9, 1984 that Lorrie Morgan became a member of the Grand Ole Opry.

"You can't imagine how it felt the night I became a member of the Opry," Lorrie Morgan says. "The first time I could really call this place home. I couldn't stop shaking or trembling or crying." That Saturday night more than 30 years ago might have been Lorrie's first night as an official member, but it certainly wasn't her first night at the Grand Ole Opry. Lorrie grew up backstage at the Opry, the daughter of Country Music Hall of Famer George Morgan, a 26-year member known everywhere for his smash 1949 hit "Candy Kisses."

Born in 1959, Lorrie made her Opry stage debut early, introduced at the Ryman Auditorium by her proud father. "My little 13-year old knees were absolutely knocking," she recalls. "But Dad was standing there right beside me with big tears in his eyes, and those people gave me a standing ovation. I thought, this is what I'm going to do the rest of my life. This was a dream of my dad's long before it was my dream. I have all of this because of Dad. We're very blessed to be a musical family here at the Grand Ole Opry. What more could you ask for?" George Morgan died when Lorrie was 16, but she still carries in her heart two pieces of advice he left her: "Never say, I Can't" and "Always remember your manners."

Morgan's vocal style, combining country sincerity and pop sophistication, really took off in 1989 with the emotion-filled hit "Dear Me." She won a CMA award in 1990 for her work with her late husband, Keith Whitley, the great country traditionalist who had died the year before. Subsequent albums "Leave the Light On," "Something in Red," and "Watch Me," all sold more than a million copies.

Throughout her career, Morgan says, she has thought of the Opry as home. "The Opry gave me my start in country music. It's a place we all need to go from time to time to remember why we're here and what gave us the opportunity to be here."

Loretta Lynn Morgan was born in Nashville, Tennessee and on that first Opry appearance at age 13 sang "Paper Roses." After her father died in 1975, she took over his band, and then joined Little Roy Wiggins group in 1977. After leaving that group, she worked as a receptionist and demo singer at Acuff-Rose Music, where she, also wrote songs. In the 1970s, she was the featured vocalist on Ralph Emery's morning television show in Nashville. Lorrie had her first minor hit in 1978, after which she toured with a number of different acts including Jack Greene, Jeannie Seely and George Jones. She also performed at Opryland. Finally, in 1989 she had her first Top 10 single, "Dear Me." The chart hits followed through the 1990s. More recently, Lorrie has been touring with Pam Tillis and continues to make new music.

Here is the running order from Saturday June 9, 1984, the night Lorrie Morgan became a member of the Grand Ole Opry:

1st show
6:30: Mrs. Grissoms
Stonewall Jackson (host): Me & You & A Dog Named Boo
Connie Smith: Had a Dream
Stonewall Jackson: Muddy Water

6:45: Rudy's
Del Reeves (host): Two Dollars in the Jukebox/A Dime at a Time/Looking at the World Through A Windshield
Jeannie Seely: You're Sweet Lies Just Turned Down the Sheets Again
Del Reeves: Don't You Ever Get Tired of Hurting Me

7:00: Shoney's
Jim Ed Brown (host): Lying in Love With You
Billy Grammer: Homestead on the Farm
Skeeter Davis: Turning Away
Hank Locklin: Send Me the Pillow You Dream On
Jean Shepard: Virginia
Jim Ed Brown: Pop A Top

7:30: Standard Candy
Bill Anderson (host): Po Folks
Lorrie Morgan; Candy Kisses/Stand By Your Man
Crook Brothers/Melvin Sloan Dancers: Sally Goodin
Billy Walker: Funny How Time Slips Away
Bill Anderson: Still

8:00: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Wabash Cannonball
The Whites: Forever You/Swing Down Sweet Chariot
Dan Kelly: Sally Goodin
Jeanne Pruett: Back to Back
Howdy Forrester: (?)
Roy Acuff: I Saw the Light

8:30: Acme
Hank Snow (host): Forever and One
Dottie West: It's High Time/Crazy/I Fall to Pieces/Sweet Dreams
The Four Guys: Cottonfields/Mariah
Roy Drusky: The Last Farewell
Bill Carlisle: I'm Moving
Hank Snow: I Don't Hurt Anymore

2nd show
9:30: Dollar General
Jim Ed Brown (host): Southern Loving
The Four Guys: How Married Are You Mary Ann
Jeannie Seely: When You Hearts Been Stepped On
Del Reeves: Good Hearted Woman
Wilma Lee Cooper: A Daisy A Day
Jim Ed Brown: You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma

10:00: Little Debbie
Bill Anderson (host): I Love You Drops
Jan Howard: Lord, I Hope this Day is Good
Ray Pillow: Julie Loved Boston More than Me
Bill Anderson: Southern Fried

10:15: Sunbeam
Billy Walker (host): Cross the Brazos at Waco
Hank Locklin: Danny Boy
Skeeter Davis: Turning Away
Billy Walker: He Sang the Songs About El Paso

10:30: Martha White
Roy Acuff (host): Meeting in the Air
Jean Shepard: Second Fiddle
Roy Thackerson: Eighth of January

10:45: Beech-Nut
Roy Drusky (host): Don't It Make You Want to Go Home
Jeanne Pruett: Satin Sheets
Crook Brothers/Melvin Sloan Dancers: Gray Eagle
Roy Drusky: One Day at a Time

11:00: Coca-Cola
Hank Snow (host): I'm Moving On
Dottie West: It's High Time/Here Comes My Baby
The Whites: Hangin' Around
Jerry Douglas: Cincinnati Rag
Hank Snow: Born for You

11:30: Quincy's
Stonewall Jackson (host): Why I'm Walking
Bill Carlisle: Too Old to Cut the Mustard Anymore/Oh, What a Party
Lorrie Morgan: What I've Got in Mind/Crazy
Stonewall Jackson: Old Chunk of Coal

There you have it for this week and the CMA Music Fest comes to an end. I am sure it was a great week and we will all be hearing about it. Finally, and as always, I hope everyone enjoys the Opry this weekend.



22 comments:

  1. I have to say: I toured the Acuff House this week (it can be done wo a backstage tour for $10) and it was a lot more emotional that I thought it would be. The photo exhibit is nicy done as is the small Acuff display. The film with Connie & Marty on Roy will rip your heart out. Just to think the King lived in that house was overwhelming.

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  2. I agree on the Acuff house. We were there Tuesday. As I expected, there really wasn't much representing how Mr. Acuff lived at the house, no furnishing or the like but the vidoes and photos more than made up for it. I agree also that the video in the Acuff room was touching, especially the photo Les took of him walking alone between the house and the Opry in his ball jacket.

    The hosts were very nice and the one lady there when we were must have been around to experience some of Mr. Acuff's time. I failed to ask but friends that visited yesterday ask about the upstairs and were told that Mr. Acuff slept up there.

    There was a nice display of album covers that Les had taken as well. And, a jukebox that folks were occasionally playing however I never heard and Acuff record. The booklet they hand is nice as well.

    A agree it is well worth the $10. The exhibit is to be up until September. I believe I would call before you go to see if it can be toured separate on that day and how late it is open. On Tuesday and Wednesday this week I know it was open from 9 to 9 but I don't expect it to always be open that late.

    Jim
    Knigntsville, IN

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    1. Jim: Thanks for the info on the Acuff house. Sounds great. Wish i could go. Bob

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  3. Connie Smith is ill and will not be on the Friday Night Opry. She also missed Marty Stuart's Late Night Jam on Wednesday night.

    Mark Willis has been added to the Friday Night Opry, however not in Connie's spot.

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    1. Byron: Do you know if the Country Classics show on Saturday afternoon will be on WSM? Bob

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  4. Chris Scruggs along with his band, is hosting a new fifteen minute show on WSM (and WSM online) after the Friday Night 'Opry.
    It's called "Friends and Neighbors," and features a guest along with Chris and his band. I think it will be loosely based on old time shows like Flatt and Scruggs and Hank Williams that WSM featured early in the morning years ago.
    His first guest tonight will be Rachel Hester, who appears at Robert's Western World several hours each week, with Chris often playing in her band.
    I'm happy for both Chris and Rachel!
    I do NOT work for WSM, but lay claim to being one of their biggest fans.

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  5. Byron: Do you know if the Country Classics show on Saturday afternoon will be on WSM? Sven

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  6. I do not know. I haven't heard anything.

    I do know that WSM is going to broadcast the Grand Ole Opry show from the Bonnaroo Music Festival on Sunday night. Show will start at 8:15. The artists listed are Del McCoury Band, Bobby Bare, Joshua Hedley, Old Crow Medicine Show, Maggie Rose, Lanco, Riders In The Sky and Nikki Lane.

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  7. Just back from three days in Nashville - I'll try to keep my thoughts quick:

    1) It's a shame the Opry show at Bonnaroo wasn't part of Fan Fair. It's a LOT better than anything put on by the Opry the last three days at Fan Fair. I'd have loved to see that show. The Opry booth inside the Fan Fair exhibit hall had NO Opry member signings and most of those who did sign were unknowns. The Gatlins & Jeanne Pruett (tonight) were scheduled to sign at the Ryman.
    2) 580+ autograph signings and the only Opry stars who signed at the Fan Fair hall were Charley Pride, Josh Turner, Teri Clark & Joe Diffee. Bill Anderson & Jeannie Seely did sign on the front of the stage after the Match Game as did Ricky Skaggs VERY briefly after his interview. Match Game was funny but I'd rather have seen the Bonaroo show on that stage. Bill & Bobby Bare are scheduled to be interviewed tomorrow. Of the 580+ autograph signings only a handful were people I'd ever heard of and they were mainly 90s singers (Wade Hayes, Gary Alan, Daryl Worley, Mark Wills).
    3) Security was a PITA. They've instituted a clear bag policy only which I wasn't aware of and they hassled me over carrying my backpack with my albums to get autographed (no worries, there was virtually no one to have sign anything I'd ever heard of). Most of the honky-tonks wouldn't let me in w my backpack (I was headed to the airport directly from Broadway, the exception was Tootsie's. Sign of the times I guess.
    4) ROPE show was a real country show but I guess all we have left are the minor legends to perform (Dickie Lee, Dallas Frazier, Leona & Ron Williams, exception being Hall of Famer Charlie McCoy). Bill Anderson, Razzy Bailey, Roni Stoneman, Stan Hitchcock, Casey Anderson were there to sign autographed AND the GREAT Mac Wiseman -- worth the $30 ticket to meet Mac.
    5) Marty Stuart's Late Night Jam is STILL the best show of CMA Music Fest. Marty opened with a gospel number followed by Dale Jett, grandson of AP & Sara Carter singing "Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone." Highlight is always Eddie Stubbs fiddling and the Opry Square Dancers. We need more fiddle tunes and square dancing in country music! John Prine is an American treasure! He brought the house down and should be a member of the Opry ASAP. Margo Price excellent, Chris Hillman & Roger Maguinn (Byrds) good, new group Marty discovered in England "The Wandering Hearts" were really great and Chris Stapleton brought the house down. Eddie said the show would present everything from the beginning of country music (Carters) through today's country music (Stapleton). Marty closed the show w himself, Stapleton and Dale Jett doing "Keep on the Sunny Side." Electric in the Ryman. Only downside is I guess Marty now charges $250 a ticket (he did this same thing at a recent show in my hometown) for a pre-show meet and greet, Q&A and two song mini-concert. Eddie told us no autographs (which used to always be a staple at the Late Night Jam) because of "time constraints." I love you Marty and you're the real deal but that just stinks if you're too good to sign our autographs without paying $250!!

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    1. I'm hearing that the $250.00 meet and greets are from ticketmaster Bob

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    3. Sadly, as more legends and veterans pass, the ROPE luncheon might be a thing of the past. Back in the day, along with the October awards show they put on, it was an event that was on everyone's calendar. However, with less veterans and members, it probably only has a few years left.

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    4. That is so surprising to me. I have seen Marty many, many times, as recently as last year, and he's always had a meet and greet with pictures as long as anyone was in line. Same with Connie. I imagine at a stadium show that's not as easily done, but $250, wow, that's disappointing.

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    5. Imagine Ernest Tubb or Jimmy Dickens charging their fans for an autograph! They are rolling over in their graves. In the words of a Porter Wagoner song, "Oh they say that Country Music has gone to town."

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  8. 6) Thursday night Opry was a good show. Maggie Rose was ok, I'd never heard of Luke Combs but I hear he's one of the hot things now and the audience went wild for him. Josh Turner was good, Charley Pride did Anybody Going to San Antone, his "new single" New Patches and an over the top patriotic number. Silly choices. Three songs and how many legendary songs you got Charley and that's what we got? Oak Ridge Boys never disappoint. No Blake Shelton fan but he was pretty good. Like the song Honey Bee, don't know the other two and in a nod to Jerry Reed he did "She Got the Gold Mine" which I enjoyed. Only complaint with Blake is he got the last half hour. Everyone else got 15 minutes and did three songs. Blake only did four songs and the show ended probably 12 minutes early. Why didn't we get another artist - a veteran would have been nice. Maybe it's the fact the Opry serves booze now or maybe the times have just changed but the last two/three times I've been at the Opry house the crowd is A LOT more rowdy. Jumps to their feet quickly, lots of dancing in the aisle. Not bad, just different.
    7) Country Music Hall of Fame really let me down with their offerings. They did a concert on future women of country music and claimed the Ricky Skaggs interview at the Fan Fair hall as their programming. Last year (when I didn't go) they did meet and greets in the Hall of Fame Rotunda with Randy Travis, Brenda Lee, Charlie Pride and I think the Oak Ridge Boys. The next exhibit Armadillos & Outlaws was disappointing. Not that much memorabilia in my opinion. Loretta Lynn exhibit (which closes later this year was good, the Loretta Museum in Hurricane Mills is obviously much better.
    8) New Patsy Cline Museum above the Johnny Cash Museum is small but well done. A good number of her stage clothes, hat she wore to her wedding, watch she was wearing when she died, yet another recreation of her recreation room (first part of the old exhibit at Twitty City then later in the old Opry museum) and all her dining room furniture, china, tea set and salt and pepper shakers.
    9) The tour guide on the backstage tour of the Opry House went out of his way to tell us that the Opry is not just about country music, it features all different kinds of music so you'll find something you like on it.
    FINALLY - CMA got rid of the Durango Stage this year in the exhibit hall (90% of the hall was people selling things like clothes.) This has always been the stage where you could find people like Riders in the Sky, Jeannie Seely, Jim Ed Brown, Bobby Bare, etc. If CMA is working to eliminate what's left of traditional country music and the veterans, they're doing a good job of it. They replaced that area with the "Radio Disney" stage. When I walked by a little girl probably 16 years old was singing R-E-S-P-E-C-T by Aretha Franklin. Honest to goodness. Aretha Franklin. I don't expect these young kids to know Ernest Tubb or Hank Snow or even Merle Haggard or Randy Travis but for the love of Roy Acuff, you'd think they could sing something by Reba or even Martina McBride or Trisha Yearwood or even Keith Urban or Blake Shelton at the CMA Music Fest!!

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  9. Wait until Kid Rock opens his new Rock 'n roll honky-tonk in Nashville on Lower Broadway!
    Sad state of affairs.
    Give me Robert's Western World!

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  10. Jamey Johnson tonite ...... that was painfully boring.... Got 3 songs...give me more Charlie Pride

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    1. That is odd as Jamey usually does a nice job. Someone who was painful to listen to last night was Heather Land. I listened to her on the Sirius replay on Friday night, and it was bad, perhaps the worst comedian that has ever been on the Opry. I thought maybe on Saturday she would be a little better, however, she was bad enough that my wife (who doesn't listen to the Opry on a regular basis), even said to turn the channel!!! Ouch. Others may have a different opinion, but listening to the audience, it seemed as if she was receiving only polite applause.

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    2. I agree with your wife.
      Heather's YouTube videos are absolutely entertaining, but her live act just didn't get it done. I would be totally shocked if she's asked to return.

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  11. Byron, I totally agree Heather Land was atrocious on both nights. I did not like her. Did not find her funny at all. Found her very boring and totally useless, Opry missed on that one.

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  12. Not sure how Heather Land got booked by the Opry, but it should NEVER happen again. We like stand-up comedy, but she was really, really bad. My wife (a regular Opry listener) asked me to turn it off until she was finished. REALLY bad...

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    1. Woody, it would appear that your wife and my wife had the same thoughts.

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